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Resolve domain disputes and secure your domain
Your domain, your name, your rights
We check who has the better rights to a disputed domain and choose the right path: a demand letter, DENIC dispute, UDRP procedure or defence. This is how we help you resolve your domain dispute.
Please enter a short description first.
The first contact is free of charge. No costs arise without our prior express notice.
Response within 24 hours on working days
Domain conflict1 of 5
- Your own IP rightsPresent
- Third-party registrationCheck
- Use of the domainCheck
- DENIC disputefor .de domainsMissing
- Choice of procedureCheck
Point of review: Who has the better right to the name?
- 1Send domainDomain and rights
- 2Check rightsRights and procedure
- 3ActDemand or defence
Schematic illustration. Example fictitious and simplified.
We represent in domain matters
- Trade mark owners
- Companies
- Start-ups
- Domain holders
- Agencies
Key points at a glance
At ITMR Rechtsanwälte we resolve disputes over domains that affect your own names or trade marks. What matters are the IP rights of both sides, the type of use and the domain extension. Different procedures apply to .de domains and to extensions such as .com. Whether a domain is released depends on the individual case.
Starting position
When does a domain become a dispute?
When a third party holds your name or trade mark as a domain or you are attacked yourself.
A domain dispute can only be conducted sensibly once your own rights and the domain extension have been clarified.
Your trade mark is registered as a domain, but not by you. The site is empty, parked or offered for sale.
A competitor uses a confusingly similar domain for similar offers.
You receive a warning letter or demand to hand over your own domain.
A domain is to be transferred to you after expiry or a dispute with a former service provider.
- For whom
- Trade mark and domain holders
- Trigger
- Third-party registration, warning letter, loss
- Core
- Name and trade mark rights
- Decision
- DENIC, arbitration panel or court
General questions on registration, domain contracts and domain portfolios are covered on the domain law page. This page focuses on the specific dispute over a domain.
If the main concern is protecting your trade mark, trade mark registration and the brand launch check are the right starting point.
Tell us the domain using the form. We will get back to you on working days within 24 hours.
Process
How do we handle a domain dispute?
From domain to decision in three steps.
01
Send domain The domain, Whois or registrar details, your trade marks and screenshots of the use are enough.
02
Check rights We compare the name and trade mark rights of both sides and choose the right procedure.
03
Act We send a demand, secure the domain or fend off unjustified claims.
Four review questions in a domain dispute
- 1
What rights do you have? Trade mark, company name, name or title, and since when they have existed.
- 2
What rights does the other side have? Its own names, its own trade marks or a legitimate interest in the domain.
- 3
Which extension is affected? DENIC rules apply to .de domains, the UDRP to many other extensions.
- 4
What do you want to achieve? Release, cessation of use, transfer or defence of your domain.
Service
What does the package include?
Service package: domain disputes
- In case of third-party registrationCheck rights, prepare a demand, DENIC dispute or UDRP complaint.
- If your domain is attackedReview of the claim, defence and negotiation.
- If you lose a domainClarify ways to recover it with the registrar and service provider.
Prevention Review of the domain portfolio and registration in the company's name.
- For whom
- Companies, trade mark owners and domain holders
- First response
- within 24 hours on working days
- Costs
- We tell you the costs transparently before you instruct us.
- Not included
- Buying domains via dealers and technical migrations.
Who delivers what and who decides
- Affected domain
- Evidence of your trade mark or name
- Screenshots of the use
- Review of the legal position
- Choice of procedure
- Demand or defence
- You decide on the approach
- DENIC, arbitration panel or court in a dispute
How does the engagement work?
- 1
First assessment You tell us the domain using the form. We assess which path fits. The first contact is free of charge.
- 2
Offer Before we start, we tell you the scope and costs transparently.
- 3
Court steps separately We agree court action and representation separately.
Domain dispute check
What speaks in your favour in your domain dispute?
Go through the points. We clarify open points in the review. Send us the domain using the form at the end of the page.
Trade mark or name Is your sign registered or used in the course of trade?Timing Did your rights exist before the domain was registered?
Extension Is it a .de domain or another extension?Use Is the domain parked, offered for sale or actively used?Other side Does the holder have its own rights to the name?
Release or transfer What should happen to the domain?Speed Is there a risk of transfer to third parties during the dispute?
Misconceptions
Which assumptions are misleading?
Four statements we often hear in domain disputes.
Registration alone is not decisive if better name or trade mark rights exist.
For .de domains, according to Federal Court of Justice case law, the issue is usually release, not transfer.
The UDRP procedure applies to many generic extensions, not to .de domains.
An offer to sell to the owner of the sign may indicate a bad-faith registration.
Legal framework
Which rules apply in a domain dispute?
Anyone who bears a name can defend themselves against its unauthorised use as a domain under § 12 BGB.
Under §§ 14 and 15 MarkenG, trade marks and company names are protected against confusingly similar use in the course of trade.
For .de domains, DENIC offers the dispute entry. It prevents the domain from being transferred to a third party during the dispute.
For many generic extensions such as .com, the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) applies, with proceedings for example before WIPO.
- § 12 BGB Right to a name.
- § 14 MarkenG Rights arising from the trade mark.
- § 15 MarkenG Company names and business designations.
- DENIC Dispute Dispute entry for .de domains.
- WIPO UDRP Procedure under the UDRP.
Limits
What does the package not cover?
Clear limits protect your planning.
- 1
No domain trading We do not buy domains and do not negotiate as brokers.
- 2
No promise of outcome The dispute is decided by DENIC rules, an arbitration panel or a court.
- 3
No engineering Migration, DNS and hosting are handled by your service provider.
- 4
The decision remains yours Whether you take action is your decision.
What you can expect as a result
- A clear assessment of your rights to the domain.
- The right path with costs and duration.
- A letter to the other side or the defence of its claim.
Legal status: 24.10.2026
Responsible specialist
Lawyer and mediator · Partner · Specialist lawyer for IT law · Specialist lawyer for copyright and media law
View profile Düsseldorf, Schirmerstraße 80 · Hamburg, Palmaille 124
TOP lawyer 2027 · Business lawyers · Intellectual property
F.A.Z.-Institut and QuantiQuest. Based on recommendations from peers and assessments by in-house counsel. Source (opens in a new tab)
FAQ
What do clients ask about domain disputes?
How does this differ from the domain law page?
Domain law explains the area of law as a whole. This page is about your specific dispute over a domain.
What does a DENIC dispute do?
It prevents the holder from passing the .de domain on to third parties during the dispute. If the domain is released, the dispute holder receives it.
Can I recover a .com domain?
For many generic extensions, a UDRP procedure is possible if the domain was registered and used in bad faith.
What should I do if I am attacked myself?
Send us the demand. We check whether the other side has better rights before you commit to anything.
Which documents do you need for the review?
The domain, evidence of your trade mark or name and screenshots of its use. We need nothing more for the first assessment.
How do I use the domain dispute check?
Go through the points with your domain. Send us the open points using the form and we will assess them.
Next step
Who owns the domain?
Tell us the domain and your rights. We show you the right path.
Helpful for your enquiry
- Affected domain
- Trade mark or register extract
- Screenshots and correspondence
The domain is enough to get started.
Classify the domain dispute
For companies, trade mark owners and domain holders.
Briefly describe the domain and the reason.
Related services
Domain law The area of law at a glance.Register a trade mark Secure your own rights.defence against warning letters If you receive a warning letter.Bring a trade mark action Enforce your trade mark in court.Interim injunction & cease and desist When speed matters.Service packages All packages.
From our blog: "Polizei" as a domain name: Higher Regional Court of Hamm prohibits use