RDNH Case D2020-1567

In the WIPO domain name dispute case D2020-1567, Universa Investments L.P. (the Complainant) from the United States, represented by Shartsis Friese LLP, brought a complaint against Alexander Borodich, Universa Corporation Ltd., and WHOIStrustee.com Limited, the registrants of the domain names universablockchain.com and universa.com. The case was decided on June 15, 2020.

The Complainant, an investment management firm, claimed rights over the “UNIVERSA” trademark, registered in the United States in April 2019, with a claim of first use in 2007. They argued that the disputed domain names were identical or confusingly similar to their trademark, and that the Respondent had no rights or legitimate interests in them and registered them in bad faith.

Alexander Borodich, operating a business called Universa Blockchain, argued that the domain names had been registered for legitimate purposes related to blockchain services, long before the Complainant’s trademark registration. The domain universa.com was registered in 2001, and universablockchain.com in 2017.

The WIPO panel, led by John Swinson, concluded that the Complainant did not successfully demonstrate that the Respondent lacked rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain names. Since the domain names were registered before the Complainant’s trademark rights were established, the panel found no bad faith in their registration. As a result, the complaint was denied.

In the WIPO domain name dispute case D2020-1567, Universa Investments L.P. (the Complainant) from the United States, represented by Shartsis Friese LLP, brought a complaint against Alexander Borodich, Universa Corporation Ltd., and WHOIStrustee.com Limited, the registrants of the domain names universablockchain.com and universa.com. The case was decided on June 15, 2020. The Complainant, an investment…