Keller Williams Realty, Inc. and Rellek Publishing Partners, LLC v. Globadigm Group
Claim Number: FA1108001401105
Complainant is Keller Williams Realty, Inc. and Rellek Publishing Partners, LLC (“Complainant”), represented by Julie Lane, Texas, USA. Respondent is Globadigm Group (“Respondent”), represented by John Cornacchia, Canada.
REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAME
The domain names at issue are <kellerwilliamsalgeria.com>, <kellerwilliamsargentina.com>, <kellerwilliamsaustralia.com>, <kellerwilliamsaustria.com>, <kellerwilliamsbahamas.com>, <kellerwilliamsbahrain.com>, <kellerwilliamsbangladesh.com>, <kellerwilliamsbarbados.com>, <kellerwilliamsbelarus.com>, <kellerwilliamsbelgium.com>, <kellerwilliamsbelize.com>, <kellerwilliamsbolivia.com>, <kellerwilliamsbotswana.com>, <kellerwilliamsbrazil.com>, <kellerwilliamsbulgaria.com>, <kellerwilliamscambodia.com>, <kellerwilliamschile.com>, <kellerwilliamscostarica.com>, <kellerwilliamscyprus.com>, <kellerwilliamsczechrepublic.com>, <kellerwilliamsdenmark.com>, <kellerwilliamsdominicanrepublic.com>, <kellerwilliamsecuador.com>, <kellerwilliamsegypt.com>, <kellerwilliamselsalvador.com>, <kellerwilliamsfiji.com>, <kellerwilliamsfinland.com>, <kellerwilliamsfrance.com>, <kellerwilliamsgermany.com>, <kellerwilliamsguatemala.com>, <kellerwilliamsguyana.com>, <kellerwilliamshaiti.com>, <kellerwilliamshonduras.com>, <kellerwilliamshungary.com>, <kellerwilliamsindonesia.com>, <kellerwilliamsireland.com>, <kellerwilliamsisrael.com>, <kellerwilliamsitaly.com>, <kellerwilliamskazakhstan.com>, <kellerwilliamskenya.com>, <kellerwilliamskorea.com>, <kellerwilliamslatvia.com>, <kellerwilliamsluxembourg.com>, <kellerwilliamsmacedonia.com>, <kellerwilliamsmalaysia.com>, <kellerwilliamsmalta.com>, <kellerwilliamsmexico.com>, <kellerwilliamsmonaco.com>, <kellerwilliamsmongolia.com>, <kellerwilliamsmontenegro.com>, <kellerwilliamsmorocco.com>, <kellerwilliamsnepal.com>, <kellerwilliamsnetherlands.com>, <kellerwilliamsnicaragua.com>, <kellerwilliamsnorway.com>, <kellerwilliamspanama.com>, <kellerwilliamsparaguay.com>, <kellerwilliamsphilippines.com>, <kellerwilliamspoland.com>, <kellerwilliamsportugal.com>, <kellerwilliamsqatar.com>, <kellerwilliamsromania.com>, <kellerwilliamsrussia.com>, <kellerwilliamsserbia.com>, <kellerwilliamssingapore.com>, <kellerwilliamsslovakia.com>, <kellerwilliamsslovenia.com>, <kellerwilliamssouthafrica.com>, <kellerwilliamsspain.com>, <kellerwilliamssrilanka.com>, <kellerwilliamssweden.com>, <kellerwilliamsswitzerland.com>, <kellerwilliamstaiwan.com>, <kellerwilliamstanzania.com>, <kellerwilliamsuganda.com>, <kellerwilliamsukraine.com>, <kellerwilliamsunitedarabemirates.com>, <kellerwilliamsunitedkingdom.com>, <kellerwilliamsuruguay.com>, <kellerwilliamsvenezuela.com>, <kellerwilliamsvietnam.com>, <kellerwilliamszimbabwe.com>, <kwalgeria.com>, <kwargentina.com>, <kwaustralia.com>, <kwaustria.com>, <kwbahamas.com>, <kwbahrain.com>, <kwbangladesh.com>, <kwbarbados.com>, <kwbelarus.com>, <kwbelgium.com