How do GM people enter your legal services 1099misc w/o it requiring you to claim it as self employment and thereby fill out schedule C and pay addtl taxes?

You are correct.  If you have a 1099-MISC it shouldn't be posted to self employed.  It should be posted to

1. Other Common Incomes.
2. Income from Form 1099-MISC

The 1099-NEC is now used to report independent contractor income.

But the 1099-MISC form is still around, it’s just used to report miscellaneous income such as rent or payments to an attorney.