City firm CMS Cameron McKenna is to outsource a substantial part of its non-legal office functions in a deal valued by outsourcer Integreon at £583m over ten years.

Much of the firm’s non-billable ‘middle office’ functions including accounting and finance; human resources and training; marketing and communications; learning and development; library and information; research; information technology; and facilities functions will be taken over by Integreon.

Legal commentator Professor Richard Susskind called the development ‘hugely significant’ and said that the business case for such a move ‘is compellingly strong’ and should lead to cost savings for the firm.

Integreon today estimated the deal to be worth £583m over 10 years.

CMS Cameron McKenna has 122 equity partners and employs more than 1,000 fee-earners.

Integreon legal services vice-president Mark Ross told the Gazette in March that Integreon is planning a stock market listing within the next three years, and that his company plans to add to its 500 legal process outsourcing staff, which includes around 375 lawyers, throughout 2010.