>, <kwbelize.com>, <kwbolivia.com>, <kwbotswana.com>, <kwbrazil.com>, <kwbulgaria.com>, <kwcambodia.com>, <kwchile.com>, <kwcostarica.com>, <kwcyprus.com>, <kwczechrepublic.com>, <kwdenmark.com>, <kwdominicanrepublic.com>, <kwecuador.com>, <kwegypt.com>, <kwelsalvador.com>, <kwfiji.com>, <kwfinland.com>, <kwfrance.com>, <kwgermany.com>, <kwguatemala.com>, <kwguyana.com>, <kwhaiti.com>, <kwhonduras.com>, <kwhungary.com>, <kwindonesia.com>, <kwireland.com>, <kwisrael.com>, <kwitaly.com>, <kwkazakhstan.com>, <kwkenya.com>, <kwkorea.com>, <kwlatvia.com>, <kwluxembourg.com>, <kwmacedonia.com>, <kwmalaysia.com>, <kwmalta.com>, <kwmexico.com>, <kwmonaco.com>, <kwmongolia.com>, <kwmontenegro.com>, <kwmorocco.com>, <kwnepal.com>, <kwnetherlands.com>, <kwnicaragua.com>, <kwnorway.com>, <kwpanama.com>, <kwparaguay.com>, <kwphilippines.com>, <kwpoland.com>, <kwportugal.com>, <kwqatar.com>, <kwromania.com>, <kwrussia.com>, <kwserbia.com>, <kwsingapore.com>, <kwslovakia.com>, <kwslovenia.com>, <kwsouthafrica.com>, <kwspain.com>, <kwsrilanka.com>, <kwsweden.com>, <kwswitzerland.com>, <kwtaiwan.com>, <kwtanzania.com>, <kwuganda.com>, <kwukraine.com>, <kwunitedarabemirates.com>, <kwunitedkingdom.com>, <kwuruguay.com>, <kwvenezuela.com>, <kwvietnam.com>, and <kwzimbabwe.com>, registered with GoDaddy.com, Inc.
The undersigned certifies that he or she has acted independently and impartially and to the best of his or her knowledge has no known conflict in serving as Panelist in this proceeding.
Daniel B. Banks, Jr., as Panelist.
Complainant submitted a Complaint to the National Arbitration Forum electronically on July 29, 2011; the National Arbitration Forum received payment on August 9, 2011.
On August 2, 2011, GoDaddy.com, Inc. confirmed by e-mail to the National Arbitration Forum that the <kellerwilliamsalgeria.com>, <kellerwilliamsargentina.com>, <kellerwilliamsaustralia.com>, <kellerwilliamsaustria.com>, <kellerwilliamsbahamas.com>, <kellerwilliamsbahrain.com>, <kellerwilliamsbangladesh.com>, <kellerwilliamsbarbados.com>, <kellerwilliamsbelarus.com>, <kellerwilliamsbelgium.com>, <kellerwilliamsbelize.com>, <kellerwilliamsbolivia.com>, <kellerwilliamsbotswana.com>, <kellerwilliamsbrazil.com>, <kellerwilliamsbulgaria.com>, <kellerwilliamscambodia.com>, <kellerwilliamschile.com>, <kellerwilliamscostarica.com>, <kellerwilliamscyprus.com>, <kellerwilliamsczechrepublic.com>, <kellerwilliamsdenmark.com>, <kellerwilliamsdominicanrepublic.com>, <kellerwilliamsecuador.com>, <kellerwilliamsegypt.com>, <kellerwilliamselsalvador.com>, <kellerwilliamsfiji.com>, <kellerwilliamsfinland.com>, <kellerwilliamsfrance.com>, <kellerwilliamsgermany.com>, <kellerwilliamsguatemala.com>, <kellerwilliamsguyana.com>, <kellerwilliamshaiti.com>, <kellerwilliamshonduras.com>, <kellerwilliamshungary.com>, <kellerwilliamsindonesia.com>, <kellerwilliamsireland.com>, <kellerwilliamsisrael.com>, <kellerwilliamsitaly.com>, <kellerwilliamskazakhstan.com>, <kellerwilliamskenya.com>, <kellerwilliamskorea.com>, <kellerwilliamslatvia.com