MAKATI, Philippines -- Business information service provider Thomson Reuters is expanding its global legal content initiative and is eyeing the Philippines and India for its offshore location.

Thomson Reuters executives said the company has been conducting interviews of possible employees for its Philippine and India offices, as well as evaluating locations for their facilities.

Executives said the company's Philippine office could be located in Makati City, while the India office would be in Hyderabad.

Cheryl Giraulo, Thomson Reuters Vice President for Global Content Centers, said the Philippine office would handle cases, statutes, and litigation materials.

The India office would cover analytical type products, intellectual property, bankruptcy cases and product testing of new services.

These offshore offices would handle projects coming mostly from the United States.

However, Cheryl said there are no timetables set as to when both offices would open except that they are hoping to start by this year.

"We want to make sure that everything goes smoothly when we start operating. We are treading carefully in this business but we are committed to make the Philippines (and India) our next locations," Giraulo said.

Giraulo said the legal content business has a potential market worth about US$14 billion and that the Philippines would benefit by having its skilled people work in legal content development.

"There's a huge talent pool in the Philippines for this kind of job and we're making sure we make this right for us and for people," Giraulo said.