Wednesday, Aug 29, 2012    Text size: 

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — .XXX operator ICM Registry has tapped the law firm of Gordon & Rees as its new legal counsel. 

ICM, which previously employed the national law firm WilmerHale for outside legal work, decided on the move after WilmerHale's Becky Burr, known as "ICANN's Godmother," moved over to Internet firm Neustar Inc. as deputy general counsel.

Stuart Lawley, ICM's chief executive, said that upon review of a number of  prominent firms, Gordon & Rees appeared to be the best fit for "ICM’s sophisticated business transaction and litigation needs."

The .XXX operator will closely work with counsel at Gordon & Rees’s Miami office, one of 26 nationwide.

The firm in 2012 was lodged at No. 111 in the National Law Journal's ranking of the 350 largest U.S.-based law firms.

"We are happy to have  such a well-respected national firm with its broad range of expertise located close to our offices,” Lawley said.

Lawley noted that Gordon & Rees senior partner Richard Sybert already has taken over antitrust litigation in the Manwin vs. ICM and ICANN case.

Manwin sued ICM and ICANN last year after it accused the groups of colluding to steer the .XXX top-level domain in the marketplace.

Sybert's legal team will be working in consultation with Bret Fausett, an ICANN policy expert who was the chief litigator in the Coalition for ICANN Transparency vs. Verisign case, which has been cited in Manwin vs. ICM and ICANN.

Fausett represented the Coalition for ICANN Transparency, which had defeated Verisign at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The 9th Circuit found Verisign to have violated the Sherman Act by colluding with ICANN to eliminate competition for the registry contract.