5,0/5 Google · 167 reviewsWe do not check reviews of us on other platforms that we do not quote verbatim for authenticity. They may therefore also come from people who are not our clients. The rules of the respective platform apply. Reviews that we quote verbatim on our website, by contrast, have been checked for authenticity within the meaning of Section 5b(3) UWG (German Act against Unfair Competition): we compared the reviewers’ names with our client register. We also asked the respective platform to check the reviews for authenticity.Period: October 2016 to date · As of: 28 October 2026
External legal department for businesses
One legal function instead of many individual cases
Contracts, data protection questions, marketing approvals, AI tools and conflicts keep coming back? Then your business needs more than ad hoc advice. We work as an outsourced legal department where internal legal resources are lacking or specialist knowledge is required.
Please enter a short description first.
The first contact is free of charge. No costs arise without our prior express notice.
Response within 24 hours on working days
As of: 23 October 2026
Initial scope3 of 5
- Teams authorised to make requestsPresent
- Topics within the ongoing frameworkPresent
- Priorities and deadlinesCheck
- Present
Communication channel - Escalation casesseparate mandateMissing
Point of review: What does not belong in the framework?
- 1Assess your needsTopics and teams
- 2Clarify modelTime budget or retainer
- 3Connect the functionScope and contacts
Schematic illustration of an initial scope. Simplified example.
We work for
- Start-ups
- SaaS providers
- Agencies
- Platform operators
- SMEs
Key points at a glance
- An outsourced legal department pays off when legal questions accompany business processes on an ongoing basis.
- The aim is a robust external legal function with a fixed contact structure, prioritised questions, clear approval lines and the ability to escalate.
- The working model ranges from a single mandate through a time budget and retainer to a project-based legal function.
- To this end, ITMR combines IT, data protection, media, IP, competition, AI and compliance in one line of work.
- Your contact is Jean Paul Bohne and his team. He is a specialist lawyer for IT law and for copyright and media law. Response within 24 hours on working days.
- SaaS
- Software as a Service. Software used over the internet rather than installed.
Starting position
When does an external legal function become relevant?
When legal questions accompany business processes instead of arising sporadically.
Contracts, data protection, IT projects, AI tools, approvals, platforms, compliance and conflicts land on the same teams, deadlines and decisions.
Sales, procurement, product, marketing, HR or management regularly need a sound legal assessment. In many cases, an in-house legal department would be too early, too expensive, too broad or not specialised enough.
In addition, there is a need for specialist reinforcement. IT, data protection, media, IP, competition, AI, platforms and compliance interlock in the same decisions.
Other businesses want to supplement internal legal resources without permanently creating new positions. Others need a better structure for contract review, approvals, escalations and documentation.
The benefit does not lie in outsourcing legal questions at random. It is about a workable structure. It sorts recurring topics faster, identifies the responsible specialist routes and makes decisions usable for the business.
- For whom
- Businesses with recurring legal needs
- Models
- Single mandate, time budget, retainer, project
- Topics
- Contracts, IT, data protection, media, IP, AI
- Contact structure
- agreed and fixed
Customer contracts, SaaS terms, service provider contracts, NDAs, licence models and agency agreements arise in parallel. In such situations, there is no reliable line for review, negotiation and approval.
A tool, a platform, an AI feature, a data model or a new sales model affects contract, data protection, IP, competition and internal governance at the same time. Teams then do not need long opinions on principles, but reliable limits, options and decision points.
External evidence is becoming more important. Investors, customers, audits, certifications or due diligence reviews require contracts, data protection documents, chains of rights, AI governance or compliance evidence. The Document Dossier Builder compiles which documents should be ready.
Sometimes it takes a conflict to reveal the structural deficits. A cease-and-desist letter, a customer dispute, a platform measure, a data protection complaint or a contract escalation then shows that there was no reliable legal line beforehand.
An enquiry is worthwhile if you want to build a recurring legal line of work beyond a single question. The need is particularly clear when several teams are affected or decisions have to be made faster.
Typical occasions are the choice between a single mandate, time budget, retainer or project function, recurring team questions on contracts, data protection, marketing, IP, AI, platforms or compliance, and the wish for support that does not only begin in a dispute.
Describe your ongoing legal needs via the form. We will get back to you within 24 hours on working days.
