Twelve-dimension comparison
| Dimension | In-House Counsel | Outsourced Specialist |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fully-loaded cost | R1.2m – R2.5m (mid-level GC) | R60k – R250k (retainer + bespoke) |
| Hours of expert availability | Full-time within working hours | Defined retainer hours + ad-hoc bespoke |
| Specialist depth (POPIA, AI, fintech) | Generalist by default | Specialist by design |
| Embedded business knowledge | Deep, accumulated | Reasonable, builds over time |
| Surge capacity (M&A, funding, dispute) | Limited — single person | Scalable — engage on demand |
| Conflict-of-interest management | Pure alignment with employer | Conflict checks on each matter |
| Best for early-stage tech companies | Premature — cost-prohibitive | Right-sized — pay for what you need |
| Best for Series B+ companies | Increasingly justified | Often a complement, not a replacement |
| External vendor contract review | Limited by single bandwidth | Routine surge capacity |
| Day-to-day commercial advice | Available immediately | Available within retainer hours |
| Cost predictability | High (fixed salary) | High (fixed retainer + fixed-fee bespoke) |
| Right answer for most SA tech companies under ARR R100m | Premature | Right-sized |
When in-house starts to justify itself
A few or all of these indicators suggest the in-house tipping point has been reached:
- Annual recurring revenue (ARR) approaching R100m
- Three or more substantive commercial transactions per month requiring legal review
- Active M&A pipeline or strategic-investor diligence repeating
- Multi-jurisdiction operations requiring sustained cross-border expertise
- Active regulatory engagement (Information Regulator, FSCA, SARB) repeating
- Internal team headcount approaching 200+ employees with HR/employment-law volume
For most SA tech businesses, outsourced is right-sized
Retainer structures from R5,000/month; project-based bespoke from R12,150; 24-hour contract review from R1,650. You pay for what you need.