Interim counsel

Interim Counsel

Experienced legal leadership, immediately available

Businesses often need senior legal support at short notice — during a transaction, regulatory change, leadership transition or recruitment gap. Bratby Law provides interim counsel capability so your organisation continues operating with clarity, continuity and confidence.

You gain access to a senior English lawyer interim counsel with more than three decades’ experience across in-house, regulatory and private-practice roles, available for defined periods without long-term commitment.

Who this is for

Interim counsel support is designed for organisations that require experienced legal leadership but do not need, or cannot immediately secure, a permanent senior hire.

UK and international businesses

Companies needing short-term senior legal support to maintain decision-making, manage risk and keep transactions moving.

General Counsel and senior legal leaders

In-house teams requiring temporary capacity or specialist regulatory expertise during periods of heightened activity.

Fast-growth technology and digital businesses

Fast-growth technology and digital businesses

What we provide

What we provide

Our interim support is tailored to the operational and commercial realities of each organisation. We can:

  • act as interim or acting General Counsel, providing leadership to legal and compliance functions
  • manage transactions, joint ventures and strategic commercial negotiations
  • oversee outside counsel and legal spend to ensure efficient and targeted use
  • deliver regulatory support across telecoms, AI, data protection and digital markets
  • strengthen governance, risk and contract-management processes
  • provide continuity of advice to boards, executives and senior stakeholders

Engagements typically last from a few weeks to several months and can combine on-site and remote support.

How interim counsel works

Interim engagements follow a defined structure to ensure clarity and continuity:

Onboarding

We agree scope, reporting lines and priorities, ensuring seamless integration with management and existing legal teams.

Leadership and delivery

We provide day-to-day handling of legal matters, support key decision-makers and ensure commercial and regulatory risks are understood and managed.

Coordination with external advisers

Where specialist or multi-jurisdictional issues arise, we liaise with external counsel to maintain consistency of advice and cost control.

Handover

When permanent appointments are made, we ensure a structured transition with comprehensive knowledge transfer and documentation.

Benefits to clients

  • Continuity – uninterrupted legal coverage during transitions or periods of high demand
  • Speed – senior capability deployed rapidly to stabilise workloads and maintain progress
  • Efficiency – predictable cost with no employment or recruitment overhead
  • Assurance – experienced judgment informed by telecoms, technology and regulatory expertise
  • Focus – executives and in-house teams can prioritise strategic issues while legal matters are managed effectively

Typical scenarios

  • covering a General Counsel or Head of Legal during leave, restructuring or recruitment
  • supporting M&A, joint-venture or strategic partnership execution
  • managing telecoms, AI or data-governance regulatory change projects
  • providing leadership to a newly formed, growing or capacity-constrained in-house legal function
  • acting as short-term senior resource for technology and digital businesses entering new markets

Related practice areas

Related insights

Independent directory rankings

Our specialist expertise is recognised in major independent legal directories:

  • Chambers & Partners: Rob Bratby is ranked in the UK Guide 2026 in the “Telecommunications” category: Chambers
  • The Legal 500: Rob Bratby is listed as a “Leading Partner – Telecoms” in London (TMT – IT & Telecoms): The Legal 500
  • Lexology: Rob Bratby is featured on Lexology’s expert profiles (Global Elite Thought Leader): Lexology
1 | bratby law | telecoms | ai | data
Interim counsel 5 | bratby law | telecoms | ai | data
2 | bratby law | telecoms | ai | data
Interim counsel 6 | bratby law | telecoms | ai | data

What clients say

  • “…one of those rare lawyers who really does understand the business imperatives behind the legal situations businesses find themselves in.”

    “I worked with Rob over many years whilst I was at Orange. He is one of those rare lawyers who really does understand the business imperatives behind the legal situations businesses find themselves in. Most notably he provided first class support to me and my team on a high profile / high value joint venture network sharing deal. His ability to see both the detail and the bigger strategic picture were enormously helpful.”
    Amanda Doyle
    (Former) General Counsel, Orange UK

  • “I would highly recommend Rob and his team.”

    “I have had the pleasure of working with Rob now on a number of occasions and engagements with clients. Rob is one of the most knowledgeable people I have come across in the Telecommunications industry, both in his comprehensive understanding of the law for various countries and in the application of this law and what it means for Operators. This is complemented by his generosity with sharing his knowledge, and the friendly style with which he works. I would highly recommend Rob and his team.”
    Nick White
    (Former) Deloitte

  • “I would recommend Rob for any major Telecoms project”

    “I worked with Rob to introduce One Touch Switching for broadband and fixed voice, which launched successfully with almost two million customers using the service to date. Rob is a first class Legal Counsel with exceptional legal and regulatory knowledge enabling him to give insightful strategic guidance to the ExCo and the Board. He is highly trusted by Directors and easy to work with. I would recommend Rob for any major Telecoms project.”
    Toby Lovell
    (Former) Chief of Staff, The One Touch Switching Company

Need senior legal support at short notice?

Discuss how interim counsel can support your organisation.

Book a call

Frequently asked questions

When is interim counsel appropriate?

Interim counsel is suitable when an organisation requires senior legal leadership during a period of absence, transition or increased workload. It provides continuity without the lead time or cost associated with recruiting a permanent lawyer.

Do you act as interim General Counsel?

Yes. We frequently support organisations as interim or acting General Counsel, including overseeing legal teams, advising senior management and managing external advisers.

Can interim support include regulatory or technology-sector expertise?

Yes. We provide specialist interim support across telecoms, AI, data protection and digital-market regulation, integrating sector-specific analysis with commercial advice.

How quickly can you start?

Engagements can often commence within days, subject to a short scoping discussion and conflict checks.

Do you work alongside existing in-house teams?

Yes. We integrate with in-house legal, compliance, product and commercial teams, ensuring continuity and clarity of responsibilities.

How does handover work once a permanent hire is made?

We provide a structured transition, including full knowledge transfer, documentation of key ongoing matters and coordination with the incoming lawyer to ensure a smooth handover.

Interim counsel

Interim Counsel