Process
How does ITMR become your external legal department?
In three steps from need to a workable legal function.
01
Assess your needs You describe which legal questions recur. These include contracts, data protection, IT projects, AI, marketing, content, IP, platforms, compliance or internal approval processes.
02
Clarify model We check whether a single mandate, time budget, retainer, project-based legal function or supplementing your in-house legal department fits best.
03
Connect the function Once instructed, we define contacts, scope, communication channel, priorities and first tasks. This ranges from contract review to escalation cases.
What the cooperation delivers
- 1
Legal questions are prioritised Urgency, economic risk, deadlines, responsibility and the documents required are sorted before time is spent in the wrong direction.
- 2
Teams get usable answers Product, sales, procurement, marketing and management receive sound options and next steps instead of abstract notes.
- 3
Specialist questions are routed We go into IT contracts, data protection, media law, IP, competition law, AI, platforms or compliance in a targeted way in the appropriate specialist route.
How long does it take? We complete most work steps within a few working days. How quickly it goes depends on the scope and your feedback. Do you have a fixed date, such as a launch? Tell us right away in your enquiry and we will plan for it.
Service
What does the external legal department take on?
Service package: external legal department
Contracts and negotiations Review, drafting, renegotiation and clause risks in NDAs, SaaS, licence, agency and service provider contracts. This creates clear responsibilities and less friction between sales, procurement and management.
IT, software and digital products Assessment of software, platforms, cloud, e-commerce, AI tools, data flows, product features and supplier chains. Approvals and project decisions become faster and cleaner.
Data protection and data Data processing agreements, privacy notices, tool reviews, data subject requests, third-country transfers and preparation for data breaches. This creates fewer contradictions between data protection, product, sales, HR and service provider management.
Media, content and marketing Approvals for claims, campaigns, publications, social media, influencers, use of images, reviews and reputation issues. This strengthens market launches and lowers the risk of cease-and-desist letters.
IP, competition and chains of rights Trade marks, copyrights, licences, buy-outs, agency services, IP conflicts, UWG risks and contract chains. Rights positions become traceable for use, distribution and enforcement.
Compliance and escalation Map of obligations, management briefings, risk prioritisation, dispute preparation and communication with authorities and platforms. Decisions become easier to document and to manage.
- For whom
- Companies, start-ups, agencies, platforms
- First response
- within 24 hours on working days
- Costs
- We tell you the costs transparently before you instruct us.
- Not included
- Tax and accounting questions. Court proceedings only as a separate service, on request and as needed.
Who delivers what and who decides
- Description of the business model
- Recurring legal questions
- Internal contacts
- Existing templates and documents
- Fixed legal contact structure
- Prioritisation and specialist routing
- Review, drafting and negotiation
- Decision papers for management
- Your management, on risks and measures
- In a dispute, the court or authority
How does the engagement work?
- 1
First assessment You describe your needs via the form. We assess which working model fits. The first contact is free of charge.
- 2
Offer Before we start, we tell you the scope, working model and costs transparently.
- 3
Court steps separately Court proceedings, representation and urgent mandates are agreed separately.
Working models
Which working model suits your needs?
The outsourced legal department is not a rigid product. Five models at a glance.
| Criterion | Suitable for | Typical benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Single mandate | A specific legal question, a contract, a cease-and-desist letter or a clearly limited review. | Solving a single problem without an ongoing structure. |
| Time budget | Recurring questions with fluctuating scope and clear prioritisation. | Predictable access to legal support without a full long-term commitment. |
| Retainer | Permanent legal needs with recurring coordination, approvals and contracts. | Fixed line of work, less start-up loss and better integration into internal processes. |
| Project-based legal function | Launch, platform set-up, AI roll-out, data protection project, contract roll-out or audit. | Legal support for a project with a clear goal and a definable scope. |
| Supplementing in-house legal teams | Capacity peaks, specialist topics or a second legal line. | Relief for internal resources and depth in ITMR's core areas. |
| Who decides | You choose the model. | We make a recommendation based on needs and scope. |
Fit
Who is an external legal department suitable for?
The model is strong where there are recurring legal needs of economic relevance.
Contract, data protection, IT, media, IP, marketing or compliance questions come up regularly.
Sales, procurement, product, marketing, HR and management need a lawyer's assessment.
