Tarlo Lyons heads Euro IT advice group

A GROUP of European lawyers have formed a cross-border alliance to advise technology clients.

The initiative, called euroITcounsel, aims to provide legal know-how on

specific issues within the technology industry.

UK firm Tarlo Lyons is the UK representative and co-ordinates the project.

IT is one of its areas of expertise.

Other members come from Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, the European

Commission, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and

Switzerland.

All the solicitors are IT specialists. The group will meet quarterly to

decide which legal issues to address. Their first job will be to advise on

changes in European law affecting software innovation and patent

registration.

Tarlo Lyons partner John Mawhood says: "The risk is companies will lose

out on the advantages that go to those [who] file for patents on their

inventions in software."