MUMBAI, INDIA: Mindcrest Inc., the recognized market leader in legal services outsourcing has hired four experienced U.S. lawyers and a training specialist to keep up with the rapid growth expected in 2009. Three of these experts have relocated to India. With a current strength of 525 attorneys, Mindcrest is the largest provider of outsourced legal services. Mindcrest will add a 450 seat center in Mumbai in the first quarter of 2009.

"We expect our growth rate to accelerate as companies look to cut costs and increase efficiencies in the current economic climate," said Ganesh Natarajan, president and CEO of Mindcrest, Inc.

Natarajan and partner George Hefferan, vice president sales & general counsel of Mindcrest, Inc, said there is a need to expand aggressively in order to keep up with demand.

"We have seen a shift in the way law firms and corporations approach the legal process outsourcing industry (LPO) in the last two years," Hefferan said. "Before, the question was: 'What is an LPO?' Now, the question is: 'How can we incorporate an LPO into our structure and how do we pick the best vendors?'"

The five new hires - Michelle Vega, Colleen McGill, Rana Rosen, Deirdre Byrne and Mike Duffy - will help expand existing service lines and help Mindcrest get into new areas of work. Here are more details on their backgrounds and plans:

* Michelle Vega brings expertise in general commercial litigation matters from her experience at top New York City law firms. Being resident in India, she will be responsible for the operational excellence of our Litigation Services practice, which has specialized in privilege, technical and relevance reviews.

* Colleen McGill will expand the Regulatory and Compliance practice, which has focused on services such as Securities Law and Human Resources Law compliance. She has more than 12 years of professional services experience, and has specialized expertise in the areas of executive compensation, employee benefits and ERISA.

* Rana Rosen brings her experience as a consultant and writer to expand our highly respected corporate training program, which produces the best legal writers and client service professionals in the industry. Her training program will support growth across the company.

* Deirdre Byrne has joined to oversee and expand the Corporate and Commercial Law practice. She has more than 15 years of experience from top New York City law firms, and has deep experience in commercial law, including debt restructuring, commercial leasing and letters of credit.

* Mike Duffy has been a trial lawyer for more than 30 years and has extensive experience in complex commercial litigation, including product liability litigation, health law-related litigation, land use litigation and municipal representation. He has had primary responsibility for 43 jury trials and numerous bench trials and contested motions. Mike will be the head of our Litigation Service line of business and will expand Mindcrest's litigation services on a worldwide basis.

Vega, Byrne and Rosen have moved from the New York City area to Mindcrest's Pune office. "The more I learned about Mindcrest, and explored the possibilities of the position, the greater my interest because I saw an opportunity to really deploy all my various skill sets," said Byrne, senior manager of legal services at Mindcrest (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Rosen, senior manager of training at Mindcrest, Inc., added: "I expect that more Americans will want opportunities to use their skills abroad, especially given the recent downturn in the US. For decades, foreigners have been coming to the US for work. That table may have turned." She anticipates large growth in the legal services industry, and that contributed to her taking the position.

"We have had more visits from US clients who are exploring ways to reduce legal-related costs. Company leaders have seen various functions cut costs and legal departments are now under pressure to follow suit," said Rohan Dalal, managing director of Mindcrest (India) Pvt. Ltd.