Sourcing
Flexibility by Design



More and more businesses are outsourcing key business processes today so they can focus on what they do best and adapt more quickly to the ever-changing demands of their markets. But achieving strategic advantage requires more than a simple hand-off of responsibility for business functions. It takes careful planning, continuous relationship-building and vigilant oversight.

When a deal goes sour, it's usually due to mismatched expectations. Your agreement has to be strong enough to define both parties' obligations, yet flexible enough to accommodate new needs that arise over the life of the deal.

At Baker & McKenzie, we help businesses define, develop and maintain large, successful, long-term outsourcing relationships. We are experienced in the full range of issues involved in outsourcing, from structuring and negotiating contracts to advising on risk management and compliance issues, such as Sarbanes-Oxley in the US, to privacy and data protection regulations.

How We Can Help

• Creating relationships — We advise on appropriate deal structures, whether in one country or many jurisdictions, to create the clearly defined, yet flexible, arrangements needed to underpin a successful relationship.
• Technology — We advise on all aspects of IT and telecoms contracts, including service-levels and software licensing, as well as privacy, data protection and security.
• Employment and benefits — We help navigate the HR issues involved in employee transfers, including stock options, healthcare benefits, pensions and relocation.
• Intellectual property — We advise on ways to identify and transfer all forms of IP - and deal with these issues on exit.
• Tax — We help structure and execute managed services arrangements to reduce tax burdens and make the most of tax deferrals and credits.
• Regulatory — We advise on corporate governance, accounting, competition, financial services, telecoms and other regulations in the context of domestic and multi-jurisdictional transactions.
• Real estate and environmental — We provide advice on property matters such as the leasing or transfer of real property, co-location, construction or improvement of facilities and environmental matters.
• Dispute resolution — If things go wrong, we can help you resolve differences amicably through alternative dispute resolution or, if necessary, by litigation.