ICANN's New Generic Top Level Domains

Description

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is expanding generic top-level domains (gTLDs) in an effort to reduce trademark infringement by giving brand owners more control over their own domains. However, trademark owners have concerns that fraud will increase.

From the current 21 gTLDS available, ICANN's new gTLDs program will establish a process by which anyone can register for domain names. Applicants face significant hurdles and must determine whether registration is worth the steep $185,000 initial application or evaluation fee and operational costs.

Trademark and brand owners must carefully consider the best methods to protect their marks and evaluate whether to register domain names and/or pursue disputes of others' applications that have the potential to infringe.

Listen as our authoritative panel of intellectual property attorneys outlines ICANN’s new gTLDs process, the potential impact on trademark rights, and strategies for registration and enforcement of trademark rights.

Outline

1. ICANN’s new gTLDs process
   1. Technical criteria in ICANN’s draft application guidance (DAG)
   2. Timing considerations
   3. Expressions of interest program
   4. Mechanisms to dispute application
2. Impact on trademark rights
   1. Implementation recommendation team (TM, domain name experts)
   2. Trademark clearinghouse and the Special Trademark Issues review team
   3. Uniform Rapid Suspension System
3. Mitigation of potential malicious conduct
4. Registration and enforcement strategies
   1. Selective application
   2. Understanding open application period
   3. Monitoring published list of applicants
   4. Objections and procedures to register them

Benefits

The panel will review these and other key questions:

• What are the key considerations for companies and counsel when deciding whether to register a new domain name?
• What steps can companies and counsel take to mitigate potentially infringing or even malicious domain registrations?
• What strategies must companies and counsel employ to protect and enforce their marks?

Webinar/Teleconference

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CLE Credit

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