The outsourcing of legal services has been gaining a lot of attention lately. Ellen Tanowitz wrote an interesting article this month in the New Lawyer, an online newsletter for the ABA General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Division.

In the article, titled “Using an Independent Contractor in Your Legal Practice”, Ms. Tanowitz explains how solo and small firm lawyers can use independent contactor lawyers on a project-by-project basis when things get busy (rather than hire a full-time associate). Ms. Tanowitz, in fact, not only uses other lawyers to outsource some of her work when things get busy, but she also serves as an independent contractor for other lawyers in the Boston area when times are slow.

But why should Ms. Tanowitz be limited to working with lawyers in the Boston area? She’s not anymore. Thanks to the Internet, now lawyers can (1) outsource some of their workload to other lawyers anywhere in the world in an auction format, and (2) find additional work being outsourced by other lawyers when times are slow.

We think this can change the way some lawyers practice law. But we’d like to hear what you think.

Using an Independent Contractor in Your Legal Practice [via the New Lawyer]