Most business law firms are good at the law. But legal advice that doesn’t account for how your business operates, your timelines, your budget, your team, and the decision you need to make by Friday, can leave you with answers that are technically correct but practically useless. The result: you’re no closer to your goals.

Our founders created Embedded Counsel after nearly two decades combined as in-house lawyers at growing tech companies. They started the firm because they kept seeing the same gap between what businesses needed from outside counsel and what they actually got.

A few reasons Embedded Counsel might be the right fit for your business:

1. Your matter is handled by the firm’s senior attorneys

At many law firms, a senior partner handles the pitch, then hands your work off to junior associates and paralegals you’ve never met. According to a 2024 analysis of legal billing data, partners at the largest firms handle only about 35% of the work on a typical engagement. The rest gets delegated down.

This doesn’t happen at Embedded Counsel. When you hire Embedded Counsel, our senior attorneys don’t oversee your project at arm’s length. They do the work.

John Pothier is a former VP of Legal and Compliance who guided a global, venture-backed company through multiple fundraising rounds, an international acquisition, and a full compliance buildout. He also stepped in as interim CFO during a leadership transition.

Dylan Barrett is a former in-house counsel and legal technologist. He spent time in software sales before law school, giving him a practical understanding of how contracts, deals, and business relationships actually play out.

2. We focus on business law 

Embedded Counsel focuses exclusively on business law, commercial litigation, and the legal needs of growing companies. Every matter involves someone’s livelihood, risk, or growth. That focus runs through everything we do, for clients across Massachusetts, Rhode Island,  and southern New Hampshire.

3. We’ll be part of your team, not onlookers

Any good law firm keeps your files and remembers your history. But there’s a difference between knowing your legal record and knowing your business. John and Dylan work closely enough with your team to understand how decisions get made, who the players are, what’s on the roadmap, and what keeps you up at night. That depth of context means they can connect dots across different conversations, spot issues earlier, and give advice that fits your situation without a lengthy briefing every time.

“John and Dylan at Embedded Counsel completely break that mold. For the first time in my career, I feel like I’m working with legal partners who enable delivery rather than block it.”
— Mark Arnold

3. Our legal advice is based on how businesses run

Because John and Dylan combine business experience with legal expertise, their advice isn’t just theoretical and doesn’t arrive in a vacuum, but accounts for business realities. They know what it means to have a quarter closing, a product launching, or a board expecting answers. So when they advise you on a contract, a compliance question, or a dispute, they’re thinking about your timeline, your budget, your team’s bandwidth, and what matters most to your business right now. Not just what the law says in the abstract.

4. Our support can scale with you

Embedded Counsel is built to fit your legal support needs, not to lock you into a single billing model.

Looking for ongoing counsel? That’s available on a month-to-month basis, with the flexibility to scale up or down.

Have a one-time project like a governance cleanup or fundraising prep? It gets scoped, priced, and done.

Working through litigation? We can represent you directly or coordinate with outside litigation counsel to keep things on track.

You choose what fits your business right now, and it can change as you grow.

“We worked with Embedded Counsel on our Operating Agreement and trademark registration, and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. John and Dylan were incredibly agile — they handled every request quickly and with great attention to detail.”
— Bartolomé Ferreira

5. You’ll know what you’re paying before the work starts

Hourly or flat fee: your choice. Every engagement is scoped before work begins, so you know what to expect. No hidden fees, no vague invoices, no surprises. When you need quick follow-ups, clarifications, and the kind of day-to-day communication that comes up, that’s not extra. That’s included.

Now, how can we help you? Reach out to Embedded Counsel to schedule a consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Embedded Counsel different from a general business law firm? 

Our founders spent their careers as in-house lawyers before starting this firm. That means they approach every matter the way an inside counsel would: with your business context (and bottom line) in mind, not just the legal issue in isolation.

Will I always work directly with a founding partner? 

Yes. John Pothier and Dylan Barrett are directly involved in every matter. You won’t be handed off to someone you’ve never met.

What kinds of businesses do you work with? 

We work with small businesses, startups, medical practices, food service operations, and growth-stage companies across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and southern New Hampshire. If your business needs a lawyer who understands how deals and decisions actually get made, we’re a fit.

Do you handle both transactional work and litigation? 

Yes. We handle business formation, contracts, employment matters, and commercial litigation, among other areas. Our attorneys have handled both sides of disputes and transactions, often within the same companies.

How do I know if my matter is a good fit? 

The best way is a direct conversation. We’ll tell you honestly whether we’re the right firm for what you’re dealing with, and refer you to someone who is if we’re not.

Embedded Counsel handles contract disputes, partnership disputes, debt collections and payment disputes, employment litigation defense, and Chapter 93A consumer protection defense.

On the transactional side, Dylan and John advise on commercial contracts, corporate governance, M&A, fundraising, data privacy and compliance (GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, FERPA), intellectual property and licensing, employment policies, and legal operations.

They work with startups, small businesses, VC and PE-backed companies, and tech and SaaS companies across Massachusetts and New Hampshire.