IT IS the sort of business buzzword that has a tendency to get trade union reps hot under the collar. But, according to Dundas & Wilson, "outsourcing" is not a euphemism for cutting jobs or switching to cheaper foreign call centres.
The lawyers behind some of Scotland's biggest outsourcing deals say they have helped clients to create more efficient businesses – and that contracting out to external service providers can even be good for the staff involved.
Building on work with clients such as RBS, National Australia Group and Standard Life, D&W has just launched a dedicated outsourcing team of 40 lawyers. Co-ordinated by partner Laurence Ward, the team will aim to cover all aspects of outsourcing, with 13 partners pooling expertise on issues such as competition, employment, financial services, IT, telecoms, pensions and tax.
