Firms on-line warned of proposed e-commerce laws

Law firms with Web sites may have a substantial amount of work to do to comply with new e-commerce regulations, a leading technology lawyer warned this week.Proposed e-commerce laws, currently in the draft consultation stage, would mean that any business that advertises or sells services on-line risks being shut down unless it complies with the rigorous new standards.If a firm sends out an e-mail designed to promote its services, the message would have to make clear that it is a commercial communication.

Likewise, any unsolicited mail (known as spam) would have to state that it is unsolicited in the subject heading.Firms which contract with customers on-line would face a number of changes, including the need to acknowledge instructions instantly.

Web sites would also have to provide an e-mail contact address for users, and would be obliged to reply swiftly to all communications received.

Andrew Rigby, head of technology and e-business law at the City office of Addleshaw Booth & Co, said: 'Smaller firms, particularly those whose Web site is developed and maintained by a third party, may have trouble developing the infrastructure needed to be able to cope with these changes, such as being able to respond quickly to all the e-mails sent.' He suspected that many law firms are not ready for the legislation.

'The government is keen to push these regulations through as fast as possible,' he said.

'The last e-commerce regulations - regarding electronic signatures - became law two weeks after the consultation period ended.

'As the consultation for these laws will end on 2 May, law firms need to start thinking about how they will adjust to the changes, and how much it will cost them.'Victoria MacCallum