When corporate legal departments are looking at the proposed cost for a legal outsourcing project, a law firm's own alternative legal service provider (ALSP) may be more expensive than an independent one. But a higher cost doesn't automatically knock a law firm subsidiary out of consideration.

Law firm tech subsidiaries argue access to attorney expertise during a client's entire matter provides quality that traditional ALSPs simply can't match. And some corporate legal departments agree, noting that a law firm subsidiary provides appealing budgeting and management benefits as well. 

To be sure, directly engaging an ALSP not associated with a law firm is still the norm, noted TE Connectivity legal operations business performance senior manager James Michalowicz.