>, <kellerwilliamsluxembourg.com>, <kellerwilliamsmacedonia.com>, <kellerwilliamsmalaysia.com>, <kellerwilliamsmalta.com>, <kellerwilliamsmexico.com>, <kellerwilliamsmonaco.com>, <kellerwilliamsmongolia.com>, <kellerwilliamsmontenegro.com>, <kellerwilliamsmorocco.com>, <kellerwilliamsnepal.com>, <kellerwilliamsnetherlands.com>, <kellerwilliamsnicaragua.com>, <kellerwilliamsnorway.com>, <kellerwilliamspanama.com>, <kellerwilliamsparaguay.com>, <kellerwilliamsphilippines.com>, <kellerwilliamspoland.com>, <kellerwilliamsportugal.com>, <kellerwilliamsqatar.com>, <kellerwilliamsromania.com>, <kellerwilliamsrussia.com>, <kellerwilliamsserbia.com>, <kellerwilliamssingapore.com>, <kellerwilliamsslovakia.com>, <kellerwilliamsslovenia.com>, <kellerwilliamssouthafrica.com>, <kellerwilliamsspain.com>, <kellerwilliamssrilanka.com>, <kellerwilliamssweden.com>, <kellerwilliamsswitzerland.com>, <kellerwilliamstaiwan.com>, <kellerwilliamstanzania.com>, <kellerwilliamsuganda.com>, <kellerwilliamsukraine.com>, <kellerwilliamsunitedarabemirates.com>, <kellerwilliamsunitedkingdom.com>, <kellerwilliamsuruguay.com>, <kellerwilliamsvenezuela.com>, <kellerwilliamsvietnam.com>, <kellerwilliamszimbabwe.com>, <kwalgeria.com>, <kwargentina.com>, <kwaustralia.com>, <kwaustria.com>, <kwbahamas.com>, <kwbahrain.com>, <kwbangladesh.com>, <kwbarbados.com>, <kwbelarus.com>, <kwbelgium.com>, <kwbelize.com>, <kwbolivia.com>, <kwbotswana.com>, <kwbrazil.com>, <kwbulgaria.com>, <kwcambodia.com>, <kwchile.com>, <kwcostarica.com>, <kwcyprus.com>, <kwczechrepublic.com>, <kwdenmark.com>, <kwdominicanrepublic.com>, <kwecuador.com>, <kwegypt.com>, <kwelsalvador.com>, <kwfiji.com>, <kwfinland.com>, <kwfrance.com>, <kwgermany.com>, <kwguatemala.com>, <kwguyana.com>, <kwhaiti.com>, <kwhonduras.com>, <kwhungary.com>, <kwindonesia.com>, <kwireland.com>, <kwisrael.com>, <kwitaly.com>, <kwkazakhstan.com>, <kwkenya.com>, <kwkorea.com>, <kwlatvia.com>, <kwluxembourg.com>, <kwmacedonia.com>, <kwmalaysia.com>, <kwmalta.com>, <kwmexico.com>, <kwmonaco.com>, <kwmongolia.com>, <kwmontenegro.com>, <kwmorocco.com>, <kwnepal.com>, <kwnetherlands.com>, <kwnicaragua.com>, <kwnorway.com>, <kwpanama.com>, <kwparaguay.com>, <kwphilippines.com>, <kwpoland.com>, <kwportugal.com>, <kwqatar.com>, <kwromania.com>, <kwrussia.com>, <kwserbia.com>, <kwsingapore.com>, <kwslovakia.com>, <kwslovenia.com>, <kwsouthafrica.com>, <kwspain.com>, <kwsrilanka.com>, <kwsweden.com>, <kwswitzerland.com>, <kwtaiwan.com>, <kwtanzania.com>, <kwuganda.com>, <kwukraine.com>, <kwunitedarabemirates.com>, <kwunitedkingdom.com>, <kwuruguay.com>, <kwvenezuela.com>, <kwvietnam.com>, and <kwzimbabwe.com> domain names are registered with GoDaddy.com, Inc. and that Respondent is the current registrant of the names. GoDaddy.com, Inc. has verified that Respondent is bound by the GoDaddy.com, Inc. registration agreement and has thereby agreed to resolve domain disputes brought by third parties in accordance with ICANN’s Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Policy”).