Launches, tools and AI features need clear approval and escalation paths.
Internal legal resources are lacking or fully stretched. Management needs decision bases that can be documented.
A one-off question without follow-up needs, purely tax or accounting structural questions and mass topics unrelated to ITMR's core areas.
Internal decisions that do not require legal review remain with you. Conflicts that have to be handled as urgent or court mandates are conducted as a separate mandate.
Initial scope
What should be clarified before the mandate begins?
An external legal function must be accessible without becoming arbitrary.
- Initial scope Which teams may make requests, which topics belong in the ongoing framework, which documents are needed?
- Prioritisation What is time-critical, what is economically significant, what must be documented or reviewed later?
Communication channel Who is the internal contact, how are tasks passed on, which queries require a management decision?- Document line Which contract templates, approvals, notes, risk notices or decision papers are produced?
Specialist routes When do IT law, data protection law, media law, trade mark law, competition law or compliance go deeper?
Business model Which products, services, platforms, markets, customer groups and sales channels shape the legal needs?Recurring topics Which questions come up repeatedly, such as contracts, data protection, AI, advertising, IP, content, disputes or audits?Internal responsibility Who may make requests, who decides, who supplies documents, who is responsible for economic risks?Urgency Which questions are subject to deadlines, critical for a launch, relevant to reputation or decisive for negotiations?Limits Which topics are not part of the ongoing scope and are handled only as a separate mandate?
Specialist routes
Which specialist route goes deeper into which question?
The external legal department does not replace a specialist page. It deliberately passes on specialist questions.
Overarching digital route when it is still open whether contract, data protection, AI, data law, cybersecurity or platform law is at the centre.
Personal data, data subject rights, data processing structures, data breaches, supervision and international data transfers.
Data access, data sharing and economic use of data, as well as AI systems in introduction, marketing, procurement and governance.
Content, accounts, reviews, press, social media, chains of rights and reputation-related conflicts.
Signs, advertising, design, IP rights, cease-and-desist letters, claims, price advertising, misleading statements and UWG risks.
Obligations, responsibilities and audit readiness, as well as software, SaaS, licence, project, maintenance or outsourcing contracts.
Professional rules
Which professional rules apply?
With an outsourced legal department, in addition to time budgets we discuss the lawyer's independence, confidentiality, the remuneration model, court costs and the distinction between ongoing advice and representation in disputes.
Before the mandate begins, we therefore clarify which tasks fall within the ongoing framework, how remuneration is agreed and from when a dispute is conducted as a separate mandate. Court costs and the other side's costs follow their own statutory rules.
Section 43a BRAO (Federal Lawyers' Act) governs the basic duties of the legal profession, including independence and confidentiality. Section 49b BRAO sets the professional framework for remuneration. Section 3a RVG (Lawyers' Remuneration Act) governs agreements on lawyers' fees.
- Section 43a BRAO Basic duties, independence, confidentiality.
- Section 49b BRAO Professional framework for remuneration.
- Section 3a RVG Fee agreement.
- BRAK on lawyers' fees Guidance on the RVG and fee agreements.
Limits
Where are the limits of the cooperation?
Clear limits keep the cooperation manageable.
- 1
No substitute for every specialist question We bring recurring matters together and pass specialist questions on in a targeted way.
- 2
Disputes separately Urgent and court proceedings are agreed as a separate mandate.
- 3
No duplicate structure If we supplement an in-house legal team, we define the role as support.
- 4
The decision remains yours We provide options and risks. Your management decides.
What you can expect as a result
- Better fit, because we embed project decisions, approvals and negotiations in your business's operational reality.
- Defensible positions, because contracts, notes and risk notices are produced along a common line.
- More clarity for decisions, because legal questions are translated into options, risks, responsibilities and next steps.
- Less start-up loss, because the business model, templates and processes do not have to be explained anew for every question.
- Documented decisions that are more defensible and easier to manage.
