| MYTH #2: CONFIDENTIALITY IS NOT PROTECTED |
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| To maintain confidentiality and reduce the risks of misuse of proprietary information, many outsourcing companies self-regulate. Some have implemented the following procedures and safeguards: |
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Armed guards are posted outside offices. |
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Entry is restricted. |
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Bags and briefcases are prohibited. |
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Computers in workstations have no printers or devices for removable storage. |
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Image capturing devices are prohibited. |
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Personal Internet and e-mail access are prohibited. |
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| Many outsourcing firms require employees to sign confidentiality agreements and to pass confidential data over secure networks. Many also use virtual private networks to connect to servers, firewalls and 128-bit encryption to keep out hackers, controlled access to data through secured passwords, and no local caching of data to prevent employees from storing the material on their hard drives. |
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| If many U.S. law firms had the same physical and technological security measures in place, they would see far less litigation among former partners who have left firms and, in the process, taken with them many of the firms’ clients. |
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| MYTH #3: OUTSOURCING IS TOO BURDENSOME AND COMPLICATED |
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| Outsourcing is no more complicated than hiring an associate or secretary, but like any other business process, it requires planning and training. In order to make the office “outsource friendly,” a law firm must ascertain how to approach outsourcing and select an outsourcing business partner, by doing the following: |
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Identify what can be outsourced. |
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Designate a responsible person for delegating and reviewing assignments. |
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Have periodic reviews to determine ways to improve performance and quality. |
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Closely review work. |
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Identify the outsourcing company’s specialty. |
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Select a company with a physical presence in the United States. |
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Confirm that the company’s employees have the requisite legal education and work experience and are sufficiently supervised. |
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Ask for references. |
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| MYTH #4: OUTSOURCING’S BENEFITS ARE INSIGNIFICANT |
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| In an outsourcing arrangement, the outsourcing company and law firm share key benefits. Law firms benefit because they typically pay significantly reduced wages for the same work they would pay to have people in the United States perform. Moreover, because U.S. firms contract with outsourcing companies, they don’t have to pay for workers’ benefits, insurance, taxes, parking and holiday/sick/vacation leaves. Outsourcing companies pay those costs, resulting in significant savings for U.S. firms. |
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| Many outsourcing firms also have employees available 24/7, which increases responsiveness and expediency. With overseas employees working both day and night shifts, U.S. attorneys have access to employees during the work day and can assign work at the end of the day, knowing that it will be completed by the time they return to work the next morning. |
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| Outsourcing can reduce costs to existing clients and free valuable time to focus on client development, all without compromising the quality of the work. The reasons to outsource are compelling and can no longer be ignored as the legal profession continues to grow and evolve. |
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| about the author |
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| A practicing attorney in California, Kunoor Chopra in 2004 launched LawScribe, Inc., which provides staffing and office support services to law firms, solo practitioners and other businesses through overseas outsourcing. Contact the author at kchopra@law-scribe.com. |
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