Very interesting! I must learn more about this, which operates out of a city in my province. The flowchart on their site is very helpful in showing how the process works. The idea of trying to resolve issues prior to UDRP seems like a good idea to me. I presume @Rob Monster knows about this since he was at ICANN in Montreal, but since he brought up resolving disputes without UDRP in another thread I am tagging him in case he did not see this. Thanks for bringing it to our attention @Lox .
Bob
The idea of trying to resolve issues prior to UDRP seems like a good idea to me.
I have no inside information, but given their expertise in other types of mediation, and the flow chart they show of the domain dispute process, I took it to mean that they would first try to resolve it and if that was not successful then they would initiate a UDRP (or as you say similar, depending on TLD) process on your behalf. You pay the first fee independent of how the process goes, and then if it goes to UDRP that fee. As I say I may understand it, but if they are essentially just legal representatives for UDRP I don't understand how they can claim to only be the second in North America and first in Canada. They do have one lawyer on their staff, but also arbitration and mediation specialists. As I said, I may be wrong as I have not reached out to them yet.I don't see this a way to resolve disputes "prior" to UDRP. Rather, the CIIDRC is a just another venue/provider to bring UDRP claims/disputes (for almost any extension, now including .CAs). That's how I understand things but please correct me if I'm wrong.
Thanks. I can't say I've ever gone through the UDRP process or that I'm overly familiar with it but it seems like CIIDRC handles the entire process from start to end (by applying UDRP's rules and policy).
From what I understand, that initial fee/process is just to verify the complainant has a legitimate complaint before it goes any further (to avoid wasting time on frivolous/deficient claims). If the complaint does have merit and meets all the requirements (as per UDRP rules/policy), then the proceedings continue as usual. If it doesn't have merit and/or doesn't meet all the requirements, then the complaint gets thrown out.
Perhaps that initial verification process is something new but i don't see this as an alternative to the UDRP.