Your contact
Lawyer and mediator · Partner · Specialist lawyer for IT law · Specialist lawyer for copyright and media law
View profile Düsseldorf, Schirmerstraße 80 · Hamburg, Palmaille 124
TOP lawyer 2027 · Business lawyers · Intellectual property
F.A.Z.-Institut and QuantiQuest. Based on recommendations from peers and assessments by in-house counsel. Source (opens in a new tab)
ReviewsWe do not check reviews of us on other platforms that we do not quote verbatim for authenticity. They may therefore also come from people who are not our clients. The rules of the respective platform apply. Reviews that we quote verbatim on our website, by contrast, have been checked for authenticity within the meaning of Section 5b(3) UWG (German Act against Unfair Competition): we compared the reviewers’ names with our client register. We also asked the respective platform to check the reviews for authenticity.
What clients say
5,0 von 5 · 71 Bewertungen auf anwalt.dePeriod: October 2018 to date · As of: 28 October 2026
“Both cases concerned copyright infringement. In the first, Mr Bohne negotiated a great settlement, and in the second he showed me all my options in a phone call and recommended the most favourable one for me.” (translated from German)
“I would like to share my extraordinarily positive experience with your firm, in particular with regard to the services of Mr Bohne. From the very beginning, I was impressed by the friendly and professional advice. …” (translated from German)
“Mr Bohne is very competent, listens well and expresses himself honestly and understandably. I am very satisfied with the advice!” (translated from German)
FAQ
What do businesses ask about the external legal department?
Which businesses is an outsourced legal department suitable for?
For businesses with recurring legal needs and no suitable internal legal structure, or with specialist needs. This is an obvious choice for platforms, agencies, SaaS providers, start-ups, e-commerce, content organisations and growing SMEs.
When is a single mandate better than ongoing support?
A single mandate is enough for a clearly limited question, such as a contract, a cease-and-desist letter or a data protection question. Ongoing support is stronger when questions recur, several teams are affected or a permanent approval line is to be established.
Can ITMR completely replace an in-house legal department?
In smaller or growing businesses, we can take over the external legal function. In larger organisations, we usually supplement existing structures, as specialist reinforcement, second line, project support or escalation point.
Which topics belong in the ongoing scope?
Typical topics are contract review, NDAs, SaaS and software contracts, data protection, marketing approvals, chains of rights, trade mark and competition issues, AI tools, platform topics, decision papers, escalation communication and compliance structures.
How does the cooperation remain manageable?
At the outset, we clarify responsibilities, communication channel, priorities, response times and scope. We clearly distinguish ongoing support, project packages, single mandates and representation in disputes.
Is an external legal department cheaper than an in-house position?
That depends on the scope. The model becomes economical when you need legal availability but do not want to build a full internal structure. We rely on a transparent scope rather than a blanket promise on costs.
Does ITMR also support existing legal teams?
Yes. We supplement internal teams during capacity peaks, on specialist questions, projects, negotiations and data protection, IT, media, IP or compliance topics. We define the role as support, not as a duplicate structure.
What should be prepared for the first enquiry?
Helpful are a short description of the business, the most important recurring legal questions, the teams affected, desired response times, typical types of contract, existing templates and ongoing conflicts.
How does the cooperation start?
First, we review your recurring topics and the teams involved. We then define contacts, communication channel, priorities and scope. In a first round, we review existing contract templates, policies and open matters and flag urgent points.
Who is my contact at ITMR?
You get a permanent contact person who coordinates your requests. They pass specialist questions on IT law, data protection, media law, trade mark law, employment law or platform law to the responsible colleagues. This keeps contact simple while preserving specialist depth.
How is remuneration arranged?
We agree remuneration in writing before we start, to suit the chosen model. Options include time budgets, a fixed framework for defined services or project agreements. Court proceedings and representation in disputes are agreed separately.
Next step
Should your legal function be in place before the next bottleneck?
Many businesses only bring in legal support when a contract is stuck, a cease-and-desist letter arrives or a launch becomes uncertain. An outsourced legal department starts earlier, with clear responsibilities and reliable documents. The Legal Readiness Score shows where your business is already well positioned.
Helpful for your enquiry
- Short description of the business model
- Typical legal questions
- Desired response speed
- Contract or process documents
You can also submit documents after our first response.
Enquire about an external legal department
For businesses, agencies and platforms with recurring legal questions.
Describe your ongoing legal needs, clarify the working model.
Related services
IT law & digitalisation Core specialist area.IT contract / software contract Specific contract situations.Data protection law GDPR, tools, data flows.Employment law for employers HR questions with a digital dimension.Service packages All packages.