New York Office of International Firm Goes from In-house to Outsourced Operation

This Am Law 25, international firm has over 1,100 lawyers, across 16 offices worldwide. The firm approached Mattern to assist in the review of its New York location’s back and middle office services in anticipation of an upcoming move to Hudson Yards. The primary objective of the project was to modernize and improve the services to the end-users either by improving the in-house operation or by outsourcing it.

OPPORTUNITY
This Am Law 25, international firm has over 1,100 lawyers, across 16 offices worldwide. The firm approached Mattern to assist in the review of its New York location’s back and middle office services in anticipation of an upcoming move to Hudson Yards. The primary objective of the project was to modernize and improve the services to the end-users either by improving the in-house operation or by outsourcing it.

Further, the firm wanted this process to be a test pilot in the event the firm wished to repeat it at other offices. If successful, the firm would use this process as a template.

Thus, the firm focused on:
- Transforming as many paper-based processes to digital.
- Improving efficiencies for tracking and managing back-office services.
- Bringing current team up to par with current industry best practices and standards.
- Ensuring the most up to date technology was implemented.
- If the firm elected to outsource, ensuring the process of bringing the in-house team to an outsourced provider was successful and replicable.

PROCESS
Mattern did a complete on-site assessment of the in-house labor, technology, and service offerings at the New York office. This included a review of staffing levels, workflows, processes, and interviews with key stakeholders. Through this comprehensive review, Mattern was able to develop a picture of the New York location’s entire operations and formulate recommendations for the firm’s Hudson Yards project.

Based on this evaluation, and utilizing its industry knowledge, benchmarks, and long history with law firm operations, Mattern made several recommendations for the firm’s consideration, which included improvements to staffing, processes, contracts, technology, and reporting requirements. Based on this evaluation, the firm wished to explore the feasibility of outsourcing the operation. Mattern proceeded to collaborate with the firm to create a uniquely tailored Request for Proposal (RFP) that captured the learnings from the evaluation process and suited the firm’s objectives.

Mattern was subsequently able to guide the firm through a successful RFP process, award, and contract negotiation.

RESULT
The RFP process yielded several viable providers and after careful review, the firm elected to move away from an in-house operation and move forward with Canon Business Processes Services. With the new provider, the firm was the beneficiary of the following changes:
- Service Provider Manager to oversee and train staff in best practices and processes.
- Staff training and reporting guarantees, including cross-training.
- Backfill for absences.
- Mandatory reporting on services metrics.
- Up-to-date technology offerings for tracking and reporting.
- Firm-approved terms and conditions, including untrained staff and staff underage credits.
- Penalty based service level agreements.

Through the Mattern process, the firm was able to enter into a firm-friendly contract that guaranteed the firm and the on-site staff would receive the attention required while bringing the operations into the future with the new Hudson Yards location. Mattern was also retained to oversee the implementation of the project, as well as the on-going monitoring of the contract.

The New York Office Administrator concludes “The Mattern team has done an outstanding job – from the RFP process, contract, negotiations, and monitoring invoices and SLAs. All is going very smoothly. Mattern is an experienced business that understands the client’s needs. Great job!”

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