Law Firms Leap Forward in Expanding Outsourced Services to a Broader Range of Back Office Support and Administrative Functions

The new survey reveals that improving processes and procedures, fueled by clients’ pressure and their desire to reduce costs, are motivating change

NEW YORK--()--Williams Lea, the global leader in specialized business process outsourcing solutions for law firms, and Sandpiper Partners, LLC, a recognized education and business consultancy for the legal industry, today announced publication of the results of the third annual survey on trends and opportunities in law firm outsourcing.

The 2014-2015 Survey shows larger law firms on both sides of the Atlantic are becoming even more productive and rethinking their approaches to the management of business services and workflow processes as 2015 unfolds.

“We call all the forward momentum seen in the Third Annual Survey 'crossing the Rubicon', because we are seeing a large number of firms undertaking many more projects to outsource across a wider range of back office services, ” said Lynn Glasser, President, Sandpiper Partners LLC.

“The past three year’s survey data has really helped provide a framework for understanding the challenges firms are facing as they try to adapt to manage client expectations, keep up with security and compliance regulations and control costs,” she added.

Aurora Coya, Chief Executive Officer for Williams Lea, Americas commented: “We see client activity consistent with the survey results – clients are increasingly looking to centralize and improve workflow processes and technologies across a broader range of back office functions. New outsourcing engagements are bubbling up from accounting and finance, document processing, technology as well as administrative services/secretarial, reception hospitality, collections and marketing services.”

"More and more outsourcing decisions are driven by increased pressure from law firm clients—not only to reduce cost but also to show progress in expense control,” she added.

The survey cites that 60% of law firms now see these activities as the top challenge in satisfying clients. The results illuminate two related trends. The first is the growing use of centralized and shared services locations to support back office and administrative functions, with 40% of respondents currently relying on centralized operations. The second trend is the prioritization in 2015 of workflow process improvements and related technology investments with 64% citing it as a “top three” need.

“Clearly, firms are taking a page from their clients’ best practices and are looking to gain better command of resources and processes through centralization,” said Coya.

To download the survey results, visit http://www.williamslea.com/en/article/insight-2014-2015-trends-opportunities-law-firm-outsourcing

About Williams Lea:

Williams Lea has been delivering managed services to the legal sector for over 25 years – partnering with over 100 legal firms across the globe to optimize their business support operations. For 200 years, organizations have relied on Williams Lea for information and communications management that improves efficiency, increase effectiveness and reduces risk. Our solutions combine re-engineered processes, leading technologies and highly experienced, collaborative client teams; while as part of Deutsche Post DHL, our financial strength and global reach enables us to deliver these solutions anywhere in the world. Discover a partnership that transforms your business support operations, freeing your time and resources to focus on clients and the provision of legal advice services. www.williamslea.com

About Sandpiper Partners, LLC

Sandpiper Partners of Clifton, N.J. is dedicated to helping law firms, companies and non-profits achieve greater success in their endeavors including expanding existing activities and entering new lines of business. Sandpiper has led the way in innovative business management solutions and substantive law education in the legal field including running more than 50 events a year for clients on many aspects of the business of law and substantive law topics. Its clients are located throughout the United States and Europe, and it has completed projects in more than a dozen U.S. cities, London, Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and Milan.

Contacts

Williams Lea
Jean Brody, Director of Marketing
212-351-9071
jean.brody@williamslea.com
or
Sandpiper Partners, LLC
Lynn Glasser, President
973-278-8800
lynnglasser@sandpiperpartners.com

Release Summary

Williams Lea and Sandpiper Partners, LLC today announced publication of the results of the third annual survey on trends and opportunities in law firm outsourcing.

Contacts

Williams Lea
Jean Brody, Director of Marketing
212-351-9071
jean.brody@williamslea.com
or
Sandpiper Partners, LLC
Lynn Glasser, President
973-278-8800
lynnglasser@sandpiperpartners.com