Ian Cooper looks at outsourcing models in the legal
services space.
Should we or should we not outsource? If we do, should we
outsource our legal processes and our back-office functions?
These are some of the key questions facing professional firms
driven by fee pressures and concerns that a strategy needs to be
formulated in advance of a surge in new market entrants. While each
outsourcing model may have particular characteristics, a number of
common models have emerged covering both legal processes and
back-office functions.
Legal processes
The 'best friend' relationship
This is often seen as a two-way relationship between a larger
and smaller UK firm. Bigger, more risky or technical work is passed
to the larger firm while secondary, more cost-conscious work is
given to the smaller firm. Similarly, a niche firm will look to
offer specific specialist services not provided by its 'best
friend'.
