Legal Models Compared
Managed Legal Services
A smarter way to access expert legal support — predictable, commercial, and built around your business rhythm.
MLS embeds a specialist legal consultancy into your operation — ongoing retained support rather than reactive, matter-by-matter instruction. The business knowledge of an in-house counsel, with the independence of an external advisor.
How Does MLS Compare?
| Criteria | MLS (Ledax) | Law Firm | LPO | Freelancer | In-House |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost Predictability | Fixed retainer / defined scope | Hourly billing, unpredictable | Low cost, volume-based | Variable, per-task | Fixed salary + overheads |
| Response Time | Rapid, prioritised | Depends on matter priority | Structured SLAs | Varies widely | Immediate, but capacity-limited |
| Business Alignment | Deep, embedded partner | External, transactional | Process-focused | Minimal context | High, but siloed |
| Risk Focus | Material risk identification | Comprehensive legal risk | Compliance-oriented | Task-specific | Broad but bandwidth-constrained |
| Scalability | Highly scalable | Cost-prohibitive at scale | High volume, low complexity | Limited | Headcount-limited |
| Commercial Context | Integral to advice | Varies by partner | Minimal | Minimal | Good, but internal bias |
| Relationship Continuity | Ongoing, evolving | Matter-by-matter | Process-based | Project-based | High but internal |