The LPO market in India received a boost last week with the signing of the outsourcing agreement between the UK-based international firm, Simmons & Simmons and LPO leader, Integreon. Bar & Bench speaks to Mark Dawkins, Managing Partner at Simmons & Simmons and Lokendra Tomar, Chief of Operations of the Asia-Pacific arm of Integreon. While Mark Dawkins refused to be drawn on whether the firm has any India-specific expansion plans, Lokendra Tomar reveals Integreon's plans to raise funds through private equity to further its expansion plans.

Mark Dawkins, Managing Partner at Simmons & Simmons

B&B: South Africa appears to be becoming a popular outsourcing destination for UK law firms. What were the factors that led your decision to outsource work to India instead?

MD: Our aim is to find, design and deliver new ways of working that provide the same quality legal services to clients in different ways and for materially better value, whilst sustaining the firm's profitability. Outsourcing legal work to a well established LPO such as Integreon helps reduce costs considerably for our clients and provides us with the satisfaction that their work will be done in a quality assured environment. The talent pool in India is enormous. Integreon provided us with options no other provider anywhere else could have provided.

B&B: What made you choose Integreon over the other outsourcing vendors on your shortlist?

MD: The most important criterion for us was high standard quality of work. With Integreon, we felt assured that our clients' work would be in safe hands. Furthermore, Integreon has worked for some of the biggest law firms and financial institutions and the feedback has been positive. They have a good reputation in the market and we felt they would fit in well and adapt easily to the Simmons & Simmons culture.

B&B: Did you receive any pressure from your clients to outsource legal work, or was this a firm-driven initiative?

MD: We did have clients enquiring into whether Simmons & Simmons would be exploring the option of outsourcing legal work; however, this is also an integral part of the firm's business strategy going forward.

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