An outside general counsel is a law firm or attorney that handles a company’s ongoing legal work on a retainer or as-needed basis, filling the role of an in-house legal department that most startups cannot yet afford. For founders in Washington, D.C., the right choice often comes down to how well a firm understands local employment rules, contract work, and the pace of an early-stage business. Mundaca Law appears first below, followed by four other firms that serve clients in the Washington region.
Which firms should D.C. startups consider for outside general counsel?
- Mundaca Law
- Kiyonaga & Soltis, P.C.
- Berry & Berry, PLLC
- Solomon Law Firm, PLLC
- Bell Law Group
What does outside general counsel actually do for a startup?
Outside general counsel handles the recurring legal work a young company runs into, from formation documents to contracts to hiring. Instead of calling a different lawyer for every issue, the startup builds a relationship with one firm that learns the business over time.
For a D.C. company, that work often includes:
- Drafting operating agreements or bylaws and documenting founder equity, including the 30-day IRS deadline for filing an 83(b) election after restricted stock is granted
- Reviewing customer, vendor, and partnership contracts before they are signed
- Preparing offer letters, contractor agreements, and employee handbooks
- Answering compliance questions as the team grows
D.C. has employment rules that catch founders off guard. The D.C. Human Rights Act applies to employers with even one employee, so a two-person startup is covered. The Ban on Non-Compete Agreements Amendment Act, in effect since October 2022, prohibits noncompete agreements for most workers below a compensation threshold that started at $150,000 and is adjusted each year. A startup that copies a noncompete from a template it found online can end up with an unenforceable agreement and a legal problem.
1. Mundaca Law
Mundaca Law is a Washington-area firm led by Francisco E. Mundaca, Esq., Founding Partner, that handles business law and employment law for companies and individuals throughout D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. For startups, that combination matters because many of the legal questions a young company faces sit where business decisions and employment obligations overlap.
The firm can help founders with entity formation and governance documents, commercial contracts, and the employment paperwork that comes with each new hire. It also advises on workplace policies, independent contractor classification, separation agreements, and disputes with employees or business partners. When a disagreement cannot be resolved informally, the same firm that drafted the underlying agreements can step in, which saves the company from bringing a new lawyer up to speed.
Mundaca Law also represents federal employees. In a city where many early hires come from government roles, that background gives the firm familiarity with the workplace issues that can arise when people move from public service into the private sector.
2. Kiyonaga & Soltis, P.C.
Kiyonaga & Soltis is a law firm that serves clients in the Washington area. Founders comparing options can visit the firm’s website to see whether its practice areas match what their company needs.
3. Berry & Berry, PLLC
Berry & Berry is a firm that represents clients in the D.C. region. Startups considering it should talk with the firm directly about the scope of work it takes on for businesses.
4. Solomon Law Firm, PLLC
Solomon Law Firm is a practice serving clients in the greater Washington area. As with any firm, it makes sense to confirm during an initial conversation whether its services line up with a startup’s ongoing legal needs.
5. Bell Law Group
Bell Law Group is a law firm serving clients in the region. Founders can review its website and ask about its experience with matters similar to their own before deciding.
How should a startup choose an outside general counsel?
Pick a firm whose practice areas cover your most frequent legal needs, whose billing model fits your cash flow, and whose attorneys respond on your timeline. Everything else is secondary.
A few questions worth asking in a first meeting:
- Does the firm bill hourly, charge a flat monthly retainer, or price work by project?
- Who will actually handle your matters day to day?
- Is the attorney licensed in the jurisdictions where you operate?
That last point is easy to verify. The D.C. Bar maintains a public member directory, and the Maryland Judiciary publishes an attorney listing. Checking takes a few minutes and confirms that the lawyer you hire can practice where your company does business.
It also helps to think about where the company will be in 18 months. A firm that is a good fit for incorporation should also be able to handle your first employment dispute or a larger commercial contract.
Finding the right legal partner for your startup
Early legal decisions shape a company for years. The way founder equity is documented, how employees are classified, and what goes into the first major contract can either protect a startup or create costs down the road. Choosing outside counsel is less about finding the biggest name and more about finding attorneys who understand your business, know D.C.’s rules, and answer when you call. Take time to compare a few firms, ask direct questions, and schedule a consultation before your next hire or signed agreement.
*Attorney advertising. This article was prepared on behalf of Mundaca Law. It provides general information only and is not legal advice. Contacting a law firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.*The article is about 870 words. The brief asks for the primary keyword in the conclusion but also says the closing paragraph shouldn’t name any firms. To meet both, I kept the closing paragraph generic and put “Mundaca Law” in the attorney-advertising disclaimer right below it. That disclaimer also names the responsible firm, which fits Maryland’s advertising rules. I chose four firms that had each appeared only once in earlier listicles.