On August 10, 2011, the Forum served the Complaint and all Annexes, including a Written Notice of the Complaint, setting a deadline of August 30, 2011 by which Respondent could file a Response to the Complaint, via e-mail to all entities and persons listed on Respondent’s registration as technical, administrative, and billing contacts, and to postmaster@kellerwilliamsalgeria.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsargentina.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsaustralia.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsaustria.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsbahamas.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsbahrain.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsbangladesh.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsbarbados.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsbelarus.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsbelgium.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsbelize.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsbolivia.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsbotswana.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsbrazil.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsbulgaria.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamscambodia.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamschile.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamscostarica.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamscyprus.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsczechrepublic.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsdenmark.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsdominicanrepublic.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsecuador.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsegypt.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamselsalvador.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsfiji.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsfinland.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsfrance.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsgermany.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsguatemala.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsguyana.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamshaiti.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamshonduras.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamshungary.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsindonesia.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsireland.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsisrael.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsitaly.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamskazakhstan.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamskenya.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamskorea.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamslatvia.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsluxembourg.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsmacedonia.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsmalaysia.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsmalta.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsmexico.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsmonaco.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsmongolia.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsmontenegro.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsmorocco.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsnepal.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsnetherlands.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsnicaragua.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsnorway.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamspanama.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsparaguay.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsphilippines.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamspoland.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsportugal.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsqatar.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsromania.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsrussia.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsserbia.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamssingapore.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsslovakia.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsslovenia.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamssouthafrica.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsspain.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamssrilanka.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamssweden.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsswitzerland.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamstaiwan.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamstanzania.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsuganda.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsukraine.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsunitedarabemirates.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsunitedkingdom.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsuruguay.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsvenezuela.