Since the ABA released their (now famous) Ethics Opinion 08-451 back in 2008, the trend in the legal profession to outsource different parts of a lawyer's workload has been unstoppable. The Opinion basically gave a thumbs up to the Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) industry that was then just beginning–and it encouraged a proliferation of companies that focus their efforts on discrete tasks that were once part and parcel of a lawyer's daily reality.

These days, when talking about skilled lawyering, LPO is a byword for efficiency, cost effectiveness, and expertise. I know you know by now that LPO companies will help you with your matters by completing your mundane tasks: conducting document review, collecting/analyzing data, and drafting the form documents that you use on a regular basis. Maybe you have already taken advantage of the (time and money) savings that LPO can give you by streamlining your work product.

But what you may not know yet (or maybe you are unsure about), is that you can also outsource your higher-brain power tasks, one of the most important of which is creating the winning argument for your client.

When I talk about argument I don't mean just the idea that your client should win–I mean the method by which you will persuade your audience (whether that is your adversary, the court, or the client themselves) to accept the reason why your client's position supports what your client is demanding. Depending on the argument, your method might include factual analysis, case law or statute research, incisive deposition taking, persuasive writing, quick thinking oral argument, or a combination of all of them.

These tasks require a high level of precision, clarity, and solid logical reasoning so it's understandable that you would not want to outsource them to a run-of-the-mill LPO. But if you avoid outsourcing argument making tasks at all, you (and your business) are missing out!

There are many ways outsourcing will benefit your law practice. Here's five reasons why you should jump on the bandwagon and start outsourcing your argument:

1. Persuasion expertise. The economies of scale in the LPO industry result in hyper-specialization of various lawyer tasks. Just like you can take advantage of an e-discovery specialist through outsourcing, you can also take advantage of a legal persuasion specialist. You know the best position for your client to take (because you were trained to be a savvy lawyer); but you may not know exactly how to convince everyone else. An LPO lawyer who is skilled in persuasion techniques will help you nail your argument–and get a win for your client.

2. Research outside your practice area. You run a corporate practice and your client has a question about collecting a debt, or you are a commercial landlord tenant lawyer and your client gets caught up in a landlord's bankruptcy case. You don't want to refer your client to another firm, and your client doesn't want to engage anyone else anyway. You know what your client needs–you just need to find the legal grounding for it. This is the perfect scenario for outsourcing a research project in order to help you create your client's argument.

3. Lower bills for your client. Everyone knows that lawyers are expensive, and clients are starting to complain more and more about it. Because of the process specialization that LPOs (including On Point Expertise) engage in, the hourly or project fees for legal research, writing, depositions, or oral arguments are often lower than the average lawyer's billable hour. If you outsource your argument making tasks then you can save your client money, which will make your client very very happy. And who doesn't want to have more happy clients?

4. Creating a masterpiece takes more than you. Of course you want to win, both for your client and for your own ego. But sometimes don't you also want to create a magnum opus brief that will make your adversary tremble and your judge shed a tear from its sheer beauty? If you do, then you need to add more brilliance to your intelligence. Outsourcing argument tasks–especially structural analysis and second-set-of-eyes reviewing–will help you achieve that perfection.

5. More time for you (and your business). Your law practice involves more than just arguments, and you need to spend plenty of time cultivating client relationships, overseeing your staff, managing your marketing, and keeping yourself current with the latest legal news and technologies. When you find an outsourcing resource you can trust with your arguments, then you will have more time to focus on your own professional development and the building of your business.

So join the trend and explore how you can outsource your argument. If you are ready now, then let On Point Expertise help you become a hero to your clients!

Get Started on Your Argument