Government Contracts Monitor

Successful Decision Gives WVU Protection

February 7, 2012

West Virginia University recently won a dispute against a West Virginia businessman who had registered and used the internet domain name www.wvusports.comin a manner that infringed upon WVU’s federally-registered “WVU” trademark. The World Intellectual Property Organization, the entity that oversees these types of disputes, fully agreed with WVU’s position and ordered GoDaddy.com – the domain name registrar – to transfer ownership of the internet domain name from the businessman to WVU within ten business days of its January 20, 2012 decision. Michael J. Schrier and Ryan J. Aaron of Jackson Kelly PLLC represented West Virginia University in this matter.