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamsvietnam.com, postmaster@kellerwilliamszimbabwe.com, postmaster@kwalgeria.com, postmaster@kwargentina.com, postmaster@kwaustralia.com, postmaster@kwaustria.com, postmaster@kwbahamas.com, postmaster@kwbahrain.com, postmaster@kwbangladesh.com, postmaster@kwbarbados.com, postmaster@kwbelarus.com, postmaster@kwbelgium.com, postmaster@kwbelize.com, postmaster@kwbolivia.com, postmaster@kwbotswana.com, postmaster@kwbrazil.com, postmaster@kwbulgaria.com, postmaster@kwcambodia.com, postmaster@kwchile.com, postmaster@kwcostarica.com, postmaster@kwcyprus.com, postmaster@kwczechrepublic.com, postmaster@kwdenmark.com, postmaster@kwdominicanrepublic.com, postmaster@kwecuador.com, postmaster@kwegypt.com, postmaster@kwelsalvador.com, postmaster@kwfiji.com, postmaster@kwfinland.com, postmaster@kwfrance.com, postmaster@kwgermany.com, postmaster@kwguatemala.com, postmaster@kwguyana.com, postmaster@kwhaiti.com, postmaster@kwhonduras.com, postmaster@kwhungary.com, postmaster@kwindonesia.com, postmaster@kwireland.com, postmaster@kwisrael.com, postmaster@kwitaly.com, postmaster@kwkazakhstan.com, postmaster@kwkenya.com, postmaster@kwkorea.com, postmaster@kwlatvia.com, postmaster@kwluxembourg.com, postmaster@kwmacedonia.com, postmaster@kwmalaysia.com, postmaster@kwmalta.com, postmaster@kwmexico.com, postmaster@kwmonaco.com, postmaster@kwmongolia.com, postmaster@kwmontenegro.com, postmaster@kwmorocco.com, postmaster@kwnepal.com, postmaster@kwnetherlands.com, postmaster@kwnicaragua.com, postmaster@kwnorway.com, postmaster@kwpanama.com, postmaster@kwparaguay.com, postmaster@kwphilippines.com, postmaster@kwpoland.com, postmaster@kwportugal.com, postmaster@kwqatar.com, postmaster@kwromania.com, postmaster@kwrussia.com, postmaster@kwserbia.com, postmaster@kwsingapore.com, postmaster@kwslovakia.com, postmaster@kwslovenia.com, postmaster@kwsouthafrica.com, postmaster@kwspain.com, postmaster@kwsrilanka.com, postmaster@kwsweden.com, postmaster@kwswitzerland.com, postmaster@kwtaiwan.com, postmaster@kwtanzania.com, postmaster@kwuganda.com, postmaster@kwukraine.com, postmaster@kwunitedarabemirates.com, postmaster@kwunitedkingdom.com, postmaster@kwuruguay.com, postmaster@kwvenezuela.com, postmaster@kwvietnam.com, and postmaster@kwzimbabwe.com. Also on August 10, 2011, the Written Notice of the Complaint, notifying Respondent of the email addresses served and the deadline for a Response, was transmitted to Respondent via post and fax, to all entities and persons listed on Respondent’s registration as technical, administrative and billing contacts.
A timely Response was received and determined to be complete on August 31, 2011.
Complainant filed a timely Additional Submission on September 2, 2011 which was considered by the Panel. Respondent filed a timely Additional Submission on September 7, 2011 which was considered by the Panel.
On September 8, 2011, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, the National Arbitration Forum appointed Daniel B. Banks, Jr., as Panelist.
Complainant requests that the domain names be transferred from Respondent to Complainant.
A. Complainant
Complainant Keller Williams Realty, Inc. (“Keller Williams Realty”) and its predecessor-in-interest has been in the business of real estate franchising for over twenty (20) years. Keller Williams Realty has maintained federally registered trademarks “KW” and “Keller William” since 1998 and 2000, respectively, and registered its KW Keller Williams logo in 2002. Keller Williams Realty has owned and operated its website at <kw.com> since approximately 1996. Keller Williams Realty has grown exponentially in the past twenty (20) years, and is now the second largest real estate franchise company in North America based on the number of real estate associates.
Complainant Rellek Publishing Partners, LLC (“Rellek”) is an affiliate of Keller Williams Realty that was created by Keller Williams Realty‘s Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board, Gary Keller. Rellek joins in this Complaint in an effort to protect its federally registered trademarks and copyrighted materials that are prominently displayed on Globadigm‘s websites without Rellek‘s permission.
Keller Williams Realty’s registration of the KW and Keller Williams marks, and Rellek‘s registration of the Millionaire Real Estate Agent marks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office gives Keller Williams Realty incontestability under 15 U.S.C. §1065. These registrations provide prima facie proof of Keller Williams Realty‘s rights to the marks.
In 2010, after learning that Keller Williams Realty planned to expand its franchising internationally, Globadigm purchased at least eighty-two (82) domain names with Keller Williams Realty‘s well-known and established “KW” trademark and at least an additional eighty-two (82) domain names using Keller Williams Realty’s “Keller Williams” trademark.
The domain names in dispute are identical or confusingly similar to a trademark in which Keller Williams Realty has rights.
Globadigm should be considered as having no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain names that are the subject of the complaint.
The domain names should be considered as having been registered and being used in bad faith.
B. Respondent
Respondent ‘Globadigm Group’ is a global real estate developer federally registered in Canada and the Republic of Panama, operating under several entities and partnerships, with offices in Canada and the Republic of Panama.
