The #LegalIT outsourcing threat. Can we be more prepared as business analysts?

We see in the press that many large firms like A&O and Herbert Smith are actively engaged or looking at outsourcing some of their support or legal functions. Many firms of course have already dabbled in IT outsourcing as it seems the most common entry point, however the focus of these ventures have traditionally been things with the least, if any contact with the lawyers. However this trend is changing and with CMCK’s deal with Integreon is already happening.

This means business analysts, historically considered safe due to their knowledge of the people, knowledge of the culture and the processes are not. This progression is not surprising but still does pose the question, Can we be more prepared? and whilst it’s not inevitable (I know of a top 10 firm whose Director is a staunchly opposed to outsourcing) the trend is there for all to see. So what can you do?

1 – Develop
a) Get some qualifications even if not BABOK, ISEB or Prince then some certification on the products you are rolling out will always look ok on your CV.
b) Don’t look at just technical training also, look at the soft skills courses your firm is running, although most are aimed at lawyers some may actually be useful to us IT geeks.. c) Think PLN – Most training is dished out by the firm but is not the only source. If you have no training budget the think about using twitter, RSS readers, blogs etc to build up a PLN (personal learning network). A working definition from David Warlick “involves an individual’s topic oriented goal, a set of practices or techniques aimed at attracting or organizing a variety of relevant content sources, selected for their value, to help the owner accomplish a professional goal or personal interest.” This leads on to my next item.
d) Get a mentor within the firm but outside of IT. I found this very useful and enabled me to bounce my ideas from someone outside of IT to get a fresh perspective

2 – Be social
It seems crazy but is a slightly obvious statement, if you have a LinkedIn, Quora, Twitter, facebook profile, then engage in groups and discussions. I myself try to keep LinkedIn, Quora and Twitter to work related content (though the later slips every now and again). It’s not ‘work’ but research in our job is essential in my view and it’s amazing the resources and contacts you can make inside and outside the legal profession. I spent 2 days discussing something unrelated to LegalIT with someone on twitter only to find he was the head of developement of a product the firm uses, it’s been a useful contact..

3 – Be proactive
It easy to stay where we feel comfortable, I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of staying somewhere for longer than we should have. but perhaps a look beyond the legal looking-glass might be a the answer. Solid BA experience and skills are transferable too most verticals. Now is a good time to think about whether Legal offers what you need or even if a BA role fulfills your career aspirations? I know it sounds obvious but a BA’s career doesn’t have to be BA > Snr BA, BA>PM. Moving to a smaller firm may expand your responsibilities but may not avoid the inevitable outsourcing discussion. Could working for a vendor or consultancy be an option? Our skills could be applied to many things but perhaps pre-sales or a solutions/project consultant could work.

4 – Be prepared
If it happens you could always pause and think “could this be good for me?” Whilst having your future dictated to you might not float everyone’s boat, there could be a silver lining. Getting in early and being seen to embrace the situation could boast your career options and provide opportunities that would normally be unattainable.

5 – Be lucky