Legal Department Build-Outs
Embedded counsel for portfolio companies scaling their legal function.
"The companies thinking ahead aren't hiring more lawyers. They're building smarter legal functions."Schedule a Scoping Conversation
A different kind of legal function.
Most portfolio companies don't need more lawyers. They need senior judgment, modern infrastructure, and a small team built around both.
AI and legal operations tools are collapsing the traditional law-firm pyramid. The work that used to require armies of junior associates is being absorbed by technology. What's left, and what's harder to replace, is senior in-house judgment paired with well-designed systems.
Lex & Lever partners with PE firms and their portfolio companies to design and build that function from the ground up. Not staffing alone. The full operational build, ready to run when we leave.
What a Build-Out Delivers
A 90-to-120 day engagement, three phases.
- Current state assessment
- Risk and gap analysis
- Stakeholder interviews
- Build-out roadmap and budget
- Tech stack recommendations
- Legal tech stack deployment
- Contract templates and playbooks
- Workflow automation
- Compliance program design
- Outside counsel rationalization
- Team structure and hiring support
- Junior lawyer training program
- Process documentation handoff
- Optional transition retainer
- Self-sufficient function
Build-out timelines assume active CEO sponsorship and a designated internal point of contact. Engagements without those elements are scoped longer and priced accordingly.
Who This Is For
Two buyers, one offering.
PE Operating Partners
Value creation through portfolio infrastructure.
- Portfolio-wide legal operations programs
- Pre-acquisition diligence and integration
- Master engagements across multiple portcos
- Standardized legal infrastructure across the fund
Portfolio Companies
Embedded leadership for the legal function.
- Companies between outside counsel and full GC
- Post-acquisition legal integration
- Pre-IPO and pre-exit infrastructure readiness
- Junior lawyer development and team build-out
Engagement Models
How we structure the work.
| Engagement | Structure |
|---|---|
| Single Portco Build-Out | Fixed fee · 90–120 day scope · Tiered by company complexity |
| PE Portfolio Program | Master engagement · Per-portco rate · Volume pricing across the fund |
| Transition Retainer | Optional · 3–6 month tail · Post build-out stabilization |
Build-out engagements are fixed-fee, scoped to company complexity. Most engagements fall in the mid-five to six-figure range over the build phase, with an optional transition retainer following. Specific pricing is set during the scoping conversation.
Why Ashley Page Leads This Work
Built from the inside. Three times.
This isn't theoretical work. Ashley built and ran exactly this kind of function from the inside.
She has nearly two decades of senior in-house legal experience, three state bar memberships, and a track record of leading global teams through digital transformation.
Let's build it.
Every engagement begins with a scoping conversation. Let's talk about what your portfolio needs.
Schedule a Scoping Conversation