Legal Process Outsourcing
Legal process outsourcing or virtual secretarial services
can be a significant cost-saving measure. Instead of dedicated internal
resources, discrete legal services are transferred to external companies, local
lawyers, or paraprofessionals. Think
about all the mundane routine tasks that can be done by outside help. You can leverage the strength of other experts
to save time, cut costs, and reduce your workload. This allows you to focus on what you do best. In other words, bringing in new business for
your firm and offering top service to existing clients.
Industry trends for legal process outsourcing
Legal industry trends for 2020 show that clients expect law
firms to go above and beyond the traditional offering of services and support.
More law firms are turning to legal outsourcing to stay competitive and
profitable. In fact, the global legal process outsourcing market was estimated
to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 31.8% from 2019 to 2025. The
market is projected to reach $35.9 billion by 2025.
Here are some other factors that indicate the industry’s
growth:
·
$6.2 billion is spent annually with legal
process outsourcing, e-discovery, and document review service providers,
according to Thomson Reuters and the Georgetown Law Center for the Study of the
Legal Profession.
·
The same study on alternative legal service
providers also finds that $900 million is spent annually with contract lawyers,
in-sourcing, and staffing services.
·
48% of law firms in the 2019 Altman Weil Survey
say they use contract lawyers, 57% report using part-time lawyers, and 24.1%
report outsourcing non-lawyer functions.
5 benefits of legal process outsourcing for law firms
At its core, legal process outsourcing is a convenient way
to increase capacity, focus on the strengths of your law firm, and increase
profitability. In fact, 62.1% of law firms in the 2019 Altman Weil Survey
report that shifting work to contract lawyers “resulted in significant
improvement in firm performance.”
1. Expanding your practice area expertise.
There are so many different types of law practice that your
law firm can’t be an expert in all fields. By outsourcing specific law services
to contract lawyers, you meet all the needs of your clients without having to
hire a full-time employee.
2. Enabling flexible staffing for your client cases.
Freelance attorneys provide their services only when your
law firm needs the help. By going freelance, you can find qualified legal help
at any skill level for any kind of project or case. And a bonus? Hiring a lawyer in a freelance
capacity is a great way to try out the working relationship before committing
to a full-time hire.
3. Moving towards flat-fee billing.
Outsourcing via Law Clerk lets you engage talented lawyers
to assist you with discrete projects or entire cases on a flat-fee basis. You
can charge your clients a set fee or provide blended fee caps for legal work.
Learn more about law firm billing in our comprehensive guide.
LAWCLERK, for example, doesn’t charge its users any sign-up
or monthly fees just to be a part of the marketplace. You only pay the flat fee
price you set when you hire a freelance lawyer through the site. In the end,
your clients benefit from these savings.
5. Finding work-life balance.
Solos and firms are under more pressure than ever to work
constantly to make a profit. Freelance lawyers bring in extra help when you
need it, without the overhead of a full-time associate. Use the extra time to
recharge with your friends, family, and hobbies.

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