THE LARGEST MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE THE BEST: Outsourcing can bring about the maximum potential in mid-level law firms.
“Size may no longer be everything. In fact, it may not be anything at all.”
An Analysis of the second part of the article ‘Outsourcing- The New and Improved Business Model Big Law Needs’ in AmLaw Daily (By Stephen Harper)
The piece by Stephen Harper is available at:
http://amlawdaily.typepad.com/amlawdaily/2010/08/harperoutsourcing.html
In the second part of his article, Harper makes a very interesting observation. He says, one of the biggest positives of legal process outsourcing is that it portrays a scenario in which mid-size law firms with ‘talented senior attorneys’ may rise up to the level of the monster law firms all over the world. Assisted by effective talent in research and other zones like document review, contract drafting and due diligence (which are the basics for most LPO’s), these talented but mid-level law firms may dedicate their valuable time solely on their clients and their cases without paying much attention to these ‘menial’ tasks. This can enable them to provide the same or even better quality work than that which is provided by most mega law firms. As it is well known that these huge law firms mainly use their junior attorneys for doing these kinds of basic work, the mid-level law firm can easily outsource such work to an LPO in
A talented LPO, thus, can assist a mid-level law-firm to achieve new peaks and work at their maximum potential. As Harper notes, this might very well slow down the growth rate of large law firms and foster more effective competition in the legal market. It can also open a whole new arena of law firms to choose from for the client who mostly want the best. The largest then, may not be necessarily be the best. Top clients may migrate towards smaller firms with a more talented pool of resources, if they find them well assisted by an LPO. The attorney’s of these firms will not have to tire themselves with ‘mind-numbing’ tasks. They can rely on the LPO’s to do this work and can dedicate their time to other brain-consuming tasks.
A partnership with an LPO thus, will enable these mid-level law firms to compete more effectively in the big arena. Not only law firms, but also attorneys with a lot of clientele can outsource their ‘menial’ work to these LPO’s and make more and more thriving business. The mega-firm concept may vanish altogether and soon may well be replaced by the firm or attorney assisted by LPO concept. As Harper states, an altogether ‘new business model’ may develop in which quality and not quantity occupies the front-seat. A change may soon come about in the legal industry. Outsourcing can change the entire dynamics of market control and can foster much improved quality in the legal field.
Written by:
Anagh Sengupta,
The first part of the article is available at: http://megalpo.blogspot.com/2010/09/no-more-menial-jobs-young-associates.html
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