What to do if a tech firm bought and secured our company internet domain for us as a favor and now is not releasing the domain to us?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What to do if a tech firm bought and secured our company internet domain for us as a favor and now is not releasing the domain to us?
We are a startup and needed a tech firm to help build our platform. A member of our team suggested a friend that owned a small tech shop. As a favor the owner of the tech shop bought the internet domain of our company for us. As our partnership discussions continued they realized they were not the right firm for us. They sent through an invoice for work that they want them to pay for even though there was never an agreement verbal or contractual. They are now withholding the domain our company URL and not giving it to us. What can or should we do?
Asked on February 21, 2012 under Business Law, California
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Good question. The problem that I see is that the tech firm even though it was to secure an internet domain for your company as a favor, it seems to own the domain. Unless there is written documentation stating that the acquisition of the name was to owned by you send and/or signed by a representative of the tech firm, you either have to pay the invoice sent to get the domain name or lose the name.
I suggest that you consult with a business attorney about the situation you are in.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.