Unplugs electrician’s cybersquatting claim — UDRP panel

Firm went following descriptive and geographic domain name.

A highly charged UDRP dispute has resulted in a finding of reverse domain name hijacking.

The case involved two electrician firms in Fresh Orleans, Louisiana. The city is commonly referred to as NOLA.

Nola Electric and Maintenance Services LLC filed the dispute against Leiter Electric Services LLC over the domain NOLAElectric.com.

Leiter registered the domain in 2015.

While the Complainant stated it has been providing electrical services since 2015, Leiter noted that the firm operated under the name NOLA Maintenance Services LLC until 2016, following the date he registered the domain.

He also pointed out that the domain is geographic and descriptive in nature.

The Complainant didn’t apply for a trademark for Nola Electric until 2019.

Panelist Gerald Levine stated there were multiple deficiencies in Nola Electric and Maintenance Services’ filing. Even though Leiter didn’t request a finding of RDNH, Levine found the case warranted it. He wrote:

It is plain that the Complainant commenced this proceeding for the sole purpose of depriving the Respondent of a valuable asset of his business, and by doing so it violated the UDRP by implying that it had a superior right to nolaelectrical.com when it had no right at all.