Domain Protection Services for Brands, Businesses & Online Identities

Domain protection services cover the legal and strategic work involved in securing, managing, and defending your online domain name assets. This includes advising on which domains to register, ensuring your domain portfolio aligns with your trademark rights, and taking legal action — through UDRP, INDRP, or court proceedings — when a third party registers or uses a domain that infringes on your brand. At Lex Legalizer, we handle all three areas as part of a connected practice.

The Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) is an administrative dispute resolution process for generic top-level domain disputes — .com, .net, .org, and others. It was established by ICANN and is administered by accredited providers including WIPO. To succeed in a UDRP complaint, you must establish three things: the disputed domain is identical or confusingly similar to your trademark, the registrant has no legitimate interest in the domain, and the domain was registered and is being used in bad faith. UDRP proceedings typically conclude within 60 days and are significantly faster and cheaper than court litigation.

The IN Domain Dispute Resolution Policy (INDRP) is the equivalent mechanism for .IN and .CO.IN domains, administered by NIXI (National Internet Exchange of India). It operates similarly to the UDRP — the same three elements must be established — but it applies specifically to Indian country-code domains. If the infringing domain is a .IN or .CO.IN, INDRP is the appropriate route. For .com domains registered by an Indian party, UDRP applies instead.

No. A domain name and a trademark are separate rights. Owning a domain name does not give you trademark rights over the name — and it does not prevent someone else from registering that name as a trademark. Conversely, registering a trademark does not automatically give you the matching domain. Where they interact is in disputes: a registered trademark is your strongest tool in challenging a third party’s domain registration. We advise on how to structure both registrations so each reinforces the other.

The options depend on which domain extension is involved, whether you have a registered trademark, and the circumstances of the registration. If the domain is .com and you have a registered trademark, a UDRP complaint is usually the most effective route. If it’s a .IN domain, INDRP applies. If the situation involves fraud, passing off, or conduct that doesn’t fit neatly into the UDRP framework, court proceedings before the Delhi High Court may be more appropriate. We assess the merits and recommend the right mechanism before any filing is made.

A standard UDRP proceeding — from filing to decision — typically takes 45 to 60 days. If the respondent files a response, the panel has 14 days to issue its decision after the response period closes. Implementation of the decision (domain transfer or cancellation) follows shortly after, unless the registrant initiates court proceedings to stay the transfer. UDRP is specifically designed to be faster than litigation — for cases with strong facts, it is usually the most efficient route.

Yes. In many cases, particularly where the registrant holds the domain speculatively rather than using it actively, a direct approach — a formal legal notice backed by trademark evidence — is enough to prompt a transfer. We often attempt this first where the facts are strong and the registrant’s position is clearly weak. If direct approach doesn’t work, UDRP or court proceedings follow. We advise on which sequence makes the most sense in each situation.

If you’ve received a UDRP complaint and believe your registration is legitimate, you have the right to file a response. We represent respondents as well as complainants. The response needs to establish your legitimate interest in the domain and rebut the bad faith allegations — and it needs to be filed within the response deadline, which is usually 20 days from notification. Missing the deadline results in a default decision. If you receive a complaint, contact us as soon as possible.

Cybersquatting is the registration of a domain name that incorporates someone else’s trademark or brand name, typically to profit from their reputation — either by diverting traffic, selling the domain back, or setting up a misleading site. In India, cybersquatting can constitute trademark infringement, passing off, and in some circumstances fraud. The UDRP and INDRP provide administrative remedies; Indian courts can grant injunctions and damages. We handle both routes depending on the facts.

A domain portfolio audit is the starting point. We look at your existing registrations, your trademark coverage, which extensions you’ve secured and which are vulnerable, and whether there are any gaps a third party could exploit. For businesses pre-launch, we advise on what to register before going public. For established brands, we review the existing portfolio and recommend defensive registrations. The goal is to ensure your domain presence reflects and protects your trademark rights — not just the main domain you’re actively using.