General Counsel Support for Established Fund Managers: Institutional Needs Without Full-Time Overhead
November 2024
As private fund platforms grow, so do the legal demands. What started with a single fund and a basic set of documents can quickly become a complex ecosystem of vehicles, strategies, investor expectations, and compliance needs. At a certain point, having a trusted legal resource isn’t optional — it’s essential.
For fund managers who don’t need a full-time general counsel, but need more than occasional outside help, Moeller Law PLLC provides a solution. We serve as fractional general counsel to established fund managers, offering strategic legal support that fits into your day-to-day operations and grows with your platform. While we’re available on an hourly or project basis when needed, the real value comes from being embedded — consistently and proactively — in your fund’s legal and business structure.
More Than Outside Counsel
We don’t just draft documents or review filings. We operate as part of your internal team, bringing legal oversight to the broader business of running a private fund. That includes structuring and launch planning, governance oversight, regulatory coordination, and investor engagement — often across multiple fund vintages and adviser entities.
Whether you’re refining terms for Fund V, updating side letter templates, onboarding a new anchor LP, or mapping out a co-investment structure, we step in early, advise pragmatically, and help execute efficiently. Because we’re involved consistently, we bring institutional memory and practical judgment that point-in-time legal support often can’t offer.
Ongoing Support That Scales with Your Platform
Our clients range from experienced fund managers running lean internal operations to multi-strategy platforms in growth mode. Some use us continuously across their fund calendar, while others engage us more heavily during launches, renewals, or key transactions.
Common support areas include:
Reviewing and negotiating fund amendments, LP side letters, and co-investment terms
Supporting new product launches, including document development and LP diligence coordination
Advising on fund governance, adviser registration thresholds, and regulatory disclosures
Acting as a liaison between your investment, operations, and finance teams when outside counsel is engaged
Helping maintain consistency across fund documents and ensuring alignment with evolving business practices
We also help manage outside law firms where appropriate, keeping legal costs in check while ensuring external counsel is focused on high-value deliverables.
Hourly Work Is Available, but the Fractional Model Delivers More
We’re available to work on a traditional hourly basis — and for many clients, that’s where the relationship starts. But the real benefit of our model is realized when we’re engaged in an ongoing, fractional capacity. That’s when we’re able to deliver continuity, anticipate needs before they arise, and help drive strategy rather than just react to it.
As fractional general counsel, we integrate with your internal and external teams, build familiarity with your operating style, and stay close to investor expectations, legal documentation, and compliance risks. That embedded knowledge lets us move faster, with less back-and-forth, and ultimately provide more value at a lower effective cost.
Built for Flexibility, Grounded in Experience
We understand how fund managers work — the demands, the cycles, and the balance between innovation and compliance. Moeller Law PLLC is designed to support that rhythm, offering senior-level legal insight with the flexibility of an external partner.
You don’t need a 40-hour-a-week general counsel to get institutional-grade legal coverage. You need someone who knows your structure, understands your strategy, and can step in quickly when it matters.
Legal needs grow with your platform. Whether you’re navigating new fund structures, expanding investor relationships, or preparing for regulatory change, having experienced legal counsel in the room is critical. Moeller Law PLLC provides outsourced and fractional general counsel support to private fund managers who want trusted legal guidance without full-time overhead. If you're looking to scale your platform with the right legal partner in place, we’d be glad to connect.
