Doh!

What’s he going to fight? I think a WIPO attorney will charge a bit more than $900.

Cut your losses dude. You have nothing to prove here.

http://www2.yalelock.com/Yale/Templates/LocalNormal____1630.aspx

This is true. At the same time one of these valid uses would need to be under development before any claims are made against the domain name. It appears that’s not the case here.

/ “I offered to sell it to them for 900 dollars … ” MH /

That in itself could easily be used as an argument against the domain owner as evidence of bad faith. It shows that he had no intentions of any fair use, as mention above, but only sought to profit from the name. Under normal circumstances that’s legitimate but not when someone else already has a standing Federal trademark on the name “Yale”.

/ “Why should Yale University get the domain and not Yale Materials Handling Corporation, which owns the .com?” Andrew /

Actually, both entities would have a claim against Yale.mobi. It simply comes down to who lays claim first. Though Yale Materials would be the senior mark owner.

/ “… this case will come down to the details of the interaction between Yale and Hodges that prompted the $900 offer.” Andrew /

I agree. Even if Yale initiated negotiations for Yale.mobi, the domain owner never should have offered it for sale. At the very least have legal counsel to negotiate a non disclosure settlement that can’t be used against the seller.

With a name that well known he should have never registered it:

Yale
Registration Number: #1391903
FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 1814
Owner: YALE UNIVERSITY