// About the practice

A modern law practice should feel understandable from the first click.

ClearScope Counsel is built for founders and compliance teams who want serious legal judgment without the old ritual of vague scope, unclear invoices, and law-firm theater performed under fluorescent lighting.

Dontay Phillips, founder of ClearScope Counsel, at the firm's Kansas City office
// consulted for
China Legal Hub 100 Black Men of Metropolitan St. Louis Generation Mindful
// Founder note

Dontay Phillips

Founder & Principal Attorney

Flat-fee startup counsel for Missouri founders and FINRA compliance consulting for firms nationwide: clear about the work, clear about the price, and clear about what comes next.

  • Licensed to practice law in Missouri
  • J.D., Certificate in Business & Corporate Law, Washington University School of Law
  • FINRA Arbitrator
  • Courtroom litigation experience in Missouri
  • Securities & compliance background: Goldman Sachs · FINRA · Wells Fargo
// A note from the founder

Clear about the work, the price, and what comes next.

I started ClearScope Counsel because I believe legal work should feel clear, practical, and honest from the beginning.

Too often, the traditional legal model treats delay like a feature, not a flaw. The old way rewards more hours, more back-and-forth, more uncertainty, and, too often, a final invoice that leaves clients wondering what exactly happened. That model may work well for lawyers. It does not always work well for clients, be it the wronged party, founders, or compliance teams trying to make smart decisions with limited time and resources.

ClearScope Counsel was built to offer a different experience.

Before founding the firm, I worked in compliance and legal roles with Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). I have also litigated in courtrooms across Missouri.

These experiences taught me something simple about competent lawyering: clients are better served when their lawyers advocate zealously, strategize for risk plainly, and handle expectations concerning legal services without mystery.

Our firm does not take a complacent approach to competence. In today’s age, it is not enough for a lawyer to understand how to use Microsoft Word or the law while ignoring changes in how legal work can be performed more effectively. We believe competent counsel should keep pace with developments in the law, business, and technology, while understanding both the benefits and the risks of the tools used to serve clients.

Some firms have continued to rest on the laurels of dot-com-era tech improvements. Others use new technology to complete work more efficiently but continue billing as though nothing has changed. We take an entirely different approach.

We believe efficiency should benefit the client, not simply increase the firm’s margins. When modern tools reduce repetitive work, improve organization, or shorten the time required to complete a matter, those savings should be reflected in the way legal services are delivered and priced.

That principle shapes how ClearScope Counsel works.

By leveraging tech-enabled tools like automated workflows, ClearScope Counsel makes routine legal work faster, more organized, and more cost-effective.

I am grateful to every client who trusts ClearScope Counsel with important decisions for their company, their firm, or their future. You deserve legal counsel that is clear about the work, clear about the price, and clear about what comes next.

That is the standard ClearScope Counsel was built to meet.

Dontay PhillipsFounder & Principal Attorney, ClearScope Counsel

// Why flat fees

“You should know the plan, the documents, and the price before you commit, not discover them on an invoice.”

Remote-first across Missouri, with secure intake and video consultations. The tools handle the repetitive work; the judgment stays with a licensed attorney who is responsible for your matter.

Plainspoken

Clients should understand the plan, the documents, the process, and the price before committing.

Productized where sensible

Repeatable legal work gets clear systems, checklists, templates, and scoped deliverables.

Human where it matters

AI and automation support routine work. Legal judgment, strategy, and client care stay attorney-led.

// Statewide by design

One practice, all of Missouri.

AI-native law firm for startups and small businesses across Missouri, including Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia, Jefferson City, Springfield, and beyond, with FINRA compliance consulting nationwide. Your city’s skyline is as close as your calendar.

The Scout statue on horseback overlooking the Kansas City skyline at dusk
Kansas City// home base
A downtown Columbia street leading to the University of Missouri’s Jesse Hall dome
Columbia// mid-Missouri
The Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City with an American flag draped between its columns
Jefferson City// where the rules get made
The fountain on Park Central Square in downtown Springfield
Springfield// the Ozarks
Aerial view of the Gateway Arch framing downtown St. Louis
St. Louis// gateway to everywhere
// Who we serve

Founders on the way up, firms already under the rules.

Two kinds of clients, one standard for both: a defined scope, a fixed price, and plain answers. The numbers below set the scene. Your matter is the point.

Figures are approximate and drawn from U.S. Census / American Community Survey data and FINRA industry snapshots.