Maryland roofing firm attempts reverse domain name hijacking

Following unsuccessfully trying to buy a domain name for a decade, firm files UDRP.

A Maryland roofing firm has been found to have engaged in reverse domain name hijacking over the domain name RoofPro.com.

RoofPro, LLC uses the domain name MarylandRoofers.com, which is a nice domain in at of itself. But the firm wanted the domain that matches its business name, RoofPro.com.

The problem for the roofing firm was that RoofPro.com was registered ahead of it existed. So, starting in 2005, the firm attempted to buy the domain name from its owner. Those attempts were not fruitful and it sent a demand letter in 2016.

Finally, in April this year, it decided to try its hand at the UDRP to get the domain name.

The World Intellectual Property Organization panel was not amused. It found RoofPro to have filed the case in abuse of the policy, aka attempting reverse domain name hijacking. The panel called the complainant’s reliance on its own unsuccessful attempts to buy or lease the domain in its arguments to the panel “wrong-headed”.

Taft, Stettinius & Hollister, LLP represented RoofPro, LLC. ESQwire.com represented the domain name owner.