Domain names identify an enterprise on the Internet.
Domain names registration is rather easy. Therefore, many companies and people carry out this procedure by themselves without looking for professional counsel.
Nonetheless, it is highly advisable to conduct a trademarks search before applying for a domain name, for domain names registrars rarely check whether the domain name filed infringes any previous trademark right. Bear in mind that if your company registers a domain name that is in conflict with a TM belonging to a third party, you could lose your rights on the domain name if the TM owner files a complaint.
As the Internet is undoubtedly an essential tool to market and advertise the products offered by a company, domain names have acquired a further significance as business identifiers and, as such, have come into conflict with the business identifiers that existed before the arrival of the Internet (in other words, with trademarks and trade names).
Many disputes in this field are derived from the registration as domain name of the trademark owned by other enterprise. This is known as "cybersquatting" and means a double damage for the TM owner, since the cyber squatter shall take advantage of the effort made to introduce that TM in the market and thus attract clients to their web site, or they can try to sell the domain name to the owner of the TM to a higher price than the cost of registration.
In these circumstances, MAPA clients can benefit of a watch service of their domain names similar to the watch service offered in connection with trademarks. We also deal with the recovery of domain names and the registration of TM in the TMCH.
