E-commerce, "doing business on-line" can be separated into two types: Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C). The majority of e-commerce is almost exclusively B2B rather than B2C, which might be surprising considering recent press coverage of dotcom companies.

Two good examples of e-commerce companies are Amazon.com (B2C) and Boeing (B2B). Amazon.com is probably the most successful e-commerce company as it is the world's largest online retailer, however even this company has yet to make a profit. Boeing were quick to develop an extranet, offering access to internal information for all of its suppliers. Complications can hamper the e-business however: bad web design for example, or not being able to fulfil delivery commitments. Other problems can arise from simple mistakes e.g. Argos retailing £2.99 TVs. Over-complicated technology was at least one nail in the coffin of Boo.com. There are also legal issues to consider: IP rights, libel and contracts.

How can e-commerce be related to law firms? These are two options for law firms, external and internal. External could take the form of websites, extranets and online legal services. Internal could be intranets. In practice the majority of firms have chosen to focus on developing websites. Surprisingly only 10% of law firms have a website, with the majority being no more than a brochure of the firm. There are notable exceptions however: Fidler & Pepper (www.fidler.co.uk) offers online legal advice in wills and conveyancing; Linklaters & Alliance Blue Flag site; and Paisner & Co (www.complytoday.com) which offers information on data protection online for a fee.

There are several reasons why law firms need to invest in IT: to improve their efficiency, competitive advantage and business survival. By allowing clients extranet access to information, this could mean less paperwork for lawyers, freeing up time to be spent on giving legal advice. Being the first in a market is essential. If your firm can offer services before others, they can dominate a market, e.g. Paisner's data protection service. As more people have access to the Internet, there will be an increase in demand by clients to have online legal information. If NHS Direct is online why not legal advice?

What is the role of information professionals in this new economy? At present they do a variety of tasks, ranging from cataloguing to research and user education. Will this change, and will information professional's role become redundant in the future? The answer is "no" to both questions. The only thing that may change is that the collection may be distributed and ownership could become more fluid. For example, if you consider collection development in a digital environment, not all sites are free, licenses have to be negotiated and sites have to be evaluated. This is not an unusual set of tasks for the information professional. With regard to cataloguing - someone has to create and maintain a record of the resources available. Information professionals can create library portals for users or intranet pages. The existence of information digitally doesn't mean users can find it. A trained information professional can find the right information 8 times faster than an average user (American Management Systems Survey). The information professional is adept at working out the individual's requirements and supplying the correct material. Digital preservation and the need to maintain archives will be an issue for the foreseeable future.

To move with the times, the information professional will need enthusiasm, willingness to embrace change, to be pro-active and to get involved. Graham Coult, Editor of Managing Information commented:

"this new breed of information expert will be…winning hearts, changing attitudes, training, advising, thinking strategically, monitoring developments and revising the plan. They will understand information and knowledge, how to identify, audit, value and most importantly, how information moves around"

This presentation provided a useful insight into the future of law firms, and possible opportunities as the result for information professionals. It looks like an exciting time ahead for all concerned.