A
career with an Indian LPO was the least preferred among law students, according
to a recent survey conducted by ValueNotes.
This is despite the fact that
45% of respondents felt that the pay package at an LPO was better as compared
to the pay package at law firms. While there has been significant media hype about
legal services outsourcing, it was surprising that a large number of students
pursuing law were either unaware of offshore legal services (better known as LPO)
or they did not consider it as a preferred career choice.
The same talent
pool of graduating law students is tapped by multinationals, international law
firms and Indian law firms. While multinationals are expanding their operations
in India, the Indian companies are expanding their global footprint. Thus the
requirements of both these groups for legal advice on financing, mergers and acquisitions,
immigration, etc is expected to increase. In addition to this, international law
firms are also interested in setting up shop in India and are pinning their hopes
on the Bar Council to liberalize the Indian legal services market. With
the increasing demand for legal services from different sectors in the legal industry,
there is bound to be a fight for talent. Though there are about 80,000 law graduates
each year, the number that is employable is quite low. LPOs will face an even
greater problem in the fight for talent as they harbor a negative perception among
law students. The common feeling among students is that
work at an LPO is repetitive and highly process driven. Says a student in the
second year of the LLB program, “I will have lost the legal knowledge working
for an LPO. After the first few years, I’ll get stuck in a rut and will not
be able to advance my career.” According to Shashikala Gurpur, Principal,
Symbiosis Law School, “There is apathy on part of the students towards LPOs,
because of various reasons: the general feeling that LPO is not any different
from BPO or KPO, LPOs are understated in the market, they might have to do a monotonous
job which requires no skill and the reputation of people who work in LPOs is hampered
as legal industry veterans seem biased.” One of the
primary challenges for service providers currently is to change this perception
of students. In light of this, the report recommends greater participation of
service providers in spreading awareness about the offshore legal services outsourcing
not only among students but also faculty members in law schools. In the long term,
greater partnerships/tie-ups between industry and universities will improve both
the quality and quantity of the labor pool and change the perception that students
have towards the LPO industry. ValueNotes recent report
on ‘Career in Indian LPO’ provides understanding of the perceptions
of law students on pursuing a career in offshore legal services or Indian LPO.
The findings are based on an extensive survey conducted among several law students
and faculty members from colleges across various cities in India. About
valueNotes ValueNotes Database is a leading provider
of business intelligence and research, with expertise across selected domains
and types of customer needs. Working with clients across the globe, we have significant
understanding of international markets. The ValueNotes
Outsourcing Practice is one of the largest information providers on the outsourcing
industry. The Practice uses a comprehensive, analytical framework providing fresh
insights into the fast emerging and yet, complex outsourcing space. We extensively
track the space through regular analysis of news and events, continuous primary
research and contact with the industry. Additional information is available at
www.SourcingNotes.com ValueNotes
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