Catrin Turner is a partner and head of Intellectual Property Litigation at UK law firm, H2O Media & IP Lawyers ("H2O").

H2O is a niche intellectual property, media and ecommerce law firm that only does work in the retail (including e.tail), leisure, entertainment, media and IT technology industries.

H2O is one of only twelve firms recommended for their e-commerce expertise in the UK's Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession 2000.

Catrin Turner has been practising for 12 years in this area and is involved in developing internet law through her involvement with the following:

• The Association of British Insurers - Internet Best Practice Committee. The ABI is the first trade body to begin development of best practice guidelines for British industry.
• The Department of Trade and Industry Information Initiative. Catrin was invited to become involved in this Government initiative which will lead to e-commerce vehicles for British industry in Autumn 1999. The DTI website will publish our legal advice on internet matters along with only three other law firms in the UK.
• DGXV of the European Commission - Catrin was asked to advise on a model internet law for Europe.
• Liberty - Catrin was asked to advise on internet law and encryption as part of Liberty's review of privacy and the internet.

All of these activities are motivated by the wish to see clarity in the law and to be able to inform clients of legal development before they impact in business.

Catrin has been recommended as an expert on internet law in the Insiders Guide to Digital Media 1998 and 1999.

ABOUT H2O

H2O believes in using IT to provide a better service for clients and a better working environment for staff. For clients, H2O offers collaboration to enable clients to find the best use of their IT in their dealings with legal issues. H2O recognises that not all clients, even multinationals, are at the cutting edge in terms of their own use of IT. If H2O's experience of IT can add value, we share information and experiences with our clients. This is part of our commitment to makes things better with IT.

H2O also offers secure client extranets, both to allow clients to work flexibly with us and to release clients from the burden of having to travel with files or be solely office based. Extranets can also be used to allow a group of staff within a client to access information or allow a group of clients such access.

H2O's IT strategy is about overcoming some of the common complaints about lawyers - lack of responsiveness and slowness. Our technology allows us to have lawyers on the move, to react quickly if work is urgent, to go to clients rather than expecting them to come to us. It also allows us to attract and retain the best lawyers since the working environment is humane. All staff are given a commitment to home working at least one day a week.

We act for some high profile clients whose demands would be commensurate with their status in their fields. Such clients expect only the best advice given by lawyers with an expertise and commitment to their industry. All clients get this service but the fact that we also have some better known corporate clients should demonstrate the quality of the service we offer. H2O Media & IP Lawyers 5 John Street London WC1N 2HH