The Mayor filed a complaint with WIPO under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP). He succeeded despite the WIPO Panellist finding he had no trade mark rights in "Boris" or "Back Boris" and that he could only establish trade mark rights in "Boris Johnson".

Mr Johnson does not own any registered trade marks and had to rely on unregistered trade mark rights. The decision emphasises the difficulties faced by a complainant in such circumstances, particularly when they are seeking to rely on rights in a personal name.

Background and facts of the case

Mr Johnson made significant use of the domain name in connection with his 2008 mayoral campaign, but failed to renew it in 2010. On its expiry, the respondent to the complaint registered the domain name.

The WIPO Panellist found that:

 Mr Johnson could not establish unregistered trade mark rights in "Boris" or "Back Boris" because those names had only been used in relation to his candidacy for mayor. This was not use in connection with the offering for sale of goods or services in a way that would give rise to trade mark rights. In other words, there had been no commercial exploitation of "Boris" or "Back Boris";

 Although Mr Johnson is engaged in commercial transactions that could give rise to trade mark rights (e.g. as a journalist, author and after- dinner speaker), he always used his full name "Boris Johnson". Mr Johnson could therefore only establish unregistered trade mark rights in "Boris Johnson";

 In what he admitted was a finely balanced decision, the domain name was confusingly similar to the "Boris Johnson" trade mark. There was sufficient evidence that a relevant section of the public would associate the domain name with Mr Johnson.

The Panellist was able to deal with the other questions arising under the UDRP relatively swiftly.

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