DLA Piper LLP (US) stands out for the international nature of its outsourcing practice, advising prominent multinationals on outsourcing transactions covering their global operations as well as acting for providers of these services. The team’s clients come from a range of sectors, including technology, pharmaceuticals, and professional and financial services. In addition to its work for international companies, the practice was recently engaged by a Middle Eastern country to advise on the procurement of an emergency responder network. Practice head Vincent Sanchez is recognized for his skill in handling the outsourcing of core business processes as well as transactions involving technology, such as cloud-based outsourcings and software development agreements. Sanchez works across the firm’s Chicago and Los Angeles offices; Gregory A. Manter in San Diego is known for his work on technology transactions. Joshua Benson in Washington DC is another name to note in the team, with experience advising clients from highly regulated industries on global transactions.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP handles the full range of outsourcing matters, including the outsourcing of key business process, digital transformations and the negotiation of outsourcing contracts as a part of corporate transactions. The team has recently advised on a number of complex technological outsourcing transactions involving the development of new software platforms and systems, demonstrating its work at the cutting-edge of this sector. The practice is jointly led by Daniel Angel and Stephen Nordahl in New York, William Peters in Los Angeles and Carrie LeRoy in Palo Alto. Nordahl and Peters have broad experience across business process and IT outsourcing, while Angel is recognized for his expertise in technology transactions.

Mayer Brown acts for companies from sectors including healthcare, financial services and manufacturing in the negotiation of complex outsourcing agreements. The team’s work includes traditional outsourcing deals involving the outsourcing of processes such as call centers, finance and accounting as well as cutting-edge matters such as software-as-a-service deals. The practice’s ability to handle complex transactions is demonstrated by its work for The Dow Chemical Company in negotiating outsourcing agreements following Dow’s carve-out divestiture of several parts of its business. In addition to acting on the customer side of deals, the practice also counts prominent providers of outsourcing services amongst its clients. Brad Peterson leads the Chicago-based team and has a focus on transactions with a strong technological element. Rebecca Eisner is another key figure and has a strong record in the outsourcing space. Marina Aronchik leads the team’s work for the Dow Chemical Company and is noted for her experience acting for chemical companies, while Joe Pennell handles outsourcing transactions for financial services and insurance clients.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP continues to be engaged on large-scale, global outsourcing transactions, providing assistance to clients on digital transformations as well as the outsourcing of facilities management, finance and accounting, and legal services. The team also aids clients in negotiating strategic partnerships and software development and licensing agreements with vendors. While the practice predominantly works on the customer side of transactions, it also counts a number of prominent service providers amongst its clients. The team is spread between Philadelphia and New York, with global head of outsourcing Barbara Melby working across both offices. Melby is a long-standing outsourcing practitioner has deep experience handling billion-dollar deals. Other key contacts in the team include Michael Pillion in Philadelphia and Vito Petretti in New York, who are regularly engaged by prominent clients from a range of sectors on technology outsourcing deals.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP stands out for its work handling outsourcing transactions for companies in highly regulated sectors, with a particular focus on healthcare and financial services. The firm’s work in the financial services sector includes handling deals involving artificial intelligence, while in the healthcare space it has acted on a number of deals related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team is also engaged in the outsourcing aspects of M&A. The practice is jointly led by Aaron Oser and Mario Dottori in Washington DC, and Vipul Nishawala in New York. Meighan O’Reardon is another key figure in DC, with experience acting for financial services and retail clients, and Elizabeth Zimmer in Austin advises both Texas and New York-based clients in deals with prominent technology vendors.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP continues to be highly active across the outsourcing space, advising clients from a range of sectors on complex transactions. The team is equally adept at handling the outsourcing of business processes such as HR, finance and accounting as well as IT outsourcings involving cloud systems and software-as-a-service aspects. Randall Parks leads the team and has extensive experience in commercial transactions, with a focus on technology. Andrew Geyer and Jeffrey Harvey are also noted for their expertise in technology-related transactions, while Cecilia Oh in Washington DC focuses on outsourcing deals in the financial services and retail sectors, such as the outsourcing of payment processing. Lawyers are in Richmond unless otherwise stated.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP has a strong record in the outsourcing space, with expertise in complex, multi-vendor outsourcing deals. In addition to handling the outsourcing of business processes, the practice draws on its experience of technology transactions to advise on IT outsourcings. The team is also frequently engaged to handle the outsourcing aspects of mergers and acquisitions. Neil Hirshman and Gregg Kirchhoefer offer particular expertise in technology transactions and Todd Herst handles outsourcing transactions across sectors including telecommunications, healthcare, insurance and consumer products. New York’s Shellie Freedman is another name to note with a focus on healthcare and life sciences. Lawyers mentioned are in Chicago unless otherwise stated.

