Case Number: D2021-2428
Complainant: Antonelli Law, Ltd.
Represented by: Weaver Robinson Law Firm, PLLC
In an ironic twist, a Chicago law firm, specializing in defending those accused of trademark and copyright infringement, has been found guilty of Reverse Domain Name Hijacking for attempting to use the UDRP process to steal the domain torrentdefenders.com from another law firm, which also defends people accused of copyright infringement. Both firms also represent clients who are accused of violating copyright using torrent-based file-sharing services. In the end, a three member-panel of the World Intellectual Property Organization found the Chicago firm, Antonelli Law, Ltd., guilty of Reverse Domain Name Hijacking.
Antonelli Law had argued its trademark for the mark “torrent defenders” gave it rights to the domain that did not accrue for the respondent, the Law Offices of Stephen C. Vondran, P.C., which has offices throughout the United States. However, the panel observed the complainant’s trademark rights did not exist at the time the domain was registered. The panel also found the UDRP was filed with little to no evidence to support the allegations made by the complainant.
The RDNH ruling was handed up on October 4, 2021.
Source: https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/text.jsp?case=D2021-2428