Case Studies

Tannenbaum Helpern intellectual property partner Donald Prutzman was tapped by the International Center for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) and ICANN (the international organization responsible for overseeing the assignment and management of Internet domain names) to serve as one of three arbitrators to resolve conflicting decisions in proceedings, known as “String Confusion Objections,” objecting to the introduction of proposed new gTLD.com on the ground that it so nearly resembles the long-standing gTLD.com that it would be likely to deceive or cause confusion. ICDR and ICANN promulgated a set of sui generis final review procedures specifically for this matter. After a thorough review of the record in in both underlying String Confusion Objections, the Panel decided that the proprietor of .com’s objections to the new .com gTLD should be overruled. The decision is public and available online at https://newgtlds.icann.org/sites/default/files/drsp/02sep15/determination-2-1-1255-75865-en.pdf