PANGEA3 LLC

Three years ago when Pangea3 started selling legal services from India, there were only 5 other companies in the space. Today, having just secured a $7 million investment from Sequoia Venture Partners, Pangea3 continues to pull away from the pack of more than 60 LPO vendors. In recent months it has become increasingly clear to us that our industry is at a turning point.

Here’s why:

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1. Our Customers. Years ago, it was cutting edge or bleeding edge companies that were willing to outsource legal services to India. Now, we’re involved in second, third and fourth projects with more than a dozen staid, household name companies. We’re past the point were only bold trailblazers are looking to India. It’s safe, it’s tried and it’s true: India works.

2. FUD. When we first started, many law firms viewed India as a threat.
Echoing the great philosopher Austin Millbarge ("We mock what we don’t understand."), fearful firms used the same strategy IBM used back in the 1970’s. They sold FUD - Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt - about outsourcing legal work to India. “Gee, it MIGHT work…but nobody ever got fired for doing their legal work in the U.S.”

That sort of obfuscation is now rare. US firms now readily accept that certain tasks are headed overseas. Indeed, it would insult a firm’s corporate clients to ignore first year associate bill rates over $300/hr.
and hold fast to the notion that all legal work must be done on shore. The most forward thinking firms understand that partnering with clients, offering recognition that some tasks don’t need to be done by an expensive Manhattanite, is now a competitive differentiator.

3. Our People: Pangea3 has more than 10 U.S. admitted lawyers throughout our organization. Our lawyers have been CEO’s. We’ve been General Counsels at public companies. We’ve all been at large, corporate law firms. In short, we know what it means to practice law from both a consumption and a production standpoint.

In India, we now have close to 200 people performing legal work, up from only a dozen or so three years ago. We are now a sophisticated, well-oiled machine offering end to end legal solutions conceived and managed from the U.S., but powered by experienced and sophisticated Indian attorneys and patent engineers. We’re seasoned. We’re thorough and with each passing month, we’re doing more sophisticated work.

If you’re an in-house lawyer, there’s nothing left to fear about India. The quality is high, the turn around times are tight and the fees are more than manageable. If you’re with a firm, your clients are increasingly turning to India for assistance with sophisticated legal work. Isn’t it time you partnered with them to be sure that you remain part of the solution?