Blake Lapthorn is the market-leading adviser on recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) and managed services provision (MSP) projects.  Alongside our work in traditional outsourcing (IT and general business process), we have unrivalled experience advising suppliers and end users on the very specialised and highly complex area of RPO and MSP in the UK, across Europe and beyond.

experience

Projects on which we have advised include the following:

  • Manpower/Elan – British Telecom: advising in 2007 on a five-year outsourcing deal for Manpower and Elan with BT.  The deal was the largest of its type so far in Europe. The deal involved the transfer to Elan and Manpower of the management of several thousand contract and temporary personnel worldwide. 
  • Atos Origin (UK) Limited: advising on best models, and setting up contract structures and risk mitigation strategies, for the supply of all temporary resource in the UK on an MSP basis; advising on supplier selection criteria.
  • T-Mobile (UK) Limited: advising on the outsourcing of all temporary and permanent recruitment to an MSP, including advising on supplier-selection criteria, assessment of responses to tender, negotiating commercial terms with short-listed suppliers and negotiating RPO agreement and service-level documentation.
  • International bank: advising on an MSP arrangement outsourcing responsibility for the sourcing and management of over 1000 direct and indirect technology and telecoms contractors in the UK.
  • Prudential plc: advising on MSP arrangements and drafting.
  • International bank: advising on VAT mitigation arrangements relating to the supply of temporary staff.
  • National clearing bank: advising on VAT mitigation arrangements relating to the supply of temporary staff.
  • Standard Chartered Bank: advising on an MSP arrangement outsourcing responsibility for the sourcing and management of over several hundred direct and indirect technology contractors in the UK.
  • Accenture: advising on standard terms and conditions with suppliers of temporary resource and VAT mitigation models.

what solutions do we provide?

RPO and MSP arrangements are a specialised area of HR outsourcing involving delegation of the management, administration and operation of all or certain aspects of an organisation’s recruitment function to an external outsourced service provider.  Outsourced service providers are increasingly expected to guarantee costs savings, take on a significant degree of risk and to provide additional services such as legal compliance advice, data management, database development and prime responsibility for paying contingent workforces.

Specific areas where we can bring benefits to you include the following:

  • Negotiation and preparation of an outsourcing service contract to reflect the deal, timely delivery of cost savings and fairly apportioning risk.
  • Minimising the risk of employment and Temporary (Agency) Workers Directive claims from agency and contract workers and dealing with credit risk.
  • Transfer to new suppliers – considering and addressing TUPE issues and how to transition existing supply arrangements without disputes between suppliers.
  • VAT mitigation PAYE and NICs – what tax planning currently works? What do you need to avoid?

what types of organisation do we assist?

We act for organisations across a range of different sectors. We have advised a number of international banks and insurance companies, telecom companies, IT and outsourcing companies, charities and health/care providers and represent many of the leading UK and international recruitment and staffing companies.

industry standing

Our market leading status is reflected by the range of trade associations and industry bodies who look to us for advice, such as the HR Outsourcing Association, the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS), the British Bankers Association, the Association of Professional Staffing Companies and Intellect. We are also panel members of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and are regularly involved in consultations with the European Commission, HM Treasury, HMRC and BERR about new legislation in this area. Our advice on temps and contractors has been adopted by the Office of Government Commerce.

our service approach

Our Recruitment sector group comprises an integrated group of lawyers with a range of complementary legal experience relating to recruitment and resourcing, including expertise in outsourcing, recruitment, intellectual property, litigation, corporate finance and M&A, tax, property, employment and commercial work.

We work hard to develop close relationships with our clients so that we understand their individual business operations and specific needs and deliver tailored solutions promptly and within budget.

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For further information, please contact:

Bridget Wood on +44 (0)20 7814 5426 or by email at bridget.wood@bllaw.co.uk.

Alistair Charleton on +44 (0)20 7814 6935 or by email at alistair.charleton@bllaw.co.uk