Frequently Asked Questions

What is LexOutsource?

LexOutsource is a company founded in 2012 that provides legal research, writing and analysis support to Canadian lawyers. This type of service is commonly referred to as legal process outsourcing.

How does LexOutsource provide its affordable legal services?

LexOutsource uses a hybrid model to ensure quality and affordable legal services. We employ experienced legal professionals based in South Africa to handle the bulk of the actual legal work. In turn, a non-resident Canadian legal professional provides oversight and quality control. This blended model is capable of delivering high quality services at a low cost, resulting in savings of up to 90%.

Is outsourcing legal services ethical?

In virtually every jurisdiction where the question has been considered, the relevant regulatory bodies have found that outsourcing legal services is ethical. For example, ABA Formal Opinion 08-451 states that “There is nothing unethical about a lawyer outsourcing legal and nonlegal services, provided the outsourcing lawyer renders legal services to the client with the legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness and preparation reasonably necessary for the representation.”

In Canada, the Ethics Committee of the Law Society of British Columbia (opinion dated March 3, 2005) concluded that “Provided the lawyer can supervise a contractor in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 12 and can fulfill required obligations of confidentiality, it is proper for a lawyer to engage [an outsourced legal service provider] to do work that is the practice of law.”

CLICK HERE >>> to read the research memorandum which we have prepared regarding the nature of our services.

Why did LexOutsource choose to set up its offshore operations in South Africa?

There are a number of reasons we have chosen South Africa. Even though entities in many countries offer legal outsourcing services, South Africa emerges as the best outsourcing destination for Canadian lawyers.

Common Law Jurisdiction
South Africa, like Canada, has its foundations in the common law. This common legal tradition equips South African legal professionals with a deep understanding of the fundamental principles of Canadian law.

Fluency in English
Language can be a key barrier to outsourcing, especially when it comes to legal research, writing and analysis. While South Africa has 11 official languages, English is the predominant language used in legal education and litigation.

Knowledge of Canadian Law
South Africa’s Constitution is based on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. As a result, Canadian jurisprudence forms an integral part of legal research for South African lawyers. The Constitutional Court of South Africa has quoted from Canadian case-law on over 60 (sixty) occasions to date, and the Supreme Court of Canada has done the same in respect of South Africa. For these reasons, our staff have extensively used Canadian case-law in their practice, even before joining us.

Cost Savings
Legal professionals in South Africa make a fraction of the salary that a lawyer working in Canada would make, despite their comparable expertize. This gives you access to a much lower wage scale.

How does legal education in South Africa compare with Canada?

Legal education in South Africa is similar to Canada. A law degree (LLB) is obtained through 4 years of study after graduating from high school and encompasses a wide range of common law related subjects. Thereafter, law graduates generally complete 2 years of articles with a law firm.

How can a foreign trained lawyer do work for a Canadian firm?

Experience has shown that most legal matters involve general legal principles which can be understood by any lawyer with sound legal education and training. Indeed, major law firms and corporations in the United States and United Kingdom have been successfully outsourcing legal matters to India for over a decade. More importantly, we invite you to read the testimonials on this site from our own satisfied clients, many of whom have found that our legal research, writing and analysis skills are superior to any lawyer (local or otherwise) that they have ever dealt with.

In addition, our entire legal team has prior experience working with Canadian law. They are recruited from top international universities, and many have practised as legal professionals at some of the top chambers and law firms in the world. We also provide continuing legal education and training to our staff with respect to Canadian law and use of online tools. These factors make our staff well equipped for the services we offer.

Finally, all our projects have an additional layer of protection as oversight and quality control is provided by an experienced Canadian law graduate.

How long does a project take to complete?

LexOutsource completes all projects within the time specified by the client. It offers a 24-hour turn around time for urgent time-sensitive work.

LexOutsource’s legal outsourcing services are professional, affordable and reliable. My firm and clients have benefited greatly from LexOutsource for years.

Kenneth Wise, Ken Wise and Associates, Toronto, Ontario.

I am very satisfied with your service in all respects; the responsiveness to my initial inquiry was immediate and thorough, the work completed on a very timely basis, the research impeccable, and the factum thorough, instructive, and useful. The contentious issues were engaged with extremely accurately. It was exactly what I was looking for.

Mathieu Picard, Cantini Law Group, Moncton, New Brunswick.

For those dubious about outsourcing legal research I want to say my experience dealing with LexOutsource has put my concerns to rest. The quality of the work produced was first class, timely and on budget. Moreover, there was a direct benefit both to my client and my firm in not having to utilize higher cost firm resources for doing the necessary research for the legal opinion ultimately rendered. Unlike large law firms we do not have the person power to dedicate to legal research. I am comfortable in recommending LexOutsource to those considering doing business with them.

Gary Farb, Clark, Farb and Fiskel, Barristers and Solicitors, Toronto, Ontario.

I had a particularly vexing legal challenge in connection with continuing an action against the estate of the deceased defendant. I turned to LexOutsource for legal research and some guidance. I had occasion to deal with Irshad Motala, a principal, who was both obliging and conscientious, resulting in the correct and practical answer to my quandary. In my dealings with Irshad it was also clear that he wanted to offer good value for the research dollars I spent with LexOutsource by, among other things, writing off time dedicated by his team to unproductive research results. In essence, I got good results for good value.

