Core strength: how firms can benefit from outsourcing

Firms of solicitors have always outsourced work. Barristers’ opinions and advocacy, costs drafting, agency and possibly referrals to others lawyers and professionals are all types of outsourcing. This book suggests that there is a strong business case for more of us to seek services outside the firm and that outsourcing is the way for the profession to maintain profit quality and satisfied customers. This view is partly influenced by the coronavirus pandemic. Outsourcing of core work enables us to be more efficient and clients to have access to high-quality advice.

This book examines three areas in detail, including patent drafting, cybersecurity and ‘document review’ (discovery and inspection). It is an interesting point of view and has much to appeal to it. Perhaps this is the future of a profession that is sometimes reluctant to let matters go out of house. Highly specialist firms and lawyers may become the norm, while the generalist follows the way of the dinosaur.

We probably all need to examine how we share knowledge and benefit from the skills of others. But how do you find reliable outsourcers and what are the risks of using a service which does not have same standards as our profession? There are dangers in having ‘factory firms’ with little client contact.

David Pickup is a partner at Pickup & Scott Solicitors, Aylesbury

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