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 & 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
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.
Founder & Principal Attorney, ClearScope Counsel
“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.
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.
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.
Founders & startups
Formation, founder and operating agreements, equity, and contracts for financial, tech, and legal startups being built across Missouri.
Broker-dealers & compliance teams
Small and mid-size firms facing wirehouse-grade rules without wirehouse-grade budgets. Rule 4530 reporting, OBA controls, and arbitration readiness, in their language.
Figures are approximate and drawn from U.S. Census / American Community Survey data and FINRA industry snapshots.