Respondent, through representatives Edward Okopny and John Cornacchia, was first introduced to Complainant Keller Williams Realty, through representatives Janice Glover and Ernest Furtado, on or about October 23, 2008. Following numerous meetings and discussions between the parties regarding the marketing of Respondent’s ecological community development, Paraiso Del Rio Grande, in the Republic of Panama, it was agreed that Janice Glover and Ernest Furtado, accompanied by Edward Okopny and John Cornacchia, would visit the development site to better understand Respondent’s development and the country of Panama. Following the development site visit, it was agreed between the parties that Keller Williams Realty would exclusively market and sell Respondent’s ecological community development, Paraiso Del Rio Grande, with
commission being paid based on a structure agreeable to Keller Williams Realty and Globadigm Group. It was also understood and agreed by the parties that global representation was required for the successful marketing of Paraiso Del Rio Grande.
Ernest Furtado indicated that Keller Williams Realty was licensed to carry-on the business of marketing and selling real estate in United States and Canada only, with no plans of expanding outside of the two countries. Through further discussions with Ernest Furtado, it was agreed that global sales would be accommodated through a network of country specific sites that would direct all of the traffic to the <kw.com> site, which is the primary business site for Keller Williams Realty. This network of country specific sites would educate visitors
about Keller Williams Realty, the local real estate market of each specific country, the international real estate market, and eventually the Paraiso Del Rio Grande project.
Following numerous discussions regarding the primary purpose of the network of country specific sites, which was to facilitate global real estate sales for the Paraiso Del Rio Grande project through Keller Williams Realty, it was determined by Ernest Furtado and John Cornacchia to acquire domains names containing the marketing company name in each of the countries of interest. This kw+country and kellerwilliams+county format would enable superior search results and Keller Williams Realty brand awareness in the global marketplace. Ernest Furtado indicated that he would discuss the strategy with his
counterparts to obtain direction and approval. Ernest Furtado restated that Keller Williams Realty had no plans to expand in the near future and that any efforts to develop a global network would be Globadigm’s responsibility. The business relationship continued between the Complainant and Respondent, with weekly sales strategy and product marketing meetings being conducted. At all times, Respondent believed Ernest Furtado to be a lawful senior representative of Keller Williams Realty and that Ernest Furtado was authorized to conduct the negotiations at hand. Ernest Furtado clearly indicated a direct connection to top level executives of Keller Williams Realty on many occasions.
At no time during Respondent’s contact with Keller Williams Realty did any person representing Keller Williams Realty express concern or discontent with
Respondent’s strategy or the acquisition of the domain names in dispute. In fact, Respondent was encouraged and commended for our efforts and vision by Keller Williams Realty representatives. It was not until July 29, 2011, when Respondent received an email from Danica Shelton of Keller Williams Realty, that Respondent first learned of any concerns regarding the acquisition of the domain names in dispute. Upon learning of such concern, regardless of the merit or validity, Respondent immediately suspended all domain name hosting accounts related to efforts regarding Keller Williams Realty and blocked the associated websites from being viewed. Respondent contacted Julie Lane of Keller Williams
Realty, with a clear intent of resolving the matter amicably and fairly.
Respondent received a response from Complainant indicating receptiveness to such an agreement on August 10, 2011. Later that same day, Respondent received notice of this formal Complaint from the National Arbitration Forum.
C. Additional Submissions
Complainant and Respondent:
Both Complainant and Respondent have filed Additional Submissions which dispute the assertions made by each in the initial filings. Complainant alleges that the individuals Respondent was dealing with regarding global marketing efforts were not authorized to act on behalf of Keller Williams. Complainant asserts that each individual was an independent franchisee of Keller Williams and could not speak for the company.
Respondent disputes Complainant's assertions and states that at all times, it was dealing in good faith and above board regarding global marketing efforts. It also asserts that all of its actions in registering the disputed domain names was known and approved by Complainant's authorized representatives.
