Outside General Counsel and Technology Transactions Counsel for Growing Companies
Senior legal support for companies that need practical commercial, SaaS, technology, IP, privacy, and M&A counsel without hiring a full-time legal team.
What we do
Practical legal counsel for growing businesses.
CounselX advises founders, owners, operators, and teams across a wide range of industries — from technology, SaaS, and fintech to consumer products, professional services, and beyond.
Outside General Counsel
Senior legal judgment for growing companies that need experienced counsel without the cost of a full-time legal department.
Commercial Contracts & SaaS
MSAs, subscription agreements, order forms, vendor agreements, and strategic commercial relationships.
Technology Transactions & IP
Software licensing, technology transfers, IP assignments, platform agreements, and complex commercial transactions.
Data Privacy & AI
Data processing agreements, privacy compliance, AI-related contractual issues, and information security provisions.
Fintech & Regulated Tech
Commercial and regulatory support for businesses operating in financial services, healthtech, edtech, and other regulated industries.
Mergers, Acquisitions & Business Sales
Buy-side and sell-side representation for founder-owned businesses in transactions from $500K to $50M+, including deal structuring, due diligence, negotiation, and post-closing integration.
Corporate & Strategic
Entity formation, founder arrangements, governance, equity documentation, financing rounds, cap table cleanup, and ongoing corporate support.
Commercial & IP Dispute Resolution
Negotiated resolution of commercial, corporate, and intellectual property disputes, including contract, licensing, and infringement matters, without formal court proceedings. Coordination with litigation counsel when a matter requires formal litigation.
About
Nineteen years advising companies on what matters.
Umar Farooq is the founder and principal attorney of CounselX P.C., a technology transactions and commercial contracts practice serving founders, operators, and technology companies.
For more than nineteen years, he has advised businesses on complex commercial and strategic matters, combining the perspective of in-house counsel with the experience of private practice.
Prior to founding CounselX in 2012, Umar trained at Dentons in Doha, where he advised on cross-border M&A and commercial transactions, including aircraft delivery transactions for Qatar Airways. He later served as Head of Legal at Al Rayan Investment, where he established and led the legal function and advised senior management and the board.
Through CounselX, Umar has advised more than 1,000 technology companies across SaaS, fintech, healthtech, edtech, AI, and enterprise software. He regularly represents founders and owners on both sides of business sales and acquisitions, from early-stage strategic transactions to lower-middle-market deals up to $50M, guiding clients through structuring, diligence, negotiation, and closing.
Growing businesses deserve commercially sophisticated legal advice that is practical, business-oriented, and aligned with the way modern companies operate.
Credentials
- New York Bar
- District of Columbia Bar
- J.D., University at Buffalo School of Law, cum laude
- B.A., Georgia State University
Representative
Experience.
- Outside general counsel support for technology companies.
- SaaS and enterprise software agreements.
- Technology licensing and IP transactions.
- Data privacy and AI-related commercial matters.
- Aircraft financing and delivery transactions.
- Founder, governance, and corporate matters.
Clients
Trusted by founders, owners, operators, and teams.
Over the years, we've had the privilege of supporting founders, business owners, operators, and growing teams across a range of industries. Here's what a few of them have said about working with CounselX.
For us, CounselX perfectly blends accurate and detailed legal knowledge on trademark law, copyright law and intellectual property law with clear interpretations and guidance on the best ways our nimble, fast growing business can proceed. They make navigating a complex world less stressful for our company.
Umar was instrumental in navigating our company's acquisition, from negotiating terms, reviewing term sheets, to providing support throughout the process. At a personal level, it's great working with him, as he is prompt with his responses, genuinely cares, and is thoroughly versed in start-up business law.
Umar and team are fantastic to work with and I highly recommend anyone work with them. Umar helped me expertly navigate the complete sale of my last company to a large public company. And I'm working with him again at my new business. He is the best!
I have used CounselX for multiple ventures. Their monthly subscription is brilliant. If I have a legal question, I can check-in with them at any time of the day. Their startup legal advice and drafting is top-tier.
Contact
Let's talk about your business.
CounselX supports companies on a project basis or as ongoing outside general counsel, delivered as a flat monthly subscription.
- umar@counselx.legal
- Phone
- (646) 484-8512
- Mailing Address
- 1 Seneca Street, Floor 29
Buffalo, NY 14203 - Admitted
- New York · District of Columbia