Williams Lea
Corporate Information Solutions
Wheeling, WV

Legal outsourcing company opens office in Wheeling, West Virginia By Tim Huber Of The Associated Press

Wheeling allows Williams Lea to enjoy lower real estate and labor costs than big cities.

British outsourcing firm Williams Lea is betting that corporate clients will want to keep more sensitive jobs such as transcribing depositions and processing legal documents a little closer to home. ‘’Wheeling is an essential piece of what we’re trying to accomplish,’’ said Dave Pennino, the firm’s director of marketing.

For Wheeling, Williams Lea holds the promise of economic development in its downtown, said Don Rigby, executive director of Regional Economic Development Partnership. The nonprofit organization rebuilt and owns both the Wheeling Stamping and Stone & Thomas buildings.

‘‘These types of organizations are now a target market for the state,’’ Rigby said. ‘‘There are several areas in the state where this makes some sense.’’

In just over a year, Williams Lea has built a staff of over 37 employees in its Wheeling office.

Williams Lea has signed a deal with West Virginia Northern Community College to offer courses aimed at preparing students for careers in business law and legal document handling.

Rigby and Pennino say Wheeling has advantages that companies notice once they take a closer look. The area offers a pool of hardworking people interested in better-than-average pay and good benefits.