Dot-com incubator ePark has appointed three law firms as the first members of its Alliance Partner Program designed to assist e-business startups prosper.
Arnold Bloch Leibler, Freehills and Gilbert & Tobin will provide legal advice to new internet businesses involved in ePark's Melbourne and Sydney incubator programs.
According to David Landers, ePark's head "e-coach", ePark is forming relationships with providers from different industries including IT, telecommunications, banking, web design, recruitment and the international venture capitalist market.
"The idea is to pull together a network of providers of specialist services needed by young e-business companies," Landers said.
"These law firms are the first partners announced, but they are not the first companies with whom we have come to an agreement," Landers said, adding that ePark is about halfway through recruiting its partners.
Executive search firm Derwent Executive is another member of ePark's Alliance Partner Program, Landers said.
The alliance partners will provide ePark's member companies with easy access to business partners.
In return, ePark's alliance partners will have the opportunity to be exposed to new high-tech companies, make investments and access ePark's knowledge centre, Landers said.
"Through the knowledge centre, we can offer advice from a technical point of view or advice on issues related to e-business companies."
Employees of the alliance partners will also have the opportunity to work with ePark for a period of time.ePark plans to announce its first member companies shortly, Landers said. The incubator is currently working with less than 10 organisations, he added.ePark is an alliance between Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and Allen & Buckeridge.