Page 179 - 2019 - Leaders in Legal Business (k)
P. 179
Managed Services
The trend toward outsourcing complete tranches of end-to-end legal work has been
growing. In the flex legal resourcing sector, the latest iteration of this solution is for entire legal
teams or departments to be taken over by the service provider and managed to achieve cost
reductions. Some recent examples include:
ElevateNext and Univar
ElevateNext, using data analytics and consulting from Elevate Services Inc. (its partner),
assessed the performance of outside counsel, their efficiency, and adherence to sound budgeting
and decision-making processes. They identified ways to streamline efforts, lower costs, and
improve outcomes. ElevateNext now handles legal matters directly for Univar, acts as coordinating
counsel for certain matters that remained with other law firms, and serves as “chief of staff” to the
law department.
DXC Technology and United Lex
In December 2017, DXC Technology, a technology conglomerate of Computer Sciences
Corp. (CSC) and Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s Services business (HPES), engaged United Lex to
restructure its in-house department and manage its team and services.
Thames Water and Eversheds Sutherland
Thames Water has worked with BCLP since 2010 as the main provider of legal services
and transferred this to Eversheds Sutherland as a complete managed service of its legal team in
April 2018. Eversheds’ supports on operational activity under its managed legal services
agreement and the existing legal team from BCLP transferred across to their team.
Unbundling Legal Services and Working Together
Whilst in-house legal teams have the ability to unbundle services, traditional law firms are
well placed to unbundle the entire legal services delivery supply chain. Innovative law firms are
doing just this, and some of the most progressive have fully engaged with ALSPs to partner with
them on this unbundling.
A large part of the unbundling ensures that projects are led by the most cost-effective
provider, which ensures it is the right person or tool for the job, creates efficiencies, and drives
down spend. Some in-house legal teams have requested their panel firms partner with ALSPs to
manage their secondments and further resourcing requests. ALSPs can provide a white labeled
service for this, so that in-house legal teams have one point of contact and also the contracting
entity has the ability to manage quality control.
The unpacking allows for a total mix of legal process outsourcing of low-cost repetitive
work, automation, flex legal resources, and traditional lawyers working with in-house teams to
create a seamless blend and providing the most efficient and effective advice.
The Future
164
The trend toward outsourcing complete tranches of end-to-end legal work has been
growing. In the flex legal resourcing sector, the latest iteration of this solution is for entire legal
teams or departments to be taken over by the service provider and managed to achieve cost
reductions. Some recent examples include:
ElevateNext and Univar
ElevateNext, using data analytics and consulting from Elevate Services Inc. (its partner),
assessed the performance of outside counsel, their efficiency, and adherence to sound budgeting
and decision-making processes. They identified ways to streamline efforts, lower costs, and
improve outcomes. ElevateNext now handles legal matters directly for Univar, acts as coordinating
counsel for certain matters that remained with other law firms, and serves as “chief of staff” to the
law department.
DXC Technology and United Lex
In December 2017, DXC Technology, a technology conglomerate of Computer Sciences
Corp. (CSC) and Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s Services business (HPES), engaged United Lex to
restructure its in-house department and manage its team and services.
Thames Water and Eversheds Sutherland
Thames Water has worked with BCLP since 2010 as the main provider of legal services
and transferred this to Eversheds Sutherland as a complete managed service of its legal team in
April 2018. Eversheds’ supports on operational activity under its managed legal services
agreement and the existing legal team from BCLP transferred across to their team.
Unbundling Legal Services and Working Together
Whilst in-house legal teams have the ability to unbundle services, traditional law firms are
well placed to unbundle the entire legal services delivery supply chain. Innovative law firms are
doing just this, and some of the most progressive have fully engaged with ALSPs to partner with
them on this unbundling.
A large part of the unbundling ensures that projects are led by the most cost-effective
provider, which ensures it is the right person or tool for the job, creates efficiencies, and drives
down spend. Some in-house legal teams have requested their panel firms partner with ALSPs to
manage their secondments and further resourcing requests. ALSPs can provide a white labeled
service for this, so that in-house legal teams have one point of contact and also the contracting
entity has the ability to manage quality control.
The unpacking allows for a total mix of legal process outsourcing of low-cost repetitive
work, automation, flex legal resources, and traditional lawyers working with in-house teams to
create a seamless blend and providing the most efficient and effective advice.
The Future
164
