Domain Names and Websites

Domain names and websites play a special role in identifying businesses online. Domain names are, in fact, cyber trademarks and websites’ content is the ‘face’ of a company’s commercial activities. Russian and foreign companies that sell their products and services online are invariably interested in obtaining unique domain names in the Russian domains, as well as in the correct registration/delivery of content for their websites. However, these companies are often the victims of IP infringement on the Internet, which may result in substantial damage to their business reputation, affect their product/service sales and mislead consumers.

We help rights-holding companies to protect their IP rights against third-party infringers, including cybersquatters. In particular, we provide efficient methods for monitoring, detecting and precluding from distribution, blocking and deleting illegal online content through the inclusion of relevant domain names, website indicators and service addresses on the Unified Register of Prohibited Information, as well as the Register of Copyright Violators, the Domain Names Register, the index pages of websites and network addresses which enable the identification of websites containing calls to, for instance, extremist activities and civil disorder.

We also take all necessary legal measures to cease the distribution of counterfeits and the illegal use of intellectual property on the Internet. In addition, we proactively participate in domain disputes and assist our clients in their fight against unlawful use of domain names, including through the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy and Uniform Rapid Suspension System arbitration mechanisms.

In order to provide a more integrated protection of our clients' IP rights, we register domain names in all generic top-level domains (eg, .COM, .NET, .ORG) and in all geographic domains (eg, .RU, .SU, .рф, .UA, .BY). As an accredited partner of RU-CENTER (the domain name registrar for all geographic areas related to. RU and.рф), we register domain names swiftly and provide clients with direct access to the online RU-CENTER interface, which enables clients to manage their registered domain names directly. As an accredited agent, we help our clients to include trademarks in a centralized trademark database (Trademark Clearinghouse/TMCH) in connection with the launch of an Internet Corporation for Assisted Names and Numbers program for registering new top-level domains.

In addition, we provide services for the registration of websites as a type of mass media similarly to magazines and TV channels (a Russian specificity). These services include preparation and submission of the applications and appropriate documents, monitoring of the applications progress, as well as receiving/processing the certificate of registration.