Could there be a conflict of interests?

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E is for e-commerce and ethics

It's tempting for law firms to invest in dot.com clients. But could there be a conflict of interests?

Tuesday, 2 May 2000

Linklaters & Alliance hit the news last year when it admitted that it had invested in 16 different internet concerns instead of charging for legal advice. The firm recently acted on the flotations of Lastminute.com and Freeserve. com, but Rupert Pearce, the firm's head of internet and e-commerce, stresses that in neither case did the firm take equity instead of fees.

Linklaters & Alliance hit the news last year when it admitted that it had invested in 16 different internet concerns instead of charging for legal advice. The firm recently acted on the flotations of Lastminute.com and Freeserve. com, but Rupert Pearce, the firm's head of internet and e-commerce, stresses that in neither case did the firm take equity instead of fees.