Released on: February 25, 2008, 2:30 am

Press Release Author: LawScribe, Inc. Mark Ross - Director of Business Development

Industry: Law

Press Release Summary: Outsourcing or Not Outsourcing: That is the Question

Press Release Body:

For a week or so now, ever since I came across the following piece on Law.com, I've
been mulling over whether or not I should blog about it, but I just couldn't hold
back any longer: http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202732098332

I've talked and written previously on how I believe firmly that 2008 will be the
"tipping point" year where we witness the public embracing by the legal profession
of offshore legal outsourcing as a viable strategic alternative to offer to clients.
Here's what I, and other more accomplished LPO soothsayers didn't predict. Perhaps
the first step on the path towards public acknowledgement is where law firms embark
on what is to all intents and purposes offshore legal outsourcing, but where they
put a different hat on it and label it a non-outsourcing initiative.

This is what has happened with the opening up of Howrey's new office in Pune, India.
Howrey's managing partner Robert Ruyak has stated that, "It's not outsourcing," and
that clients apparently, "don't want to use outsourcing." Now if it walks like a
duck and quacks like a duck.. Well, you can see where I'm going. Now many of us
lawyers if we apply our analytical legal brains to the matter may conclude that Mr
Ruyak is entirely correct and that the Howrey initiative doesn't fit the standard
definition of outsourcing, the act of obtaining/purchasing services from a third
party. There doesn't appear to be any third party involved, so there's no
outsourcing going on. Case closed then, I suppose. Well perhaps not. Are we really
splitting hairs here and getting just a little too preoccupied in the minutiae of
the definition as opposed to the reality of the act? If we are then let's apply the
same standards to the definition of offshoring, the practice of moving business
processes or services to another country, especially overseas, to reduce costs. No
mention of any third party here so this would apply perfectly to the Howrey
situation.


Web Site: http://www.law-scribe.com

Contact Details: Mark Ross
Director of Business Development
372 Arden Avenue, Suite 102
Glendale, CA 91203
U.S.A
(800) 432-0529 (0LAW) Tel
(818) 688-8024 Fax