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                                                                  EXHIBIT 10.53 

                                December 17, 1996

To:      Cary Newman


         RE:      NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTIONS

         The Board of Directors (the "Board") of Lason, Inc., or the committee
(the "Committee") designated by the Board for the purpose of administering the
Lason, Inc. 1995 Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"), hereby grants you (the
"Grantee") a non-qualified stock option (each an "Option"), pursuant to the
Plan, a copy of which is attached hereto. Certain capitalized terms used in this
agreement (the "Agreement") are defined in paragraph 12 hereof. Certain
capitalized terms used in this Agreement which are not defined herein have the
meanings indicated for such terms in Section 10.1 of the Plan. As used herein
references to the "Company" refer to Lason, Inc. or to Lason, Inc. and/or any of
its Subsidiaries, as applicable.

                           1.              STOCK OPTION.  The Option entitles 
                                    the Grantee (and such Grantee's permitted
                                    transferee as described in paragraph 3(a)
                                    below) (each such person, a "Purchaser") to
                                    purchase up to the number of shares of the
                                    Company's Common Stock, par value $.01 per
                                    share (the "Option Shares"), specified below
                                    opposite such Grantee's name, at an option
                                    price of $16.75 per share (the "Option
                                    Price"), subject to the terms and conditions
                                    of this Agreement:

                  GRANTEE                          NUMBER OF OPTION SHARES
                  -------                          -----------------------

                  Cary Newman                              15,000


                           2.              ADDITIONAL TERMS. The Options are 
                                    also subject to the following provisions:

                       (a) EXERCISABILITY. Each Option may be exercised and
Option Shares may be purchased at any time and from time to time after the
execution of this Agreement, subject to the vesting limitations imposed by
paragraph 2(b) of this Agreement. The Option Price for Option Shares shall be
paid in full in cash or by check by the Purchaser of such Option Shares prior to
the time of the delivery of Option Shares, or, at the written request of such
Purchaser, the Committee may (but need not) permit payment to be made by (i)
delivery to the Company of outstanding Shares, (ii) retention by the Company of
one or more of such Option Shares or (iii) any combination of cash, check, such
Purchaser's delivery of outstanding Shares and retention by the Company of one
or more of such Option Shares. Option Shares acquired by Purchaser under this
Agreement are hereinafter referred to as the "Exercise Shares."


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                       (b) VESTING/EXERCISABILITY.

                           (1)       Purchaser may only exercise the Option to
                               purchase Option Shares to the extent that such
                               Option has vested and become exercisable with
                               respect to such Option Shares. Except as
                               otherwise provided in Paragraph 2(b)(ii) below,
                               the Option Shares will vest and become
                               exercisable in accordance with the following
                               schedule, if as of each such date the Grantee is
                               still employed by the Company or any of its
                               Subsidiaries:

                                                      CUMULATIVE PERCENTAGE OF
                                                        OPTION SHARES VESTED
                             DATE                          AND EXERCISABLE
                       -----------------              ------------------------

                       December 17, 1997                         20%
                       December 17, 1998                         40%
                       December 17, 1999                         60%
                       December 17, 2000                         80%
                       December 17, 2001                         100%

Option Shares which have become vested and exercisable are referred to herein as
"Vested Shares" and all other Option Shares are referred to herein as "Unvested
Shares."

                           (ii) Upon the occurrence of a Sale of the Company,
each Option shall vest and all Unvested Shares shall be come Vested Shares if,
but only if, the Grantee thereof is employed by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries on the date of such occurrence.

                       (c) PROCEDURE FOR EXERCISE. Subject to the vesting
limitations of Paragraph 2(b) above, a Purchaser may exercise all or any portion
of the Option, so long as it is valid and outstanding, at any time and from time
to time prior to its termination by delivering written notice to the Company as
provided in Section 6.4 of the Plan and written acknowledgment substantially in
the form of Exhibit A hereto that such Purchaser has read, and has been afforded
an opportunity to ask questions of the Company's management regarding all
financial and other information provided to Purchaser concerning the Company,
together with payment of the Option Price times the number of Option Shares
purchased. Subject to Section 6.7 of the Plan, at the time of exercise,
Purchaser will be entitled to review all financial and other information
regarding the Company it believes necessary to enable such Purchaser to make an
informed investment decision.

