Why businesses are embracing fractional models for legal advisory and support

Across the UAE, companies are changing the way they structure legal teams. Whilst cost is a key factor, the shift to fractional models is also being driven by the need for legal expertise that is more strategic, commercially attuned and adaptable to business demands, write Natalie Boyd and Vanessa Abernethy from Oryx Legal Consultants.

A growing number of companies in the UAE are turning to the fractional General Counsel model. Senior lawyers are brought in on a part-time, retained, or project basis and embedded directly within internal teams. This innovative model represents a shift away from both permanent hires and high-cost external firms, offering greater flexibility whilst maintaining access to experienced legal leadership.

At Oryx Legal Consultants, over 60% of our legal mandate revenue in 2024 came from fractional roles. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, demand grew by a further 15%. Clients finding the benefit of fractional services span a wide range of sectors, including financial services, healthcare, funds, technology, media and real estate.

Whilst the model has clear benefits for SMEs and growth-stage businesses, it is equally being adopted by larger institutions seeking to scale legal support without increasing headcount.

The work of fractional experts is varied but typically includes commercial transactional and advisory, corporate governance, IPO readiness and licensing and regulatory support. In many cases, fractional senior counsel is stepping into roles that were previously unfilled or inconsistently supported, providing structure and senior oversight at a fraction of the cost of a full-time executive.

Fractional counsel are not outside advisors responding to ad hoc client instructions. They are embedded in the business from day one and operate as a cohesive part of the leadership team. Their advice is sophisticated, expeditious and commercially more savvy than traditional models generally allow.

Several talent and hiring shifts

The rise of the fractional model is seen across numerous domains, such as finance, procurement and legal, and comes in response to a number of shifts seen in the (senior) talent landscape.

Senior professionals are no longer limited to traditional private practice or in-house roles. The normalisation of remote and hybrid work has made it more attractive and entirely feasible for lawyers to operate as fully integrated team members without the need for permanent or full-time employment contracts. Many now prefer to work across a portfolio of businesses, focusing on high-impact mandates without the structural overheads of legacy models.

This post-pandemic evolution in how legal professionals prefer to work is directly fuelling the adoption of the fractional model.

For clients, the fractional model also reduces overheads and brings greater transparency to spend. Rather than relying on time-based billing or open-ended external engagements, companies can fix fees, determine short- and longer-term project requirements, and scale support in line with real needs. It offers clarity, predictability and better alignment between legal cost and business value.

Additionally, by brining in fractional talent, businesses are ensured that they onboard people who are domain experts with a proven track record, and who understand their sector.

Legal risk is no longer something businesses wish to delegate to external firms at arm’s length. They need a bridge between fulltime in-house support and external counsel, with legal support, which is inside the business and understands its immediate objectives and long-term goals. This too will see the fractional approach more often become the logical resourcing choice.