Raymond Blanc has spoken of his relief after winning a
legal battle against"cybersquatters"who registered an
unauthorised internet domain which traded on his name.
The claim arose after a company based in the Bahamas registered
the domain name "raymondblanc.com" and used it to link to website
advertisements for products that had nothing to do with the
chef-restaurateur.
When the site was discovered, Blanc, who established the
two-Michelin-starred Le Manoir Aux Quat Saisons and is the
presenter of The Restaurant TV series, called in law firm Morgan
Cole to wrest back control of the domain.
Morgan Cole commenced a claim at the World Intellectual Property
Organisation (WIPO) in Geneva by demonstrating intellectual
property rights in Raymond Blanc’s name. The dispute was resolved
within 10 weeks.
WIPO ruled that Caribbean Online International Limited was using
Raymond Blanc’s goodwill "to direct internet users to an
unconnected commercial website for commercial gain".
“I am relieved that this issue is now resolved. I have worked
hard to build my reputation over the years. These cybersquatters
had nothing to do with me and no permission to use my name,” Blanc
said.
Stephen Schneider, a solicitor in Morgan Cole’s dispute
management group, said, “Applying to WIPO or to other internet
dispute organisations is often quicker and cheaper than starting
court proceedings. Taking swift action means that vital commercial
interests can be safeguarded.”
Written by Daniel Thomas.
This article originally appeared on
CatererSearch.com.