The innovative venture will be based in the US and  will see around 400 lawyers and litigation support technologists transfer to the centre which will be run by LPO company UnitedLex. The move, which is seen a response to the rapidly changing legal landscape, aims to give clients  value-based legal services at a lower cost.The centre will provide a wide range of support services and, using ‘best-in-class technology and quality control processes’ will be uniquely  integrated into the law firms’s  litigation and transactional practice areas.

Efficiency and predictability

The LPO provider was chosen after looking at a broad range of delivery alternatives and will clooaborate int he design and implementation of one of the most comprehensive legal support delivery programmes int eh industry, according to a statement from the firm.  UnitedLex will assume responsibility for the operations of LeClairRyan's Discovery Solutions Practice and will provide additional capital allowing the firm to have best-in-class, end-to-end litigation support for its practices and clients on a global scale. LeClairRyan Chairman Gary LeClair said that the centre  ‘is an important part of our strategy to provide clients with insightful and solution-orientated legal support services that have a foundation built on efficiency, predictability and value-based budgeting.’

Proprietary technology

The LeClairRyan Legal Solutions Centre  will use UnitedLex's full technology suite which  includes   a proprietary combination of technology and processes. The firm claims that clients will get better pricing information through this system  which will allow in-house legal teams and law firms to identify and eliminate non-responsive data at a far earlier stage in the eDiscovery process than other services. The collaborative venture, which will open tomorrow, 1 November, will be located in Richmond, Virginia.

Out of the box thinking

Commenting on the new centre, Janet Taylor-Hall, CEO of  Cognia Law said: "This represents 'out of the box'  thinking - especially in the US legal sector. With all the talk about the rise of new law,  it is good to see another example of scale emerge that challenges the traditional law firm and LPO models. Exciting times indeed."

Legal Outsourcing Guide

Recent research has revealed the increasing popularity of outsourcing solutions as the legal industry's economic model reshapes. The Legal Outsourcing Guide looks at different models and solutions for the marketplace and talks to thought leaders in the outsourcing world.  If you would like to read the report, click on the links.