GLG (Gerson Lehrman Group) Expert Sign Up

Everything a qualified domain expert needs to know before registering with GLG — rates, process, compliance, and how to maximize your consulting income from day one.

What Is GLG and Who Pays?

Founded in 1998 and headquartered in New York, GLG (Gerson Lehrman Group) is one of the largest expert networks in the world, with a self-reported council of over one million members. The business model is straightforward: institutional clients — hedge funds, private equity firms, management consulting firms, corporations, and nonprofits — pay GLG to connect them with domain experts for primary research. GLG acts as the intermediary at every step. You never invoice the end client, negotiate terms with them directly, or even know their full identity in many cases.

The industries most frequently in demand include healthcare and life sciences, technology, financial services, industrials, energy, and consumer goods. If your background sits in any of those verticals, your profile will likely surface in client searches quickly after onboarding.

GLG connects you to blue-chip institutional clients willing to pay a premium for your specific domain knowledge — but the compliance obligations are real and non-negotiable.

How GLG Pays Experts

Hourly consulting fees at GLG are referred to internally as "honoraria." Rates vary widely based on seniority, specialty, geography, and the complexity of the topic. A rough market picture:

These are illustrative ranges based on publicly reported advisor experiences — your actual rate depends on negotiation at onboarding. GLG will propose a starting rate, but you are not obligated to accept it. Researching comparable rates across other expert networks before your onboarding call is worth the thirty minutes it takes.

Payment is typically processed within 30 days of a completed engagement via ACH bank transfer (US), international wire, or PayPal in select regions. Most engagements are invoiced in USD; local currency availability varies by country. You are engaged as an independent contractor — expect a 1099-NEC in the US or local equivalent. GLG does not withhold taxes on your behalf.

Survey and written deliverable projects carry flat fees that are typically lower than live consultation rates; complexity and length drive the variation.

Rates are negotiable and can be substantial, but you must advocate for yourself at the onboarding stage — the initial offer is rarely the ceiling.

What Kinds of Engagements to Expect

The standard format is a one-hour phone or video consultation. An analyst, investor, or consultant asks you questions about your industry experience, a specific company, a regulatory environment, or a functional domain. Thirty-minute calls are also common for quick market pulse checks. Beyond that, the format library expands:

• Survey projects — structured questionnaires with a flat honorarium per completion
• In-person or multi-session consulting — less frequent, but higher total compensation
• Group calls and roundtables — you participate alongside other experts as a panel
• Written deliverables — expert memos, market commentary, technology assessments; rarer and more time-intensive

Typical call topics include competitive landscape analysis, market sizing, product or service feedback, regulatory interpretation, and technology assessments. Every engagement goes through a pre-call compliance screening — you will be asked to confirm no conflicts of interest or MNPI exposure before the call is scheduled.

The one-hour phone consultation is the bread-and-butter format — prepare to speak fluently and concisely about your niche from the first call.

How to Sign Up: The Full Onboarding Process

1. Create your profile
   Navigate to GLG's expert registration page (accessible directly via myexpertnetwork.ai's network directory). Submit your LinkedIn URL, current title, employer, and primary areas of expertise. Accuracy here determines your match quality.
2. Set your hourly rate
   GLG will suggest a starting honorarium. Review what comparable experts earn across expert networks before accepting. You can counter — most onboarding managers expect it.
3. Complete compliance training
   A mandatory e-learning module covering MNPI rules, confidentiality obligations, and employer restrictions. Budget 15–20 minutes. You cannot proceed without completing it.
4. Sign the advisor agreement
   Standard independent contractor terms. Read the non-solicitation and exclusivity clauses carefully before signing. If you are already active on networks like Guidepoint or Dialectica, verify there are no conflicts.
5. Profile goes live
   GLG's research team begins matching your profile to active client inquiries. There is no guaranteed engagement volume — match frequency depends on demand for your specific expertise.
6. Receive and accept an engagement request
   A GLG research manager contacts you by email or phone, describes the client's topic, and confirms your availability. You can accept or decline with no penalty.
7. Pre-call compliance screening
   Brief verbal or written questions to confirm no conflicts on the specific topic. If you clear screening, the call is scheduled — often within 24–48 hours.
8. Conduct the consultation
   Dial-in or video link provided by GLG. Speak to your direct experience. Avoid speculation about non-public matters.
9. Invoicing and payment
   GLG auto-generates your invoice in most cases. Payment follows within the standard cycle.

