WIPO Domain Name Decision D2018-0835 for cliffordchancelaw.com
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center ADMINISTRATIVE PANEL DECISION Clifford Chance LLP v. Jerome Morrin Case No. D2018-0835 1. The Parties
The Complainant is Clifford Chance, LLP of London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ("United Kingdom"), internally represented.
The Respondent is Jerome Morrin of Paris, France. 2. The Domain Name and Registrar
The disputed domain name is registered with OVH (the "Registrar"). 3. Procedural History
The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the "Center") on April 13, 2018. On April 13, 2018, the Center transmitted by email to the Registrar a request for registrar verification in connection with the disputed domain name. On April 19, 2018, the Registrar transmitted by email to the Center its verification response confirming that the Respondent is listed as the registrant and providing the contact details. On April 27, 2018, the Center notified the Parties in both English and French that the language of the Registration Agreement for the disputed domain name was French. On the same day, the Complainant requested for English to be the language of the proceeding, to which the Respondent did not reply.
The Center verified that the Complaint satisfied the formal requirements of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Policy" or "UDRP"), the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Rules"), and the WIPO Supplemental Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Supplemental Rules").
In accordance with the Rules, paragraphs 2 and 4, the Center formally notified the Respondent of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced on May 7, 2018. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5, the due date for Response was May 27, 2018. The Respondent did not submit any response. Accordingly, the Center notified the Respondent's default on May 29, 2018.
The Center appointed William A. Van Caenegem as the sole panelist in this matter on June 19, 2018. The Panel finds that it was properly constituted. The Panel has submitted the Statement of Acceptance and Declaration of Impartiality and Independence, as required by the Center to ensure compliance with the Rules, paragraph 7. 4. Factual Background
The Complainant is a major law firm resulting from the amalgamation of two pre-existing firms in 1987. The Complainant is a limited liability partnership governed by the laws of the United Kingdom.
The Complainant has registered and uses the trademark CLIFFORD CHANCE in respect of the provision of legal and advisory services in classes 41 and 42 in the UK (No 1578701, registered on August 18, 1995, and 1578702, registered on August 29, 1995), the EU (No 77420, registered on December 9, 1998) and the US (2775904, registered on October 21, 2003). The Complainant's website "" was registered in 1994.
The disputed domain name was registered on January 15, 2018,and resolves to a website with the text "Site en construction". 5. Parties' Contentions A. Complainant
The Complainant is the registered owner of the CLIFFORD CHANCE trademark in a number of jurisdictions, and has been operating under that name since 1987. The Complainant asserts that it has a strong reputation internationally for providing legal and advisory services. The Complainant maintains that the disputed domain name is identical to its CLIFFORD CHANCE trademark.
The Complainant was alerted by a third party of the fact that the disputed domain name was being used in phishing emails which purported to come from an officer of a third party and referring to a partner of the C