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                                                                    EXHIBIT 2.16

                               AMENDMENT AGREEMENT

         This Amendment Agreement is entered into the 30th day of April 1999
between:

         (1)      M-R Group plc ("M-R"); and

         (2)      Lason, Inc. ("Lason").

         WHEREAS:

         (A)      M-R and Lason entered into a transaction agreement on 25
                  March, 1999 (the "Transaction Agreement").

         (B)      The parties have agreed to amend the Transaction Agreement as
                  set forth below.

         IT IS AGREED:

         1.       Capitalised terms used but not otherwise defined in this
                  Amendment Agreement shall have the meanings given to them in
                  the Transaction Agreement.

         2.       Each of the parties hereto agrees that with effect from the
                  date hereof the Transaction Agreement shall be amended as
                  follows:

                  (a)      Clause 8.1 of the Transaction Agreement shall be
                           amended by the insertion of the following
                           sub-paragraph as Clause 8.1(d):

                           "by written notice given by M-R to Lason if on the
                           date of the hearing of the originating summons
                           (which, for the avoidance of doubt, is currently
                           scheduled for 13 May, 1999) the Directors of M-R
                           conclude in their reasonable opinion, after having
                           consulted with M-R's financial advisers, that they
                           cannot recommend the Acquisition to M-R's
                           shareholders."

                  (b)      Clause 8.2(b) of the Transaction Agreement shall be
                           deleted in its entirety; and

                  (c)      Clause 2(c) shall be renumbered as Clause 8.2(b) and
                           shall be amended by the insertion of the following
                           words after the words "Clause 8.1(b)(i) or (iii)
                           above":

                           "or Clause 8.1(d) above"

                  (d)      Schedule 2 to the Transaction Agreement shall be
                           replaced in its entirety by the attached Schedule.

         3.       Except as expressly amended hereby, the Transaction Agreement
                  shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with its
                  terms.

         4.       This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
                  accordance with English law.


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         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Lason and M-R have caused this Amendment Agreement
         to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

         LASON                                   M-R

         By:      /S/ Gary L. Monroe             By:      /S/ Colin Haylock 
            ----------------------------             -------------------------
         Name:    Gary L. Monroe                 Name:    Colin Haylock
         Title:   Chairman and                   Title:   Executive Chairman
         Chief Executive Officer