Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, PLC lawyers are among the founders of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (“ICANN”), the non-profit corporation that runs the Domain Name System (“DNS”) critical to Internet operation. Having worked closely with Registries, Registrars, Registrants, as well as a wide range of large and small businesses and organizations online, we are closely familiar with the Internet arena and its people, politics, and issues.
We advise clients on participation in ICANN-related activities including the current state of rulemaking in the DNS. We closely monitor the wide range of security, privacy, law enforcement, and free speech/freedom of expression issues that arise in this environment. We assist those who seek to participate in the innovative ICANN “multistakeholder” policymaking process, and provide guidance through ICANN’s working groups, stakeholder groups, advisory committees, review teams and councils.
On a daily basis, we work on “New Top Level Domain Name Issues” arising in connection with the New Generic Top Level Domain Name (“New gTLD”) applicants seeking to join the Internet Community with competitors to .COM, .ORG and .NET. For New gTLD Registries, we offer support in the process ahead and strong familiarity with the New gTLD Applicant Guidebook (the “rules of the road” for New gTLDs).
We also provide assistance with Registry Agreements, Registry-Registrar Agreements, and the development of day-to-day policies registries need to respond to the myriad of requests from law enforcement and private sector for domain name data and take-downs.
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