The Alternative Legal Service Providers (ALSPs) station is about recognising - and leveraging - the evolution of legal service delivery. ALSPs are non-traditional legal providers that offer specialised legal support, often using technology, process optimisation, and scalable delivery models to outperform traditional law firms in cost, speed, and efficiency.

This station challenges the default assumption that law firms are the only viable external support option. They’re not. ALSPs can handle a wide range of legal tasks - from contract review and compliance to legal research, document automation, and even full-function legal team support - often at a fraction of the cost. GLS, for example, routinely helps in-house teams reduce costs by up to 80% across most areas of legal need.

ALSPs are particularly effective for high-volume, repeatable, or process-heavy work. But they’re also increasingly capable of supporting strategic legal functions, especially when paired with strong legal operations frameworks. The key is to match the right provider to the right task - and ALSPs are often the right answer.

This station is about opening the aperture. It’s about giving the legal team more options, more flexibility, and more control over how legal work gets done - without compromising quality or compliance.

The scope of the Alternative Legal Service Providers station includes:

◼️Provider Identification: Mapping legal tasks that can be outsourced to ALSPs based on complexity, volume, and strategic value.

◼️Cost Benchmarking: Comparing ALSP pricing models against traditional law firm rates to identify savings opportunities.

◼️Service Categorisation: Identifying which legal functions (e.g. contracting, compliance, legal research) are best suited to ALSP delivery.

◼️Provider Onboarding: Establishing clear expectations, SLAs, and alignment with internal policies and risk posture.

◼️Workflow Integration: Ensuring ALSPs are embedded into legal team workflows and systems for seamless delivery.

◼️Performance Monitoring: Tracking ALSP output against KPIs such as turnaround time, accuracy, and cost savings.

◼️Internal Communication: Educating business units and legal team members on when and how to engage ALSPs.

◼️Panel Inclusion: Incorporating ALSPs into the Preferred Provider framework to ensure strategic access.

In GLS legal ops speak – the Alternative Legal Service Providers is considered a “Foundational” resource within the process ecosystem of an in-house legal team.

The Foundational Resource is a CRE that is responsible for determining the overall performance capabilities of a “critical” legal function. If it is not optimised, the function can never be optimised. 

The best practice features of the Alternative Legal Service Providers station are as follows:

◼️Task Mapping: Legal work is categorised by complexity and volume to identify ALSP-suitable tasks.

◼️Cost Modelling: ALSP engagement is supported by clear cost-benefit analysis and ROI projections.

◼️Provider Vetting: ALSPs are evaluated for quality, compliance, scalability, and tech capability.

◼️Operational Alignment: ALSPs are onboarded with reference to the Group Legal Policy and other legal ops tools.

◼️Tech Integration: ALSPs are connected to internal systems for seamless workflow and data exchange.

◼️Performance Dashboards: Real-time tracking of ALSP delivery metrics and cost savings.

◼️Internal Enablement: Legal team and business units are trained on how to engage ALSPs effectively.

◼️Strategic Positioning: ALSPs are treated as core components of the legal delivery ecosystem, not fringe options.

The Alternative Legal Service Providers station delivers the following value to the Business:

◼️Massive Cost Savings: ALSPs like GLS can reduce legal support costs by up to 80% across most functions.

◼️Faster Delivery: Streamlined processes and tech-enabled workflows mean faster turnaround times.

◼️Scalable Support: ALSPs can flex to meet demand without the overhead of traditional law firms.

◼️Improved Budget Control: Predictable pricing and transparent billing models support financial planning.

◼️Operational Efficiency: Legal work is delivered with less friction, fewer delays, and better outcomes.

◼️Strategic Agility: The business can respond faster to legal needs without compromising quality.

◼️Expanded Capacity: ALSPs extend the legal team’s reach without increasing headcount.

◼️Reduced Admin Burden: ALSPs handle process-heavy tasks, freeing up internal resources.

◼️Improved Focus: In-house lawyers can concentrate on strategic, high-value work.

◼️Enhanced Credibility: Demonstrates to the business that legal is innovating and managing spend wisely.

◼️Performance Visibility: Clear metrics and dashboards show how ALSPs are contributing to legal outcomes.

◼️Future-Proofing: Positions the legal team to adapt to evolving business and legal demands.

The Alternative Legal Service Providers station is essential for:

◼️General Counsel

◼️Heads of Legal Operations

◼️Legal Team Leads

◼️Procurement and Vendor Management Teams

◼️CFOs seeking legal spend accountability

A legal team operating without an Alternative Legal Service Providers strategy will face a wide range of inefficiencies including:

◼️Overreliance on Law Firms: Paying premium rates for work that could be done faster and cheaper elsewhere.

◼️Limited Capacity: Internal teams stretched thin, unable to scale with demand.

◼️Budget Blowouts: Legal spend spirals due to lack of cost-effective alternatives.

◼️Slow Delivery: Traditional providers may not be optimised for speed or volume.

◼️Innovation Stagnation: No incentive to explore new delivery models or technologies.

◼️Strategic Blind Spots: Legal team lacks flexibility to respond to changing business needs.

The Alternative Legal Service Providers station strongly leverages technology. ALSPs typically operate on tech-enabled platforms that support automation, data analytics, and scalable delivery. Integration with internal systems is key to ensuring seamless workflows and performance tracking.