[gnso-rn-wg] Interest Statement

["Michael D. Palage" <Michael@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Interest Statement of Michael Palage 
 
I am currently a member of the following three GNSO Constituencies: the
Business Constituency (BC); the Intellectual Property Constituency
(IPC), and Registry Constituency. Within the BC I participate and vote
on behalf of my consulting company. I also participate within the IPC as
licensed attorney admitted to the bars of Pennsylvania and Florida,
however, under the IPC charter I have no voting rights as an individual
IP attorney. My involvement within the Registry Constituency is on
behalf of dotCoop the registry operator of the .COOP sTLD for whom I
serve as a consultant/advisor; however, Carolyn Hoover is the designated
voting representative for dotCoop. 
 
My participation within this Working Group is on behalf of dotCoop that
currently has various ICANN (single and two letter domain names) and
non-ICANN (Coop Community Names, see http://www.coop/information.asp)
reserved names designated within the .COOP registry database. DotCoop
has an interest to ensure that these names are used in a constructive
manner that directly benefits the cooperative community for which it
represents. As previously discussion during our initial call, dotCoop
has worked with ICANN in a proactive and productive roll to allocate at
least one two-letter reserve name on behalf of a cooperative, see
www.a2.coop. 
 
In addition, I current serve as a consultant to Afilias the registry
operator of the .INFO TLD. In this capacity, I have overseen the
allocation of reserved geographic names that were originally set aside
in connection with ICANN Board Resolution 01-92.  I previously served as
a consultant to mTLD, the registry operator of the .MOBI TLD, in
connection with the drafting and implementation of their Sunrise and
Premium Name policies and procedures.  

I also provide consulting services to ccTLD operators, registrars, and
other registration authorities on an as needed basis on a wide range of
topics. I have also provided expert testimony in state and Federal court
on behalf of various brand holders and law enforcement agencies in
connection with domain name and internet related matters.  
 
Previously I served as the Chair of the Registrar Constituency from its
inception in 1999 until 2003, when I served a three-year term on the
ICANN Board of directors (2003-2006).