Gabor Zinner, Zinner Law Office, Calgary, Alberta.

The legal research and writing provided by LexOutsource was timely. The resulting memorandum covered the issue on which we were seeking assistance. LexOutsource was particularly helpful because it is often difficult to find the time in a busy practice to conduct legal research on your own.

Derrick Watton Q.C., Murphy and Watton, Barristers, Solicitors and Notaries, Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador.

We have been very pleased with LexOutsource’s services, including the prompt handling of requests and the reasonable fees they offer.

Philip and Franceen Romney, Romneylaw Incorporated, Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.

The services offered by LexOutsource are outstanding and have helped numerous of our clients. The quality and speed of their work has made their service indispensable.

Donald Scott, Don Scott McMurray Law Office, Fort McMurray, Alberta.

LexOutsource’s legal research and writing services have been my first line of attack to any problem I run into in deciding paths to take in pleading and defending cases. Usually, LexOutsource’s first research memorandum is bang on in dealing with the factual situation that I outlined to them. On a few occasions, the first brush allowed me to come back to LexOutsource and add layers of subtlety that goes down to the fine points of an argument. LexOutsource acts as my primary in-house research team. Because I am in a rush on most matters, their great turnaround time leaves me free to pursue other aspects, while they put together the substantive legal arguments at a reasonable price.

Pell Capone, Bondaruk & Capone, Barristers and Solicitors, Toronto, Ontario.

I would like to take this moment to thank you for the various legal research memoranda that you have provided to our offices. You and your team at LexOutsource have provided us with prompt, timely, and specific research memoranda prepared to our requests. What has been most impressive is the LexOutsource team’s ability to narrow the legal issues in the memorandum and provide us with appropriate / specific summaries. Further, the research memoranda have been provided in a very prompt and timely fashion. As you know, we would not hesitate to provide a reference for you and your team at LexOutsource. In fact, we have provided your name to a number of banks and their Estate departments and other lawyers as well and would not hesitate to continue to do so. As always, thanks again and we will not hesitate to contact you with respect to our legal research requirements in future.

Michael Schmidt, Schmidt Law Office Professional Corporation, Kitchener, Ontario.

In the midst of a complex case, I required an immediate answer to a difficult series of integrated law and process questions. Our in-house research specialist was over-burdened and would have been hard pressed to find the time to help. By coincidence, at the same time I received an email from LexOutsource and decided to experiment with their services. I received a research report from LexOutsource that was prompt, delivered on schedule, on budget, and legally sound. Those circumstances repeated themselves the following week. Mr Irshad Motala from LexOutsource delivered an urgent analysis over-night that was thorough, skilled, mature and consistent with my understanding of the case-law. I will use LexOutsource again.

Herman Turkstra, Turkstra Mazza Lawyers, Hamilton, Ontario.

I would like to express our thoughts on your very valuable assistance with two recent assignments; our firm referred to you fairly complex questions of “negligence” versus “gross negligence,” and an issue of duress in the course of signing a waiver of liability agreement. The research that your firm provided was very helpful, provided in a very timely fashion, and at an extremely attractive rate. Neither I nor my staff could have accomplished the research and written the memoranda of law for anywhere near approaching the cost that you charged; of necessity, we would have had to charge our client three or four times more than you charged. Your research was well done, timely, and extremely good value for the money.

Donald McLeod, Donald R. McLeod Law Corporation, Victoria, British Columbia.

I have had the opportunity to work with LexOutsource on at least five research projects. I have learned that their superior research is the most cost-effective manner way to tackle my legal research needs. It saves me considerable time and frustration while saving my clients money.The work product is excellent, it is simple to work through the research parameters and the results are delivered in an extremely timely fashion. Most recently, on a Friday at 5 PM, I requested a specific research project in a timely fashion and to my absolute surprise I received the research memo back at 11 PM the same evening!I highly recommend this resource as a way to improve legal services, reduce costs to clients and allow lawyers to focus on the non-research aspects of cases – I am much more confident in my legal argument with the LexOutsource research memos supporting me.

Reid Thompson, Hook, Seller & Lundin LLP, Kenora, Ontario.

I have used LexOutsource for a number of years. Their legal research is accurate, inexpensive and fast: ideal for factums. I highly recommend their services.

John Syrtash, Garfin Zeidenberg LLP, Toronto, Ontario.

I am a sole practitioner who has needed legal research from time to time but had the time to do it myself. Somehow, I cannot remember how, I stumbled upon LexOutsource. I used them once and was very satisfied, and then again and again, and each time have been happy with the incredibly quick turn-around time and the excellence of their research memos. I would recommend their services to anyone!

David Goodman, Goodman, Solomon & Gold, Barristers and Solicitors, Toronto, Ontario.

I have hired LexOutsource to do legal research, draft settlement proposals and mediation briefs for my firm on many occasions. Service has been prompt, thorough and well worth the cost. I heartily recommend LexOutsource and Irshad Motala, in particular.

Deborah L. Barron, Barrister & Solicitor, Calgary, Alberta.