[comments-wgb] Support of "Sunrise Plus Twenty" Proposal

[Neal Greenfield <neal.greenfield@imagelock.com>]

My name is Neal Greenfield.  I am Vice President, Intellectual Property 
Services, of ImageLock, Inc, a company which tracks digital assets 
throughout the Internet and reports its findings to its clients.  Our 
clients are primarily companies which are highly concerned with the 
protection of their valuable online properties and the prevention of 
confusion and deception of their customers and the general public by those 
who infringe or abuse those properties.  For 21 years prior I was in 
private law practice representing clients who staked their livelihood and 
good will on the integrity of their trademarks and other valuable 
intellectual property.  I am also a member of the Special Internet 
Committee for the International Trademark Association (INTA) and the 
Chairperson of its Domain Name Disputes Resolution Subcommittee, which 
reviews domain name conflicts throughout the world.

I have read and support the Sunrise Plus Twenty proposal recently posted on 
the WG B  listserv.  There is no question that many persons, upon the 
introduction of new gTLDs, will immediately attempt to grab as many domain 
names as possible that match or closely resemble well known 
trademarks.   Usually it is for the purpose of extorting money from the 
trademark owner, diverting potential customers who are looking for the 
trademark owner to an e-business site of their own, or otherwise damaging 
the good will of the trademark owner.  Trademark rights are recognized in 
every country of the world as the greatest assurance that a company's 
investment in its names and the confidence consumers require in the 
marketplace can be secured.  The Sunrise Plus Twenty proposal gives 
trademark owners a chance to protect those interests against those who 
would seek personal gain at everyone else's expense.

I request that the Names Counsel recommend this proposal to the ICANN Board 
for action at it's next meeting in Yokohama, Japan.

Respectfully Submitted,

Neal Greenfield
VP of Intellectual Property Services
ImageLock.com
1725 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone 415-392-3444
Fax 415-392-5382