The entire onboarding sequence — from sign-up to first eligible call — can realistically be completed in under 24 hours if you move quickly through compliance training.

How to Maximize Your Request Volume

Joining GLG is only step one. Experts who receive frequent, high-quality engagement requests share a few consistent habits:

Write your profile like a search document. GLG's research managers search by keyword when matching client requests to advisors. Use precise industry terminology — product names, technology platforms, regulatory bodies, drug classes, company names you can legitimately discuss. Vague job titles ("Senior Manager, Operations") generate fewer matches than specific ones ("Senior Manager, cold chain logistics, pharmaceutical distribution, FDA 21 CFR Part 211").

List every relevant employer, not just the current one. Clients often want insight into a company or competitive dynamic from three to seven years ago. A previous employer in a hot sector can generate more requests than your current role.

Keep your profile current. A profile that goes stale signals inactivity to the matching algorithm and to research managers reviewing your background manually.

Respond to requests quickly. Research managers are working against client deadlines. Advisors who respond within a few hours are measurably more likely to be scheduled than those who reply the next day.

Engage actively with the research manager on the pre-call brief. A short, confident email outlining exactly what you can and cannot discuss reduces compliance friction and makes you easier to schedule.

Understanding how your profile compares across expert networks is also worth considering — the expert network comparison guide on myexpertnetwork.ai covers rate benchmarks and volume patterns across GLG, AlphaSights, Guidepoint, Tegus, Capvision, and others. Experts who register with multiple networks consistently report higher total annual earnings than those working with a single network. The expert network earnings calculator can help you model realistic income based on your seniority and availability.

Your profile is a living document — treat it with the same care you'd give a pitch deck to an institutional client.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does GLG onboarding take?

Most experts complete the profile, compliance training, and agreement signing in under two hours. Your profile typically goes live within one business day of completing all steps. First engagement requests can arrive within days, though timing depends entirely on current client demand for your specific expertise.

Can I join GLG if I'm currently employed full-time?

Yes, and the majority of GLG council members are actively employed. However, you must review your employment contract for outside consulting restrictions or disclosure requirements. Some employers — particularly in financial services and government — prohibit or strictly limit paid advisory work. GLG's compliance training covers this, but the obligation to check rests with you.

Does GLG charge experts any fees to join or participate?

No. Registration and participation are free for advisors. GLG earns its revenue from the client side — the fee structure is entirely between GLG and its institutional clients.

What happens if I need to decline an engagement request?

You can decline any request without penalty. GLG research managers expect that not every inquiry will be a fit. Consistent responsiveness — even when declining — keeps you visible and active in their matching queue.

How does GLG compare to other expert networks like AlphaSights or Guidepoint?

GLG is the largest network by reported council size and client base, which generally means higher raw request volume for well-matched experts. AlphaSights and Guidepoint are known for strong associate-driven outreach models that can generate more proactive contact. Tegus has a differentiated model centered on transcript libraries. Most active advisors participate in three or more networks simultaneously. The expert network comparison guide walks through the key differences in detail.

Is there a minimum activity requirement to stay on GLG's network?

GLG does not publicly specify a minimum engagement threshold, but advisors whose profiles go stale or who consistently decline requests without updating their availability may see reduced outreach over time. Keeping your profile current and responding promptly are the most effective ways to maintain visibility.