WIPO Conference – 25th UDRP Anniversary

Commemorating 25 years of protecting brands and consumers online: a retrospective and look ahead

Geneva, Switzerland – April 23, 2025 (Hybrid)

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), designed by WIPO, a conference will be held at WIPO's Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland on April 23, 2025.

WIPO’s Arbitration and Mediation Center, as the steward of the UDRP and the natural venue for this gathering, will bring together Internet stakeholders to share and exchange their inputs and experiences.

The conference will include a retrospective on the UDRP, taking stock of jurisprudential trends and looking ahead to the planned review of the UDRP by ICANN. Sessions will also look at ADR systems for blockchain domains, the upcoming introduction of new gTLDs, and DNS industry and enforcement forecasts including the potential impacts of AI.

webinar

Agenda

08:15 – 09:00

Registration and Coffee

09:00 – 09:15

Opening remarks
Daren Tang, Director General, WIPO
Marco Alemán, Assistant Director General
IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector, WIPO

09:15 – 09:35

The UDRP in numbers
Moderator: Leena Ballard, WIPO
Deanna Wong, DeLab Consulting
Doug Isenberg, The GigaLaw Firm

09:35 – 10:00

UDRP retrospective (a global blueprint)
Moderator: Brian Beckham, Head, Internet Dispute Resolution Section, WIPO
Sarah Deutsch, Attorney and ICANN Board member
Kiyoshi Tsuru, TSURU, TMI Abogados

10:00 – 10:20

WIPO’s ccTLD Program
Moderator: Francisco Rios, WIPO
Geo Van Langenhove, EURid
Martin Michaus, Basham, Ringe y Correa, SC
Qiang LI, Deputy Director General of CNNIC

10:20 – 10:50

Coffee break

10:50 – 11:30

UDRP review expert group report
Moderator: Lori Schulman, Senior Director, Internet Policy for INTA
Zak Muscovitch, General Counsel, Internet Commerce Association
Paul McGrady, Elster & McGrady LLP

11:30 – 12:00

WIPO Overview 3.1
Moderator: Trevor Little, World Trademark Review
David Bernstein, Debevoise & Plimpton
Lawrence Nodine, Nodine Law LLC and Emory University School of Law

12:00 – 12:15

WIPO’s e-filing system and case platform
Gonzalo Manuel Bleda Navarro, WIPO
Luca Barbero, Studio Barbero SpA

12:15 – 12:30

Open Floor Discussion

12:30 – 13:30

* * * Lunch served outside the WIPO Conference Hall * * *

13:30 – 14:00

* * * Coffee served outside the WIPO Conference Hall * * *

14:00 – 14:45

ICANN’s New gTLD Program
Opening remarks: Kurtis Lindqvist, President and CEO, ICANN
Moderator: Lars Hoffmann, ICANN
Nisha Parkash, SKY
Karen Day, SAS Institute

14:45 – 15:30

Applying the UDRP model to Web3/Blockchain domains/Alt Roots
Alex Urbelis, ENS
Tim Brown, Head of Brand Protection, Com Laude

15:30 – 16:15

The future of DNS enforcement: AI tools/state of play
Moderator: Paul McGrady, Elster & McGrady LLP
Michael Palage, InfoNetworks
Sarah Deutsch, Attorney and ICANN Board member

16:15 – 16:45

Open Floor Discussion

16:45 – 17:00

Closing remarks
Brian Beckham, Head, Internet Dispute Resolution Section, WIPO

17:00

Closing followed by Cocktail Reception

In addition to WIPO Panelists, the conference is open to the public including brand owners, trademark practitioners, party counsel, registrars, ccTLD administrators, academics, and other domain name and Internet stakeholders. For those who cannot join in person, online participation will be available.

Online Attendance | In-Person Attendance | See faculty profiles

Contact

WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center Geneva
34, chemin des Colombettes
1211 Geneva 20
Switzerland

T +4122 338 8247
F +4122 740 3700

WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center Singapore
Maxwell Chambers Suites
28 Maxwell Road #02-14
Singapore 069120

T +65 6225 2129
F +65 6225 3568