Khaitan & Partners managing partner Niloy Pyne is launching a legal process outsourcing (LPO) company of up to 35 lawyers in Kolkata in joint venture with a large US health insurance and BPO provider.
The LPO will start operations within two weeks to a month and will be called E Lex Solution.
The LPO will be majority-owned by the New York-headquartered Fox Insurance Company, according to market sources.
It is understood that the health insurance company also runs business process outsourcing (BPO) operation CF-Health in Kolkata, which currently employs around 150 people.
Pyne confirmed that he would own 25 per cent in a joint venture with a New York-based US healthcare company, although he declined to confirm the US company’s name before the LPO’s official launch.
He said that the LPO would tie in closely with the US company’s existing BPO business in Kolkata, which currently receives significant work from its US parent insurance company.
Pyne explained: “They have approached me that they want to have a full fledged LPO facility.
“We are targeting the healthcare sector in the US, which is where this American company specialises but we will have a full-service LPO facility,” he added. “The best thing is that this healthcare company, and we would be straightaway getting all of their legal work under American law.”
However, he noted that in future he would expect that E Lex Solution also worked for other foreign healthcare sector companies and law firms.
The LPO would consist of 30 to 35 lawyers by the time of its launch, he said, and that 25 lawyers were currently “more or less on board”.
“The BPO facility which is already existing, they already have seven to eight lawyers most of them from NLS Bangalore and one or two from NUJS [Kolkata],” he said. “I am in charge of recruitment and have personally looked at another 10 people and another 10 external associates who are having a practice at the bar in Kolkata - we’ll be using them as of counsel.”
Pyne said that he would definitely continue as a partner of Khaitan & Partners despite the law firm presently not being directly involved in the LPO venture.
Khaitan & Partners was started up by Pyne with a licence to use the Khaitan name from its sister firm Suman Khaitan & Co in Delhi.
Photo by: Dipanker Dutta
Comments
Khaitan & Partners started by Mr. Niloy? Please confirm it as I am not sure.
Thanks
Ex-E'ee
Suman Khaitan & Co.
(Khaitan & Partners)
See story: "Khaitan & Partners was started up by Pyne with a licence to use the Khaitan name from its sister firm Suman Khaitan & Co in Delhi."
And more details here:
http://www.legallyindia.com/20090802120/Law-firms/Khaitan-Partners-in-office-move-Confident-in-Kolkata-s-revival
Reality Check No. 1 - There is no way you can start an LPO and "straightaway" start getting "all legal work under American law." God forbid if you do - it will be a total disaster. To my knowledge, no Indian law school/college teaches you the basics of US law. The gestation period for any one to get a reasonably good grip over US law and procedure is pretty long. Even the best grads from the better law schools need supervision and training before they can independently handle US legal issues. All of Niloy's experience and expertise too may not be enough here. For example - can this new venture draft a motion to compel document production before a California state court if it were asked to do so? It's a snowflake's chance in hell that they will be able to do it on day one - even if they hire the entire new batch of NLS and NUJS.
Reality Check No. 2 - If you are starting an LPO with 30-35 lawyers - as the article claims - the chances are that you are aiming for low end, volume intensive work. Probably this is all that Niloy's new venture will land up doing, given that it is tying up with a BPO. Pray - why do you need NLS or NUJS grads for that? This type of work does not even require lawyers. Smart English grads will do. Also, it's wishful thinking that he will get NLS and NUJS grads in such numbers. Hiring any NLS or NUJS grad for doing low end work is bad financial planning too, given the salaries these kids command.
Reality Check No. 3 - No matter how dexterous you are, it is impossible to have parallel careers in the legal industry. Being a partner in a law firm is itself a challenging proposition. Launching a new LPO will require your full time attention too. And if you have no prior experience in the legal off-shoring field, the chances are that you will make more mistakes than the right decisions.
I have nothing against Niloy and wish him well in his new venture. It's just that he should be careful of not falling into the trap of believing that there is a ton of easy money to be made in the LPO industry and that his law firm credentials and capital investment will ensure his new venture's success.
You think LPO work is so easy? DO you have any experience in this filed my dear friend? If not then do not make such comments. If yes, then you need to work harder.
Can a graduate draft agreements and contract? I dont think so. Now dont tell me in LPO there is not drafting and no real legal works.
When big firms like Allen & Overy, Clifford chance outsource their work to LPO, are they fool?
10th & last one is posted by me. Looking ahead to see the views of others
thanks
Can you kindly provide me with the contact information of this new LPO or the valid e-mail id of Mr. Pyne.
I am looking to relocate to Kolkata and I would appreciate your help.
Regards,
Debjyoti
BBA.LLB
Suggest that you take in people with prior LPO experience at the higher level.
The key here is Legal Process Offshoring it is the Processing of the Legal knowledge that holds key to success.
It is also essential to bear in mind the future of such legal resource working in a LPO. My fear has been that a lawyer working in a LPO may lose the skills of Advocacy, the future of such legal resource must be enhanced by continious process of training and providing a wholistic knowledge.
I wish Khaitan & Co all the very best in their new venture and profitable venture.
All it needs good communication and written skills in English... Even a 10th passed can do it....