I had a dream when I was younger to be a Lawyer practicing Corporate Law or IT-based law. That dream never came true because now I'm an IT manager, but the fire was stoked when I picked up this book to review for one of my Masters courses. The book give you a clear understanding of legal terms, the trend with a focus on Internet Law, and how businesses will need to prepare themselves for the future precidence setting rulings to come. You don't have to be a legal geek to appreciate this work. Even outside of my scholastic requirement for getting this book I think I would have enjoyed it on it's own. It has indeed sparked a desire to search for more books on the subject.

This 12 chapter book is intended as a college text for business majors. However, it also deserves a place on the working professional's bookshelf, and is suited to both business and IT professionals.

Highlights: It's an up-to-date text that addresses the full range of topics from the contemporary legal environment defined and changed by the internet, to business agreements. The chapters on contract law, privacy and liability are essential reading for anyone involved in e-commerce, either as a business process owner or as an IT professional who is responsible for online content.

The first seven chapters are my favorite because they covered information that is of particular interest to business and IT professionals. Chapter 1 covers the legal landscape of e-commerce issues, then segues into three chapters on contract law, present and future issues of contract law that are specific to e-commerce, and contracting and licensing software. These chapters realistically address real issues and challenges. These chapters build the foundation for the next chapters that cover torts in general, and cyber torts in particular, and liability issues (often overlooked, but a all-too-real exposure).

Chapters 8 through 10 cover intellectual property in great detail. This topic is an inescapable reality of doing business over the internet, and is one in which the legal issues are still evolving. I recommend that anyone who focuses on this aspect of law also read Bill Zoellick's excellent book, CyberRegs: A Business Guide to Web Property, Privacy, and Patents. Chapter 11 is a brief examination of business organization that can be glossed over, but the final chapter, 12, on cyber companies and internet agreements is an essential chapter that is filled with invaluable facts and advice.

Don't let the fact that this is a college text deter you from purchasing this book. It is an excellent deskside reference that will guide you through real life issues.