Is Kansas City big enough for Polsinelli and Littler's back-office operations? IT shortage feared
Polsinelli chairman Russell Welsh is expressing concern that Littler Mendelson will create a shortage of technology talent in Kansas City, Missouri, when it moves back-office functions to the city.
Welsh complained about recruitment of Littler by a development council in a letter to leaders of several local law firms, report the Kansas City Star and the Am Law Daily.
“We have all enjoyed a cost advantage over our competitors because of our location in Kansas City,” said the letter, obtained by the Kansas City Star. “But I am concerned that this move will increase our employee costs and may drive some of us to move our core administrative functions to other cities.”
In interviews with the publications, Welsh said he was particularly concerned about the supply of technology experts in the area, given Littler’s planned move, which follows Sedgwick’s move of its back-office operations to the city.
Littler co-president and managing partner Jeremy Roth told the Am Law Daily there is no plan to “raid away jobs” from local law firms. He says about 100 Littler employees have already agreed to make the move and the firm has extended offers to all its administrative staffers.
Related article:
ABAJournal.com: “Another law firm chooses Kansas City for back-office operations”
