Domain Name Enforcement

Cybersquatters routinely register domain names that misappropriate valuable trademarks to divert Internet traffic away from the trademark owners’ websites. This weakens the legal trademark owners’ existing customers, diverts potential customers to competitors, and can even result in the loss of the very trademark right.

Donahue Fitzgerald LLP’s Domain Name Enforcement Program has an impressive track record of stopping this cybertheft. Our law firm has efficiently handled thousands of domain name matters to protect our clients’ valuable trademarks.The Domain Name Enforcement Program monitors existing and new domain name registrations for infringing domains.  We watch not only for domains that incorporate clients’ entire trademarks but also for typosquatting domains, which misspell the trademark to mislead potential customers to others’ websites.Our efforts successfully stop the infringing domain name use and acquire the domains for our clients, who can then use them to redirect web traffic back to their own websites.  A vast majority of matters are handled cost-efficiently and amicably.

We escalate disputes when we encounter resistance from domain name registrants.  This may involve filing arbitration proceedings under the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (known as UDRPs) before either the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) or the American Arbitration Association (AAA) to order the infringing domain names promptly transferred to our clients.

Where appropriate, we pursue lawsuits for our clients for cybersquatting, trademark infringement and counterfeiting, unfair competition, and other civil wrongs.  When necessary, we aggressively but cost-effectively pursue injunctive relief ordering the cyberthieves to stop their wrongdoing and transfer the domains.  We also seek damages, such as trebled profits, and, where available, attorney’s fees.  In other words, when needed, our Domain Name Enforcement Program has teeth.

We work with our clients to tailor our Domain Name Enforcement Program to their particular needs. It is fully scaleable. Contact us today to learn how we can help you get the most out of your brand online.