The Hindu : Business : Legal process outsourcing market share to grow to 6-7 per cent

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 20, 2006

Business

Business

Legal process outsourcing market share to grow to 6-7 per cent

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: India is moving towards registering significant growth from its current share of 3-4 per cent to 6-7 per cent in the $250 billion world market in the Legal Process Outsourcing by 2010. According to the BPO Council of The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham), more than 200 top U.S. companies are looking for offshore locations towards achieving saving of 30-70 per cent.

A paper brought out by the Chamber says, "India is already known for its large and increasing pool of quality engineering graduates - many of who are being attracted to the patent services segment of legal BPO. Estimates report that by early 2006, there were over 400 professionals engaged in providing patent services such as literature search, prior-art search, technology and patentability assessment, patent claim mapping, etc., from India".

There are over 600 patent agents registered with the Indian Patent Office in India as well as approximately 300 IP professionals who are not.

About one-third of these 900 professionals currently provide patent services to European and American end clients, and this number is likely to double to 1,800-2,000 by 2010.

A communication from the Assocham said the conservative estimates of the current addressable market potential for legal services that could be outsourced from the U.S. alone is pegged at $ 3-4 billion.

This comprises para-legal and research support, contract drafting and revising and contract management, library services, patent and trademark prosecution and litigation support.

The major countries providing legal services market include the U.S., UK, France, Australia, South Korea, Japan and China.

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