Atlas Productions Lost WIPO’s Arbitration Case

Adaptation of novels and stories for movies is not a new concept. It has been in existence for decades. However, not all adaptations are free from disputes. In fact entertainment and media industry disputes are rising all over the world.

Such entertainment and media industry disputes are also increasing fast in India and other Asian countries. However, the disputes of entertainment and media industry in Asian countries, including India, are mostly settled in a court of law and not through alternative dispute resolution (ADR) or online dispute resolution (ODR) mechanisms.

Strangely, Asian countries are almost always “respondents” when it comes to fighting such disputes at international organisations like World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). This is contrary to the position in developed countries where persons or institutions approaching international institutions are petitioners or complainants. WIPO follows the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) of ICANN for resolving various domain name related disputes.

One such entertainment industry case that has recently come before WIPO was filed by Atlas Productions. The case involved the movie adaptation of Atlas Shrugged novel. Last year its production began and Atlas Shrugged: Part 1 was showed in select theaters earlier this spring.

Shortly after the opening, Atlas Productions, a New Jersey company, filed for UDRP arbitration against the owner of the domain name AtlasShruggedMovie.com, claiming that it had acquired the exclusive movie rights to Atlas Shrugged by assignment in 1992. Unfortunately, the company, represented by Loeb & Loeb, LLP, was unable to provide never a copy of that assignment to the WIPO Panelist who arbitrated the dispute. Moreover, it was unable to prove that the owner had registered the domain in bad faith; notably, the domain was registered more than five years before Atlas Productions began to promote the movie.

Ultimately, the WIPO Panelist denied the complaint. The Panelist also held that “Evidence, not allegations, is necessary. And nothing is more fundamental to a Policy proceeding – or more within a complainant’s control – than its right to enforce the trademark upon which it bases its case. If Complainant did acquire trademark rights by contract, documentary or other evidence of such rights was surely available to it. Absence of such evidence raises real doubt about Complainant’s entitlement to bring this proceeding.”

This is a good decision as evidence is the core of any complaint and if evidence itself is missing the complaint is frivolous and deserves to be set aside. Since entertainment and media industry disputes would further increase in the future, Perry4Law and Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB) suggests that media houses must have a clear cut policy in this regard.

Domain Names, Brands, Trademarks, Cybersquatting, ICANN And WIPO

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) would hold the Second Public Meeting of the year on 20th June 2011 at Singapore. ICANN administers the Internet’s Domain Name System. ICANN could vote to approve its proposed program to introduce an unlimited number of new Generic Top-Level Domain Names (GTLD ).

This proposal has far reaching consequences for Domain Name, Brands holders, Trademark owners and even for International Organisations like ICANN and World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). This decision would give a new meaning to Domain Names Protection, Brands Protection, Trademarks Protection, Cybersquatting Disputes Resolution, Cyber Law Compliances, Cyber Security requirements, Cyber Due Diligence, etc.

Domain Name Protection would now require additional resources and efforts as the number of Cybersquatting cases would increase drastically. Even WIPO had confirmed in the past that Cybersquatting cases have increased significantly. This would increase the demand for Domain Name and Cyber Squatting Dispute Resolution Services at National and International level.

It would now be more difficult for Companies to protect their Brands. With an increased numbers of GTLDs, Brand Owners would be required to register, monitor and enforce their Trademarks across the Globe. International Institutions and Organisations like ICANN, WIPO, etc would require “Additional Experts” to resolves these Disputes.

Further, the introduction of large numbers of new GTLDs will also bring additional complexities and costs, raise additional Cyber Security Challenges for Organisations seeking to secure their online presence, maintain the integrity of their brands, and enhance their consumers’ online experience. The growing cyber attacks upon International Companies and Organisations like Gmail, Citicorp, etc proves this point. This is the reason why ICANN and INTERPOL are exploring methods to enhance Internet Security.

Right now, it would cost $185,000 US to apply, and Individuals or Organisations will have to show a “Legitimate Claim” to the name they are buying. This would significantly increase the workload of ICANN as “Claims” have to be “Formally Adjudicated” before being approved by ICANN.