                           3.    TRANSFERABILITY OF THE OPTIONS.


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                       (a) The Grantee shall not sell, transfer, assign, pledge
or otherwise dispose of (a "Transfer") any interest in any Option with respect
to any Unvested Shares. Any Option with respect to any Vested Shares of the
Grantee shall not be Transferred other than as a result of the death of such
Grantee, testate or intestate, and the restrictions herein shall apply to any
Transfer by any such permitted transferee.

                       (b) The Company may assign its rights and delegate its
duties under this Agreement.

                           4.    TRANSFERABILITY OF EXERCISE SHARES.

                       (a) No Purchaser shall Transfer any Exercise Shares or
any interest therein except in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

                       (b) No holder of any Exercise Shares may Transfer any
such shares (except pursuant to an effective registration statement and/or
re-offer prospectus, as applicable, under the Securities Act) without first
delivering to the Company an opinion of counsel (reasonably acceptable in form
and substance to the Company) that neither registration nor qualification under
the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws is required in
connection with such transfer.

                           5.    CONFORMITY WITH PLAN.  The Options are intended
                               to conform in all respects with, and are subject
                               to all applicable provisions of, the Plan, which
                               is incorporated herein by reference.
                               Inconsistencies between this Agreement and the
                               Plan shall be resolved in accordance with the
                               terms of the Plan, except as modified by
                               Paragraph 2(b)(ii) of this Agreement. By
                               executing this Agreement, the Grantee
                               acknowledges receipt of the Plan and agrees to be
                               bound by all of other terms of the Plan.

                           6.    EMPLOYMENT.  Notwithstanding any contrary oral
                               representations or promises made to the Grantee
                               prior to or after the date hereof, the Grantee
                               and the Company acknowledge that such Grantee's
                               employment with the Company is and will continue
                               to be subject to the willingness of each to
                               continue such employment and nothing set forth
                               herein or otherwise confers any right or
                               obligation on such Grantee to continue in the
                               employ of the Company or shall affect in any way
                               such Grantee's right or the right of the Company
                               to terminate such Grantee's employment at any
                               time, for any reason, with or without cause.

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                           7.    ADJUSTMENT. The Board shall make appropriate
                               and proportionate adjustments to the terms of the
                               Options to reflect any stock dividend, stock
                               split, combination or exchange of shares,
                               merger, consolidation or other change in the
                               capitalization of the Company which the Board
                               determines to be similar, in its substantive
                               effect upon the Plan or the Options, to any of
                               the changes expressly indicated in this sentence,
                               as provided in Article 8 of the Plan. The Board
                               may (but shall not be required to) make any
                               appropriate adjustment to the terms of the
                               Options to reflect any spin-off, spin-out or
                               other distribution of assets to shareholders or
                               any acquisition of the Company's stock or assets
                               or other change which the Board determines to be
                               similar, in its substantive effect upon the Plan
                               or the Options, to any of the changes expressly
                               indicated in this sentence, as provided in
                               Article 8 of the Plan. In the event of any
                               adjustments described in the preceding two
                               sentences, any and all new, substituted, or
                               additional securities or other property to which
                               any Purchaser is entitled by reason of the Option
                               shall be immediately subject to such Option and
                               be included in the word "Option Shares" for all
                               purposes of such Option with the same force and
                               effect as the Option Shares presently subject to
                               such Option. After each such event, the number of
                               Option Shares and/or the Option Price shall be
                               appropriately adjusted.

                           8.    SHARE LEGEND. Unless the Exercise Shares are
                               the subject of an effective registration
                               statement and/or re-offer prospectus, as
                               applicable, all certificates representing any
                               Exercise Shares subject to the provisions of this
                               Agreement shall have endorsed thereon the
                               following legend:

                  "THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE WERE
                  ORIGINALLY ISSUED AS OF DECEMBER 17, 1996, HAVE NOT BEEN
                  REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE
                  "ACT"), AND MAY NOT BE SOLD OR TRANSFERRED IN THE ABSENCE OF
                  AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE ACT OR AN
                  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION THEREUNDER. THE SECURITIES
                  REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE ALSO SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL
                  RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER AND CERTAIN OTHER AGREEMENTS SET
                  FORTH IN AN EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
                  COMPANY AND 


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                  CERTAIN EMPLOYEES OF THE COMPANY DATED DECEMBER
                  17, 1996. A COPY OF SUCH AGREEMENT MAY BE OBTAINED BY THE
                  HOLDER HEREOF AT THE COMPANY'S PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS
                  WITHOUT CHARGE."


