Need to do more with less?
Check Out Alternative Legal Service Providers
Economic uncertainties and global inflation promise to compound the budget challenges many IP teams have faced for the last several years in 2023.
With filings continuing to rise globally but headcount frozen (or declining), IP teams are increasingly forced to optimize costs and capacity.
There’s no “one-size-fits-all” solution, but for an increasing number of teams, all roads lead to Alternative Legal Service Providers “ALSPs.” In fact, according to a recent survey by CLOC, 21% of respondents shifted more work to ALSPs than law firms in 2021.
The Rise of
Alternative Legal Service Providers
For those new to the genre, ALSPs are companies or entities that offer legal services outside of traditional law firms
For IP teams, there are two main value propositions: expensive (and finite) legal resources can focus on higher-value, strategic priorities, and transactional, administrative activities can be scaled cost-effectively.
Annuity payment providers were some of the original ASPs. Today, IP teams can access ALSPs that do everything from foreign filing to docketing and a range of paralegal and in-house counsel services.
Here are common ALSP services:
- Docketing Services
- General Paralegal Services
- Patent/Trademark Maintenance
- Foreign Filing Services
- Patent Drafting
- Patent Searching
- Illustrations
- Translations
3 tips for ALSP success
Don’t underestimate the time it will take to see benefits – work with the vendor to set realistic timelines and expectations.
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Be wary of overly aggressive promises.
Start small, have clear goals, and measure frequently. Everyone knows a “Big Bang” project that failed to deliver.
Check out our partners
Looking for ALSP options? We have several partners that provide ALSP services. Check them out here!
