FirstLAW and 250 firms boosted by PwC supportLaw-On-Line: big-five accountants lured by 'value' of conceptThe first Internet-only legal practice - FirstLAW.co.uk - celebrated its anniversary last week by announcing backing from big-five accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).The support comes from PwC's specialist start-up business unit, PwC Incubator.

PwC will provide FirstLAW with back-up services including business planning, marketing, IT auditing and fund-raising.

PwC will in return receive risk-based fees or equity - but not equity in the law firm, which Law Society rules forbid non-lawyers to hold.Since it launched a year ago, FirstLAW has attracted 500 business clients including United News & Media and Burmah Castrol as well as other FTSE 350 companies.

The cyber-firm also boasts a panel of 250 national and international firms including: Garretts, Field Fisher Waterhouse, Taylor Joynson Garrett, Masons, Mishcon De Reya, Osborne Clarke and Laytons.

Magic circle firms Linklaters and Allen & Overy also signed up last year.

FirstLAW - which takes a 10% commission on firms' costs at completion - now employs two full-time solicitors to assist clients in formulating instructions; these are then forwarded to two firms which tender for work on-line.

FirstLAW also monitors the claim and offers ongoing advice.FirstLAW chief executive Anthony Armitage, now a consultant with City firm Davies Arnold Cooper where he was formerly a property partner, said PwC Incubator's 'name, connections, skill and expertise' would help the firm promote its profile to small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporates.Gerry Devlin, chief operating office for PwC Incubator, said he was attracted to backing FirstLAW as it 'actually added value' as opposed to other sites, which acted 'more like Yellow Pages'.Sue Allen