                           9.    INVESTMENT REPRESENTATIONS. Upon the
                               purchase of Option Shares hereunder, the
                               Purchaser thereof shall execute and deliver to
                               the Company a letter, substantially in the form
                               attached hereto as Exhibit A, confirming such
                               Purchaser's investment representations.

                          10.    EXPIRATION.  Subject to Sections 6.3 and 6.7 of
                               the Plan, the Grantee's Option shall expire (a)
                               with respect to Vested Shares, at the earlier of
                               (i) a determination by the Option Committee that
                               the Grantee has been grossly negligent in the
                               performance of his duties to the Company,(ii) the
                               termination of such Grantee's employment with the
                               Company or (iii) at 5:00 p.m., Detroit time, on
                               the seventh anniversary of the date hereof and
                               (b) with respect to Unvested Shares, upon the
                               termination of such Grantee's employment with the
                               Company.

                  Further, notwithstanding the above, with respect to Vested
Shares, if the termination of Grantee's employment with the Company is due to
death, disability or Termination Without Cause, then the Option shall expire on
the earlier of (i) the 90th day following the termination of Grantee's
employment or (ii) until 5:00 p.m., Detroit time, on the seventh anniversary of
the date hereof.

                  Further, notwithstanding the above, with respect to Vested
Shares, if the Company discovers after termination of Grantee's employment, that
Grantee engaged in conduct that would have justified Termination for Cause,
Grantee's Option shall expire immediately on the date of such discovery.

                                 11.       CONFIDENTIALITY/NON-COMPETITION.  In
                                     consideration of the Option granted herein,
                                     Grantee agrees that while Grantee is
                                     employed by the Company and for the
                                     eighteen (18) month period following the
                                     date of employment, Grantee shall not,
                                     either directly or indirectly (whether as
                                     sole proprietor, partner, consultant,
                                     venturer, member, stockholder, director,
                                     officer,

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                                     employee, or in any other capacity as
                                     principal or agent), own, manage, operate,
                                     control, finance, or engage or participate
                                     in the ownership, management, operation or
                                     control of, any person, firm, entity,
                                     limited partnership, partnership, limited
                                     liability company, corporation, or similar
                                     association which is engaged in any of the
                                     business activities of the Company and
                                     which is located in any part of the United
                                     States or Canada in which the Company does
                                     business.

                  Grantee further agrees that Grantee shall not, directly or
indirectly, at any time during such eighteen (18) month non-compete period:

                  (a) take any action that will cause the termination of a
business relationship between the Company and any customer or supplier of the
Company; or

                  (b) solicit for employment or employ any person employed in
the Company's business.

                  At all times, Grantee shall keep secret and inviolate all
knowledge or information of a confidential nature, including, without
limitation, all unpublished matters relating to the business, assets, accounts,
books, records, customers and contracts of the Company which Grantee may or
hereafter come to know as a result of Grantee's association with the Company.

                  Grantee acknowledges that if Grantee violates this Paragraph
11, Grantee will cause severe and irreparable injury to the business and
goodwill of the Company, which injury is not adequately compensable by money
damages. Accordingly, in the event of a breach (or threatened or attempted
breach) of this Paragraph 11, the Company shall, in addition to any other rights
and remedies, (i) be entitled to immediate appropriate injunctive relief or a
decree of specific performance of this Agreement, without the necessity of
showing any irreparable injury or special damages, and (ii) not be obligated to
sell any shares subject to the option upon exercise of the option.

                  Grantee acknowledges that, due to Grantee's education and job
skill, Grantee's adherence to the terms of this confidentiality/non-competition
provision will not deprive Grantee of the opportunity to obtain gainful
employment with other companies serving different product or geographic markets
after the termination of Grantee's employment with the Company.

                  Nothing herein shall be deemed to prevent Grantee from holding
less than five (5%) percent of the outstanding publicly-traded securities of any
person, firm, or corporation.


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                  The provisions of this Paragraph 11 shall survive the
termination of this Agreement and Grantee's employment with the Company.

                           12.       DEFINITIONS.

                  "DISABILITY" means permanent and total disability as such term
is defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

                  "FULLY DILUTED BASIS" means, without duplication, (i) all
shares of Common Stock outstanding at the time of determination plus (ii) all
shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of any convertible securities or
the exercise of any option, warrant or similar right, whether or not such
conversion, right or option, warrant or similar right is then exercisable.

