Your challenges
Outsourcing should be a win-win – it allows the customer to focus on its core business and to use the efficiency, innovation and experience of the outsourcing provider to make its business more profitable and gain competitive advantage; whilst the provider can apply its standard models to deliver a reliable and profitable service with demonstrable benefits. However, a successful outsourcing needs extensive preparation and an outsourcing agreement that will facilitate and underpin effective service delivery.
Achieving your ambitions
Whether you are an outsourcing customer or provider, we can help. We work with global businesses seeking to outsource functions from finance to catering; as well as organisations outsourcing key business processes. Our team also supports suppliers in negotiating deals which allow them to offer service excellence on a profitable basis.
We work across the private and public sector, advising on new models such as use of cloud computing, outcomes based outsourcing and payment by results. Our familiarity with both customer and provider issues means that we understand how to achieve the best outcomes and can give you the benefit of our insight into what has worked well before. We advise on all stages of the project lifecycle from strategic advice in the planning stages through to renegotiation and exit.
Our clients range from owner-managed businesses outsourcing HR workstreams, through to FTSE 100 companies and central government departments undertaking major outsourcings of business critical functions. Our team is experienced in all types of outsourcing including IT, business process outsourcing, back office functions, facilities management, logistics and warehousing, archiving, print services, claims handling, call centres and catering as well as shared services.
Our recent experience includes:
- Acting for Aviva plc on a number of claims handling and call centre outsourcing projects
- Acting for the Department of the Environment and Climate Change on the outsourcing of its coal liabilities claims handling service to Capita
- Acting for the FSA on its major IT outsourcing to Fujitsu, its Strategic Outsourcing Framework Agreement (SOFA) and other outsourcing projects
- Acting for the Solicitors Regulation Authority on the outsourcing of its archiving service to Capita
- Acting for Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust on the outsourcing of facilities management services to ISS
- Acting for the RAC on the outsourcing of HR services and telecommunications
- Acting for Archant Print on the outsourcing of print services
- Acting for the Ministry of Defence on the outsourcing of army recruitment services and maintenance of aircraft including Eurofighter Typhoons
- Acting for Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on the outsourcing of its outpatients pharmacy
The strength you need
Our team of commercial lawyers is supported by specialists in employment, tax, intellectual property, property, procurement and pensions, ensuring you get a complete service. We typically work in small deal-focused teams drawn from our wider commercial services group, giving you the confidence that we will have the capacity to move swiftly when you need urgent input, but that you will always be dealing with lawyers you know and trust.
Many of our team have worked in-house (including at outsourced service providers), so understand the commercial challenges of structuring and implementing successful outsourcing projects. Our team have exceptional project management skills and are experienced in working closely with business teams to drive the commercial imperatives forward. We are members of the National Outsourcing Association and remain focused on achieving innovative solutions reflecting current best practice.
Lawyers you can trust
Choosing Mills & Reeve means you will be working with our highly rated commercial team and individuals who have been ranked by Chambers and Legal 500. Our lawyers have been described as “incredibly knowledgeable, practical and very personable” and praised for delivering “impeccable attention to detail and a solution-focused approach”.