Loeb & Loeb LLP handles both business process and IT outsourcing transactions for clients across sectors including healthcare, insurance, retail and property management. The team’s work includes advising on global outsourcing deals, and it also provides assistance on resolving performance failure issues related to existing agreements. The practice is led by New York’s Kenneth Adler and Amir Azaran in Chicago. Akiba Stern in New York focuses on counselling clients from the financial services sector, while Allison Schwartz in Chicago handles the outsourcing of business and IT processes. In New York, associate Benjamin Kabak is another name to note and has a focus on technology outsourcing deals.

McDermott Will & Emery LLP is equally adept at acting for customers and providers in outsourcing deals, handling transactions involving the outsourcing of a wide variety of business processes. The practice has a strong client base in the healthcare sector, where it is particularly active on the outsourcing of revenue cycle management. Blockchain technology is another area of focus for the team, which acts both for companies in this sector as well as companies seeking to use blockchain in the outsourcing of processes. Shawn Helms and Jason Krieser lead the team from Dallas; both have considerable expertise in transactions involving technology such as cloud computing and the blockchain. David Guedry and Heather Bethancourt are also key names in the Dallas office. Guedry is experienced in advising on the outsourcing of IT and business processes, while Bethancourt specialises in acting for healthcare clients.

WilmerHale is noted for its work advising clients in the financial services sector on transactions, including the outsourcing of core business processes. The practice’s expertise in this space is demonstrated by the its regular advice on the development of new software platforms to handle financial services processes. Elsewhere, the team also counts companies from the life sciences, logistics and technology sectors amongst its clients. The practice is led by Robert Finkel in New York, who has vast experience in this space. Ariel Soiffer in Boston is another name to note with expertise in a range of technology transactions.

Morrison Foerster is engaged by clients across a range of sectors to handle complex outsourcing transactions. The team particularly stands out for the global nature of its practice, with practice head Vivian Hanson collaborating with the firm’s offices in Europe and Asia to advise on large-scale deals covering multiple jurisdictions. Hanson is based in New York, and is supported by Aaron Rubin in San Francisco and Matthew Karlyn in Boston, who are both focused on outsourcing transactions involving technology. Anthony Ramirez is also based in New York and was promoted to partner in January 2022, while Paul Jahn has now retired.

At Proskauer Rose LLP, the outsourcing practice focuses on technology-related deals, including software licensing and service agreements as well as the growing area of transitions to the cloud. The team frequently acts for clients from the highly-regulated financial services sector, and also counsels companies involved in education and healthcare. Practice head Jeffrey Neuburger is a long-standing specialist in technology law; he is supported by Wai Choy, who has expertise across the structuring, drafting and negotiation of outsourcing transactions. Named lawyers are in New York.

White & Case LLP‘s technology transactions team is active on outsourcing deals including master service agreements, licensing agreements and commercial collaborations. The practice also provides input on corporate transactions involving outsourcing vendors, such as Panasonic’s recent acquisition of supply-chain software provider Blue Yonder. Arlene Hahn is the key name to note in outsourcing with Jost Kotthoff serving as global head of technology transactions.

Wiggin and Dana LLP stands out from other firms in the market for its focus on acting for outsourcing providers. The team advises US-based and international suppliers of outsourcing services on deals relating to business processes as well as IT systems, and is adept at assisting on transactions in heavily regulated industries such as financial services. Mark Heaphy in New Haven and Tamia Simonis in Stamford jointly lead the Connecticut-based practice.

Arnold & Porter specializes in technology-based outsourcing transactions, including handling software licensing and software-as-a-service agreements as well as advising on the development of new products in the outsourcing space. The team’s clients include technology companies as well as firms from sectors including financial services, telecommunications, and arts and media. Matthew Maccoby and Ira Moskatel lead the team in Los Angeles, with Thomas Magnani in San Francisco also a name to note.

Bracewell LLP continues to be highly active in the IT outsourcing space, providing advice to clients on software-as-a-service deals and data use and research agreements. The Houston-based practice also handles business process outsourcing for clients in Texas and beyond, in sectors including education, mining and aviation. Jeffrey Andrews leads the team.

K&L Gates advises on a wide variety of outsourcing matters, acting in sectors including travel, pharmaceuticals and energy. In addition to advising on transactions including master service agreements, the practice also provides assistance to companies on outsourcing issues arising from corporate transactions, such as transition service agreements. In Dallas, John Howell is recognized for his deep experience in the structuring of outsourcing agreements, while Susan Altman in Pittsburgh has broad expertise across commercial transactions, including IT and business process outsourcing agreements.

McGuireWoods LLP advises clients on outsourcing transactions including the outsourcing of in-house IT, financial and accounting, and HR services. The team’s client base spans sectors including consumer goods, healthcare and industrial manufacturing. Rakesh Gopalan leads the team; he also co-chairs the firm’s fintech practice and is noted for his work advising financial services companies.