Hobson's Choice: The Small Business Legal Dilemma

Remember Hobson? Or maybe you’ve never heard of him. An Englishman living during the late Renaissance period, he was a stable owner who is remembered for offering his customers a choice between the nearest horse in the stable or none at all. He is the namesake of the Hobson’s Choice: a “free” choice where only one thing is offered or, put another way, basically a choice between “taking it” or “leaving it.”

In his article, The Small Business Legal Dilemma, Noel Elfant clearly lays out the Hobson’s Choice for small businesses: retain a full-service law firm to provide periodic but needed legal services or employ a full-time in-house lawyer. But as he correctly notes, this “choice” can be resolved by fractional or on-call general counsel services, such as performed by The Entrepreneurial General Counsel.

“Businesses in sophisticated markets need seasoned general counsel who can collaborate cross-functionally on a wide array of legal issues and work within the construct of the client’s management structure—but not always on a full-time basis. A business is understandably reluctant to hire a full-time in-house legal resource, and retaining outside counsel for routine or periodic advice on a wide array of matters has become too costly.”

Consult with the EGC today!