Top technology lawyers to be in high demand following domain laws

The market for tech-savvy lawyers could soon expand rapidly as new domain laws set to change the face of the internet.

The market for tech-savvy lawyers could soon expand rapidly as new domain laws set to change the face of the internet.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) has recently voted to liberalise domain names, which have so far been restricted to .com, .net, .co.uk or some other variable.

In the near future however, domains such as .bank, .shop or .restaurant could be available, creating a much larger threat from cyber-squatting.

Cyber-squatting is a process in which criminals set up a website in order to look like an established site, such as one that resembles a bank.

The fraudsters can then trick users in to divulging personal information, which can be used to set up credit cards.

With more website names available it is feared that the opportunities to create a fraudulent website will increase dramatically, boosting the need to recruit web-trained experts in law.

Commenting on the phenomenon, John Mackenzie, of Pinsent Masons, said: "Lawyers involved in this area will be delighted, as they get to advise on how to conduct the process, and on any disputes that may arise."

The issue is seen as a critical one for businesses, for whom it could be extremely costly not to invest in protection against such cyber squatters.