Meanwhile, Companies, Brand holders and Trademark holders must start strengthening their in house legal capabilities or hire services of good law firms to meet the possible challenges that the new GTLDs would unleash. Failure to do so will put at risk their Brands and Trademarks and put at risk the trust, goodwill, and secure relationships with their consumers that these businesses have worked so hard to achieve.

WIPO Mediation and Expedited Arbitration For Film and Media

The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has been providing world class Dispute Resolution Services for long. One such Service is known as WIPO Mediation and Expedited Arbitration for Film and Media.

To achieve this objective, the WIPO Mediation and Expedited Arbitration Rules for Film and Media have been specifically tailored to resolve disputes in the film and media sectors.

Developed by the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center in cooperation with industry experts, these Rules, as well as the special model contract clauses and submission agreements, are particularly appropriate for international film and media transactions where parties require an expedited dispute resolution process.

The present trend shows that Asian Film Companies had a lot to gain from the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) Mechanisms instead of approaching the traditional litigation methods through Courts.

However, what is surprising is that fact that Asian Companies are mostly Respondents and are on the receiving end. This may be due to two reasons. Firstly, a majority of Respondents may be defending themselves against the Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) violations cases. Secondly, Asian Companies may not be effectively using the ADR and ODR Dispute Resolution Services of International Organisations and Institutions.

A great deal of ADR and ODR Disputes are “Referred” by Law Firms and Practicing Legal Professionals. They incorporate suitable “ADR and ODR Clauses” in the Technology Agreements, Film and entertainment related Agreements, etc. If these Firms and Professionals do not incorporate proper Arbitration Clause, a Dispute can never reach to International Organisations and would land up in a Court of Law.

At Perry4Law we are very particular of these considerations and we Draft various Technology Related, Cross Border E-Commerce Disputes related, Cross Border Consumer Agreements related and many such more Agreement accordingly. Of course, this is done only after duly informing the Parties to the Agreement and respecting the “Party Autonomy” concept.

Further, while drafting and vetting Contractual Agreements involving Technology Transfers and Licensing, we specifically and consensually incorporate an ADR/ODR Clause mandating “Institutional Arbitration” through Institutions like WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center or UNCITRAL based Arbitration Institutions, etc.

However, WIPO’s Mediation and Expedited Arbitration for Film and Media initiative cannot succeed till it is a part of “Holistic Effort” comprising of Law Firms and Professionals spread all over the globe.

Dispute Resolution Of Cross Border Technology Transactions

By
Praveen Dalal

Dispute Resolution in Cross Border Technology Transactions is an area that has tremendous potential. There are diverse natures of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) related disputes that can be effective solved using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) or Online Dispute Resolution Mechanisms.

However, the crucial question is whether India is ready for Dispute Resolution of Cross Border Technology Transactions and E-Commerce Transactions? I am not talking about use of traditional Litigation Methods for the same. Of course, they are sufficient to resolve these Technology Related Disputes. What I am discussing here is use of ADR and ODR by Individual Panelists and Institutional Arbitration Institutions of India.

The present ODR Regime of India is facing severe Legal Roadblocks. We have neither Legal Framework nor Technical Expertise to engage in high profile and highly technical Technological Disputes. We have no Domain Name Protection Law in India and even Cyber Squatting cases are decided under the Indian Trademark Act, 1999. Even Institutional Arbitration Framework has not been adequately developed by India to resolve such disputes.

Even Domain Name Dispute Resolution in India through ODR is not very popular in the absence of International Harmonisation of ODR Framework. International Harmonisation of ODR is required that is presently governed by different sets of Rules and Procedures.

Just like Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) is a Standard for resolving Domain Name Disputes, similar Standards and Norms must be established for all Technology Related Disputes resolvable by using ODR mechanism. Institutions like WIPO, United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), etc must think and work in this direction. We must also either amend the Indian Trademark Act, 1999 or enact a separate Cyber Squatting Law of India.

With a pro active approach at both National and International Levels, Technology related disputes can be effectively and economically resolved. We at Perry4Law and Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB) are working in this direction. Collectively, the exclusive E-Courts Training and Consultancy Centre of India manage the issues of ADR, ODR, E-Courts, Domain Name Dispute Resolution in India, etc.

We hope our initiatives would prove useful to all concerned, especially to WIPO and UNCITRAL.