                  "INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY" means any person who, immediately
prior to the contemplated transaction, does not own in excess of 5% of the
Company's Common Stock on a Fully Diluted Basis (a "5% Owner"), who is not
controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Company or any such
5% Owner and who is not the spouse or descendent (by birth or adoption) of any
such 5% Owner or a trust for the benefit of such 5% Owner and/or such other
persons.

                  "SALE OF THE COMPANY" means the sale of the Company (by
merger, consolidation or sale of stock or assets) to an Independent Third Party
or group of Independent Third Parties pursuant to which such party or parties
acquire (i) capital stock of the Company possessing the voting power under
normal circumstances to elect a majority of the Board (whether by merger,
consolidation or sale or transfer of the Company's capital stock) or (ii) all or
substantially all of the Company's assets determined on a consolidated basis.
The Sale of the Company does not include a sale of stock pursuant to a secondary
public offering by the Company.

                  "TERMINATION FOR CAUSE" means termination by the Company of
Grantee's employment because of Grantee's personal dishonesty, willful
misconduct, breach of fiduciary duty involving personal profit, intentional
failure to perform stated duties, or the lawful violation of any law, rule or
regulation (other than minor traffic violations or similar offenses).

                  "TERMINATION WITHOUT CAUSE" means any termination by the
Company of Grantee's employment which is not a Termination for Cause.

                           13.            FURTHER ACTIONS. The parties agree to
                                    execute such further instruments and to take
                                    such further actions as may reasonably be
                                    required to carry out the intent of this
                                    Agreement.

                           14.            SEVERABILITY. Whenever possible, each
                                    provision of this Agreement will be
                                    interpreted in such manner as to be


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                                    effective and valid under applicable law,
                                    but if any provision of this Agreement is
                                    held to be prohibited by or invalid under
                                    applicable law, such provision will be
                                    ineffective only to the extent of such
                                    prohibition or invalidity, without
                                    invalidating the remainder of this
                                    Agreement.

                           15.            COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be 
                                    executed simultaneously in two or more
                                    counterparts, any one of which need not
                                    contain the signatures of more than one
                                    party, but all such counterparts taken
                                    together will constitute one and the same
                                    Agreement.

                           16.            NOTICES. Any notice required or 
                                    permitted hereunder shall be given in
                                    writing and shall be deemed effectively
                                    given upon personal delivery or upon deposit
                                    in the United States Post Office, by
                                    registered or certified mail with postage
                                    and fees prepaid, addressed, in the case of
                                    a Grantee, and, in the case of the Company,
                                    to the respective addresses below:

                  Lason, Inc.
                  1350 Stephenson Highway
                  Troy, Michigan  48083
                  Attention:  William J. Rauwerdink, Executive Vice President

                  Mr. Cary Newman
                  356 West Bradfoxel Drive
                  Bloomfield Hills, MI  48301-4058

or at such other address as a party may designate by 10 days advance written
notice to each other party.

                           17.            SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement
                                    shall be binding upon and inure to the
                                    benefit of the successors and assigns of the
                                    Company and, subject to the restrictions on
                                    transfer herein set forth, be binding upon
                                    Grantee's heirs, executors, administrators,
                                    successors and assigns and inure to the
                                    benefit of Grantee's heirs, executors,
                                    administrators, successors and permitted
                                    assigns.

                           18.            GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement and all
                                    documents contemplated hereby, and all
                                    remedies in connection therewith and all
                                    questions or transactions 


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                                    relating thereto, shall be construed in
                                    accordance with and governed by the laws of
                                    the State of Michigan.

                           19.            ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement and 
                                    the Plan constitute the entire understanding
                                    between the Grantee and the Company, and
                                    supersede all other agreements, whether
                                    written or oral, with respect to the
                                    acquisition by the Grantee of Common Stock
                                    from the Company pursuant to any option or
                                    option agreement.

                  Please sign as Grantee the extra copy of this Agreement in the
space below and return it to the Secretary of the Company, William J.
Rauwerdink, to confirm your understanding and acceptance of the agreements
contained in this letter.

                                          Very truly yours,

                                          LASON, INC.



                                          By:
                                             -----------------------------------
                                                   William J. Rauwerdink

                                          Its:     Executive Vice President
                                              ----------------------------------


                  THE UNDERSIGNED hereby acknowledges having read this
Agreement, the Plan, and the other enclosures to this Agreement, and hereby
agrees to be bound by all provisions set forth herein and in the Plan.

                                          GRANTEE


                                          -------------------------------------
                                          Cary Newman




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