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In an increasingly complex legal landscape – one where in-house lawyers are under growing pressure to manage costs while maintaining efficiency – more corporates are turning to ALSPs for cost-effective solutions and a technology-driven approach.
Alternative legal service providers (ALSPs) have an estimated market size of US$28.5 billion – and a recent report showed that more than 50 per cent of corporate law departments rely on ALSPs for services, including flexible resourcing and litigation support.
In conversation with Lawyers Weekly, ALSP and legal tech provider Law In Order chief digital officer Murali Baddula and corporate client relationship manager Stefan Steenveld explored how corporate legal teams are leveraging technology and ALSPs to enhance efficiency, manage risk, and reduce legal spend.
Many in-house teams are turning to ALSPs for specialised support in areas such as electronic briefs, document review, technology-assisted review (TAR), and data preparation, according to the pair.
“Corporate legal teams are under increasing pressure to reduce costs, manage risk, and handle growing volumes of complex legal work efficiently. ALSPs, like Law In Order, provide a cost-effective, scalable solution by offering specialised services such as document review, electronic brief preparation, and e-discovery management, all backed by advanced legal technology,” they said.
“This shift is reshaping the legal landscape, with more organisations adopting a hybrid model – leveraging ALSPs for resource-intensive tasks while in-house teams focus on strategic legal matters.”
AI and TAR are both key transformative elements for in-house practitioners – and integrating legal technology solutions can help corporate legal teams identify key documents faster, enhance compliance, and streamline regulatory responses.
“AI and TAR are transforming document management by automating data processing, improving accuracy, and accelerating legal review processes. By leveraging AI-powered tools, in-house counsel can optimise workflows, reduce manual workload, and make data-driven legal decisions more effectively,” Baddula and Steenveld said.
“Outsourcing document-heavy tasks to ALSPs offers cost efficiency, faster turnaround times, access to legal technology, and expert support without the burden of expanding internal resources. Law In Order’s electronic brief (eBrief) and document review services streamline complex litigation and regulatory workflows, ensuring accuracy and compliance. When considering outsourcing, in-house counsel should evaluate data security, compliance requirements, internal expertise, and the volume of work to determine whether an ALSP can enhance operational efficiency.”
ALSPs also offer flexible, fixed-fee, or usage-based pricing structures, reducing the need for in-house investment in legal technology and additional staff – something which Baddula and Steenveld emphasised the importance of for in-house teams trying to cut costs and do more with less.
“ALSPs provide predictable pricing models, helping corporate legal teams avoid escalating legal costs while maintaining high standards of service. Overall reducing internal resource expenses, utilising an ALSP can significantly reduce costs, with case studies showing savings of 30–50 per cent on e-discovery and over 50 per cent on document review, depending on the matter,” the pair said.
“Moreover, [our] strict security protocols, compliance measures, and ISO-certified processes ensure that outsourced legal work meets industry best practices without compromising confidentiality or data protection.”
Moving forward, as ALSPs take on a greater share of corporate legal work, these services will continue to evolve as legal technology becomes more advanced, driving efficiency for in-house teams.
“As ALSPs continue to expand, they are evolving beyond traditional outsourcing to offer end-to-end legal technology solutions, automation, and analytics-driven insights. Law In Order’s investment in AI-driven solutions, such as e-discovery platforms and secure collaboration tools, positions corporate legal teams to manage complex matters with greater efficiency. SmartBundle streamlines the preparation of electronic briefs, ensuring seamless e-trial readiness, while AI-powered TAR accelerates document review, reducing manual effort and improving accuracy,” Baddula and Steenveld said.
“Advanced e-discovery platforms optimise data collection, processing, and analysis, providing cost-effective solutions tailored to corporate legal needs. However, challenges such as data security concerns, evolving regulatory requirements, and resistance to change may arise. [But] by embracing ALSP partnerships and leveraging innovative solutions, in-house legal teams can drive efficiency, maintain compliance, and focus on high-value legal strategy in an increasingly tech-driven legal landscape.”
Lauren is a journalist at Lawyers Weekly and graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism from Macleay College. Prior to joining Lawyers Weekly, she worked as a trade journalist for media and travel industry publications and Travel Weekly. Originally born in England, Lauren enjoys trying new bars and restaurants, attending music festivals and travelling. She is also a keen snowboarder and pre-pandemic, spent a season living in a French ski resort.
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Lauren Croft
