Domain Name Protection

Our Domain Name Protection Services

Domain Name Registration Advice

Getting the right domains registered at the outset is the most cost-effective form of protection. We advise businesses on which domain extensions to secure, how registration sits alongside trademark protection, and how to structure domain ownership across a group or franchise network.

• Advice on .uk, .com, and other extension strategies
• Domain registration as part of a wider IP protection plan
• Ownership structuring for groups and franchise networks
• Checking for conflicting trademarks before registration

Cybersquatting and Bad Faith Registrations

Cybersquatting occurs when a third party registers a domain identical or confusingly similar to your brand name, often to sell it at an inflated price or divert your customers. We act quickly to identify bad faith registrations and pursue recovery through formal dispute procedures. Speed matters: the longer a cybersquatter holds a domain, the more harm it can cause to your business.

• Assessment of bad faith and abusive registration
• Correspondence and pre-action negotiation
• Nominet DRS complaints for .uk domains
• UDRP complaints for .com and other gTLDs

UDRP and Nominet Dispute Resolution

The Uniform Domain-Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) and the Nominet Dispute Resolution Service (DRS) provide faster, lower-cost alternatives to court proceedings for recovering domain names. We prepare and file complaints on behalf of business owners, handling the procedural requirements and building the evidential case needed to succeed. Our IP disputes team can also advise on whether court proceedings would be more appropriate in your particular situation.

• UDRP complaint drafting and filing via WIPO or other accredited providers
• Nominet DRS complaints and expert submissions
• Responding to complaints if a domain you hold is challenged
• Strategy advice on the most cost-effective route to resolution

Domain Name Litigation

Where dispute resolution procedures are unlikely to succeed, or where a case involves trademark infringement, passing off, or significant commercial losses, court proceedings may be necessary. We advise on claims in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC) and the High Court, including applications for injunctive relief in urgent cases. Our broader intellectual property practice means we can deal with the full picture, not just the domain in isolation.

• Trademark infringement claims tied to domain name misuse
• Passing off claims for unregistered brand names
• Injunctions to prevent ongoing harm
• Damages and account of profits claims

Domain Name Acquisitions and Transfers

Sometimes the most practical solution is to acquire a domain commercially rather than through dispute proceedings. We advise businesses on negotiating domain name purchases, structuring transfer agreements, and carrying out due diligence on domain assets as part of a business acquisition. If you are buying or selling a business, domain name ownership is part of the IP due diligence process and should not be overlooked.

• Negotiating domain name purchase agreements
• Domain asset review in M&A and business sale transactions
• Transfer documentation and registry processes
• Escrow and secure transfer arrangements

Domain Portfolio Management for Growing Businesses

As your business grows, so does the risk that competitors or opportunists will register variations of your name. We help SMEs and owner-managed businesses build and manage a domain portfolio that keeps pace with their brand development. This is particularly relevant for businesses operating across multiple trading names, expanding into new markets, or running franchise operations where consistent online identity matters.

• Ongoing monitoring of new domain registrations that may conflict with your brand
• Advice on defensive registrations across key extensions
• Portfolio review as part of a wider brand protection strategy
• Domain strategy for businesses entering new markets or territories