Most US and UK based international law firms, the in-house legal departments of MNCs, legal publishing companies and legal research firms are now sourcing legal services from India owing to opportunities of reduced costs, faster processing, quality work, efficiency, comprehension of the English language and above all talent available in abundance.

Nature of Work

In a LPO, the work typically consists of drafting, preparing pleadings, chronology of events, proof-reading, researching on various online sources, litigation support, corporate due diligence support, mortgage processing, intellectual property researching, drafting and applications of patents to name a few.

What It Takes

Since law is a highly specialised field, the ideal candidate is one who possesses a law degree (with or without experience), has excellent written and verbal communication skills, is a team player, possesses flexibility and is eager to conduct research on issues based on US / UK laws with the help of international databases.

You should also have good drafting skills, an analytical bent of mind, pay attention to detail, keep an open mind and have the ability to learn and grasp new concepts quickly.

A person working in LPO should also be capable of multitasking, adhere to deadlines and be computer literate.

As an employee involved in LPO, you will gain knowledge and experience through rigorous in-house training and systematic performance reviews. Owing to the geographical distance, most interaction with counterparts is directly via phone, email and video conferencing.

Career Scope

It is estimated that 79,000 jobs shall be available in India by the year 2015. The factors that may perhaps hinder the growth of the industry in the time to come would be issues regarding confidentiality, security issues concerning transfer of private data and attorney-client privilege.

If you plan to make a career in this industry, you must understand that LPOs are not law firms and do not provide legal advice.

LPO employees are not lawyers but corporate professionals and are required to get their license suspended as a pre-condition to taking on employment in LPOs.

The job can become monotonous and routine and might pose a problem for one wanting to return to mainstream law.

Money Matters

The salaries offered are lucrative and enticing for young professional. Most companies offer starting salaries between Rs.20,000 to Rs.35,000 per month depending upon the calibre, academic qualifications (Indian attorneys with US / UK qualifications) and experience.

The salary offered is generally negotiable. Most companies evaluate their employees on merit and advancement is based on performance and client satisfaction.

Never before has obtaining a degree in law been as lucrative for those not wishing to follow the traditional route of practicing law. LPOs are the thing of today and definitely here to stay!

Author Mehernaaz H. Bharda is an Associate with Mumbai based law firm LawQuest