Legal is always reactive
Whether you have an in-house team or not, legal challenges arrive without warning. The right expertise isn't always available at the right moment, and that gap is costly.
The moment problem
Legal challenges don't arrive on schedule. A funding round, a data breach, a key hire gone wrong. You need the right expert fast, not in three weeks.
You can't predict what you'll need
Employment one month, data protection the next, a commercial dispute out of nowhere. Finding the right specialist each time, is time you don't have.
Cost certainty is hard to come by
The traditional model means costs that are hard to predict before you commit. You need to know what you're spending before the work starts, not after.
65+
legal professionals on panel
33
Practice areas covered
26%
less than traditional rates, typically
€0
upfront commitment required
"Heron's platform quickly matched us with a high-quality consultant solicitor for a very specific project. Their understanding of the legal sector and commitment to finding the right fit made a real difference."
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Barry Creed
Partner
Three ways to work with Heron
Whether you need a specialist for a specific piece of work, a flexible bank of hours, or a dedicated person in your corner, we've got you covered.
Specialist Law Firms
Small-to-medium practices offering senior expertise across multiple specialist areas.
Senior Consultant Solicitors
Many held senior positions at leading firms, bringing deep knowledge to complex matters.
Strategic Advice, Not Process Work
High-level expertise for challenging matters - not high-volume documentation support.
Heron on Demand
You have a specific legal need. A contract that needs reviewing. An employment issue that's just landed.
A regulatory question you can't afford to get wrong. Access a specialist for exactly that piece of work,
no expensive retainers or permanent overhead. You only pay for what you actually need.
Specialists across dozens of practice areas, available immediately.
Specialist firms and individual consultants on one panel.
No commitment beyond the project
Best for:
In-house teams | Founders | CFOs | Growing businesses
Heron Flex
A monthly bank of specialist hours across whatever your business needs. Employment one month, commercial contracts the next, compliance the month after. Hours carry over. Specialisms don't. A legal resource that moves with your business, not against it.
Monthly hours usable across all specialisms in any combination.
Unused hours roll over, nothing wasted.
One point of contact throughout.
Scale up or down as your business demands.
Best for:
Founders wearing too many hats | CFOs managing legal | Solo in-house lawyers needing backup
Heron Partner
Sometimes you don't need a piece of work done. You need a person. Someone who thinks commercially and takes ownership, of a full project, or a critical part of it, for a defined period. GC cover, crisis response, M&A surge capacity, regulatory ownership. Whatever the trigger, Heron Partner gives you the right legal professional, working as part of your team.
Dedicated named legal professional, matched to your specific need.
One or two days a week, or more, as long as the situation demands.
Agreed day rate or project fee upfront.
No notice periods. No permanent overhead.
Best for:
Businesses needing GC cover | Legal leaders needing surge capacity | Scaling businesses building their
first legal function
Have questions?
For business FAQ's
Heron is an online marketplace that connects businesses with specialist Irish law firms and senior consultant solicitors for project-based legal work. We help you access expert legal support without hiring permanent counsel or committing to retainers.
You submit a legal requirement through our platform. We match you with relevant specialist firms and consultant solicitors. You review profiles, compare expertise and pricing, and choose the provider that best fits your needs.
Heron is ideal for businesses without in-house counsel or with limited internal capacity. Many clients use Heron as a flexible alternative to hiring permanently until they’re ready to build a full legal function.
Heron is built for businesses that don’t have an in-house legal team, need specialist expertise for a project, or require additional legal capacity without long-term cost or commitments.
No. Simply describe your challenge in plain language. Our panel will clarify scope, ask questions if needed, and propose the best approach.
Yes, you can use Heron for both one-off documentation tasks and ongoing projects. Our platform is flexible and can be tailored to meet your specific needs.
Creating an account and posting a requirement is free. You only pay for legal work completed by the provider you choose. Many offer alternative fee structures (fixed fees, project-based pricing, or capped fees) to give you predictable costs. Our fee is 20% of project work completed.
Posting a job is simple:
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Create a detailed job description (we provide templates to guide you)
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Set your requirements and timeline
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Our platform matches you with suitable professionals
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Review applications and connect with potential professionals
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Set milestones and agree on terms
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Begin to collaborate
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Once you’ve posted a job, legal professionals will apply to work on the project. You can then review their applications, communicate with them through our platform, and agree on fees and delivery milestones.
Most businesses receive interest from specialist firms or consultants within 24–48 hours. Urgent matters can often be supported faster.
All legal professionals on Heron provide profiles that showcase their qualifications and experience, including their CVs. You can review their profiles and ratings to assess their expertise and work quality. We prioritise a high-quality panel of solicitors to ensure you have access to top-tier professionals for your projects.
We provide comprehensive support including:
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Job description templates
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Milestone tracking
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Secure payment processing Platform technical support
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Assistance with matching and project management
Our team is committed to ensuring a smooth experience for both firms and professionals.
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