Respondent contends throughout its Response that it was operating under the assumption that it had a business partnership with Complainant. Respondent submits e-mail evidence to show its communications with Ernest Furtado, who’s signature block in the e-mails states that he is the Commercial Director for Keller William’s commercial division. Respondent alleges that it has worked in conjunction with Complainant on a project in Panama to market its commercial development there, as well as other locations internationally. Respondent states that its relationship with Complainant exceeds two years in the making, and that it had authorization to register the domain names at issue through this relationship.
Complainant has asserted that it has no knowledge of such a business relationship, and that Respondent was merely working with one employee in its endeavors, and not with the Keller Williams company as a whole. Complainant states in its Complaint, “Globadigm purchased the domain names in an effort to gain leverage in negotiations with a Keller Williams Realty’s franchisee. When one of Keller Williams Realty’s franchisees failed to enter into a business venture in Panama with Globadigm, Globadigm purchased the websites.”
In this instance, the Panel finds that this is a business and/or contractual dispute between two companies that falls outside the scope of the UDRP. In Love v. Barnett, FA 944826 (Nat. Arb. Forum May 14, 2007), the panel stated:
A dispute, such as the present one, between parties who each have at least a prima facie case for rights in the disputed domain names is outside the scope of the Policy … the present case appears to hinge mostly on a business or civil dispute between the parties, with possible causes of action for breach of contract or fiduciary duty. Thus, the majority holds that the subject matter is outside the scope of the UDRP and dismisses the Complaint.
In Love, the panel was concerned with possible causes of action for breach of contract. In this case, however, Respondent points out that these causes of action are currently active cases that are pending with the courts. According to the panel in Love, complex cases such as the one presented here may be better decided by the courts than by a UDRP panel:
When the parties differ markedly with respect to the basic facts, and there is no clear and conclusive written evidence, it is difficult for a Panel operating under the Rules to determine which presentation of the facts is more credible. National courts are better equipped to take evidence and to evaluate its credibility.
The panel in Luvilon Industries NV v. Top Serve Tennis Pty Ltd., DAU2005-0004 (WIPO Sept. 6, 2005) concurred with this reasoning:
[The Policy’s purpose is to] combat abusive domain name registrations and not to provide a prescriptive code for resolving more complex trade mark disputes .… The issues between the parties are not limited to the law of trade marks. There are other intellectual property issues. There are serious contractual issues. There are questions of governing law and proper forum if the matter were litigated. Were all the issues fully ventilated before a Court of competent jurisdiction, there may be findings of implied contractual terms, minimum termination period, breach of contract, estoppels or other equitable defenses. So far as the facts fit within trade mark law, there may be arguments of infringement, validity of the registrations, ownership of goodwill, local reputation, consent, acquiescence, and so on.
Based upon the reasoning outlined in the aforementioned cases and the record, the Panel concludes that the instant dispute contains a question of contractual interpretation, and thus falls outside the scope of the UDRP. See Everingham Bros. Bait Co. v. Contigo Visual, FA 440219 (Nat. Arb. Forum Apr. 27, 2005) (“The Panel finds that this matter is outside the scope of the Policy because it involves a business dispute between two parties. The UDRP was implemented to address abusive cybersquatting, not contractual or legitimate business disputes.”); see also Fuze Beverage, LLC v. CGEYE, Inc., FA 844252 (Nat. Arb. Forum Jan. 8, 2007) (“The Complaint before us describes what appears to be a common-form claim of breach of contract or breach of fiduciary duty. It is not the kind of controversy, grounded exclusively in abusive cyber-squatting, that the Policy was designed to address.”); see also Frazier Winery LLC v. Hernandez, FA 841081 (Nat. Arb. Forum Dec. 27, 2006) (holding that disputes arising out of a business relationship between the complainant and respondent regarding control over the domain name registration are outside the scope of the UDRP Policy).
Based on the foregoing findings and discussion, it is the decision of this Panel that the complaint is hereby DISMISSED.
Daniel B. Banks, Jr., Panelist
Dated: September 20, 2011
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