Why a boutique firm?

CowanPerry is a boutique business law firm, which means we specialize in and focus on the needs of our business clients.  We offer the skill and sophistication typically associated with a large firm with the commitment to value and client service of a smaller firm. The litigation attorneys at CowanPerry have successfully handled highly-complex matters in state and federal courts around the country involving a broad range of commercial disputes.  Our transactional attorneys regularly assist businesses, financial institutions, investors and individuals in a broad range of sophisticated transactional matters.  With many years of partner level and practice area leadership experience at large and national law firms and as in-house corporate counsel, our attorneys are adept at evaluating business opportunities, identifying problems and implementing practical solutions to forward our clients’ unique goals.

Added value

Does your law firm make your files accessible to you via a private secure Internet portal? Do they define a scope of services for you, price it, and then honor that price? Have they invested in technology like they were a technology company, rather than a brick-and-mortar service firm: cloud computing, document automation, document collaboration tools, mobile apps, paperless workflow, and other next generation tools — and then passed along the savings of those efficiencies to you via fixed–fee, retainer–based, or modified-hourly billing models?

Our vision

Over the past decade, we have seen both the practice of law and the needs of our clients evolve and change dramatically. Because of these changes, the traditional law-firm model often does not serve the best interests of our clients. This has convinced us that it is time to replace the current law firm model with one that aligns the interests of the client with those of the lawyer by focusing on deep subject matter expertise, results and efficient project management.

What is YOUR vision?

If you were to envision what you need in a lawyer, in an outside general counsel, in a law firm, free from the constraints of the current law firm model – without giving up the quality and expertise of a big law firm that your business demands, what would that relationship look like? We believe that is the law firm we have created.

What are Alternative Fee Arrangements?

Most law firms bill by the hour, which means that the amount a client pays depends on the amount of time it takes the lawyer to do the work. Thus, lawyers get paid more if they work more. And there is no incentive to lower costs. Under this type of arrangement, the client’s interests do not align with that of the lawyer.

At CowanPerry, we use fee arrangements that align these interests. There is no one best method of billing that fits all situations. Rather, the type of fee arrangement is likely to vary by client and matter. We offer monthly retainers, flat fees for particular projects, cases or phases or a project or case, and hourly billing where appropriate.

Our fees are lower than firms using the traditional model for several reasons. As a small firm, we do not have the extensive overhead costs of a larger, full-service law firm. Because we are experienced attorneys and do not hire and train a lot of inexperienced lawyers, we are able to work more effectively and efficiently. Additionally, our investment in next generation technology, such as cloud computing, document automation and collaboration tools, mobile apps and paperless workflow, provides additional efficiencies that we are able to pass on to our clients.

Why Use Outside General Counsel Services?

We recognize that growing and successful companies in our region need access to first-rate legal advice, but also need to control the costs associated with obtaining legal support and advice. For certain clients in Southwest Virginia, and the neighboring areas of Tennessee, North Carolina, and West Virginia, we alter our billing arrangements from a traditional hourly rate format to a monthly-retainer basis. Our goal is to provide our clients access to quality legal services with a predictable cost structure. Serving as your Outside General Counsel, we will bring the resources of our firm to bear on the issues you confront in managing the growth and success of your business. We will enable you to be proactive in your legal strategy and not simply be forced to react to situations once they are out of hand.

CowanPerry’s client base includes a diverse array of manufacturers, technology firms, service businesses, governmental entities, and start-up firms. Our attorneys currently serve as Outside General Counsel for a variety of these companies in our region on long-term, successful, monthly-retainer arrangements. We provide legal services to company executives across a wide spectrum of our legal practice, including timely advice on specific legal questions, corporate compliance, transactional representation and potential litigation matters as they arise. Our Outside General Counsel service includes services in all seven of our core service areas: business and employment litigation, corporate and tax, ERISA and employee benefits, intellectual property, labor and employment law, land use and commercial real estate and trusts and estates, including business succession planning .

To get the process started, our attorneys will meet with you and together evaluate your needs, and develop a scope of work and client service structure that fits your business. Generally, a retainer arrangement will include the following services: unlimited telephone and e-mail consultation; contract drafting, review and negotiation; strategic planning; labor and employment law compliance and training; intellectual property protection; attendance at officer and board meetings, as requested; and preparation and maintenance of state reporting requirements, such as annual reports. Because it is impossible to predict the occurrence and cost of unusual events, such as most litigation, a merger or acquisition, patent applications, sale of all or a portion of your business, or the sale of securities to raise private capital, budgets or fixed-fee proposals for these types of non-routine items will be established as the arise, and will be outside our regular monthly retainer arrangement.