Mediation In the event of any dispute arising under or in connection with this Agreement, before either party may initiate arbitration pursuant to Section 5.2 below, ICANN and Registry Operator must attempt to resolve the dispute through mediation in accordance with the following terms and conditions:
(a) A party shall submit a dispute to mediation by written notice to the other party. The mediation shall be conducted by a single mediator selected by the parties. If the parties cannot agree on a mediator within fifteen (15) calendar days of delivery of written notice pursuant to this Section 5.1, the parties will promptly select a mutually acceptable mediation provider entity, which entity shall, as soon as practicable following such entity’s selection, designate a mediator, who is a licensed attorney with general knowledge of contract law, has no ongoing business relationship with either party and, to the extent necessary to mediate the particular dispute, general knowledge of the domain name system. Any mediator must confirm in writing that he or she is not, and will not become during the term of the mediation, an employee, partner, executive officer, director, or security holder of ICANN or Registry Operator. If such confirmation is not provided by the appointed mediator, then a replacement mediator shall be appointed pursuant to this Section 5.1(a).
(b) The mediator shall conduct the mediation in accordance with the rules and procedures that he or she determines following consultation with the parties. The parties shall discuss the dispute in good faith and attempt, with the mediator’s assistance, to reach an amicable resolution of the dispute. The mediation shall be treated as a settlement discussion and shall therefore be confidential and may not be used against either party in any later proceeding relating to the dispute, including any arbitration pursuant to Section 5.2. The mediator may not testify for either party in any later proceeding relating to the dispute.
(c) Each party shall bear its own costs in the mediation. The parties shall share equally the fees and expenses of the mediator. Each party shall treat information received from the other party pursuant to the mediation that is appropriately marked as confidential (as required by Section 7.15) as Confidential Information of such other party in accordance with Section 7.15.
(d) If the parties have engaged in good faith participation in the mediation but have not resolved the dispute for any reason, either party or the mediator may terminate the mediation at any time and the dispute can then proceed to arbitration pursuant to Section 5.2 below. If the parties have not resolved the dispute for any reason by the date that is ninety (90) calendar days following the date of the notice delivered pursuant to Section 5.1(a), the mediation shall automatically terminate (unless extended by agreement of the parties) and the dispute can then proceed to arbitration pursuant to Section 5.2 below.
Arbitration Process Any arbitration will be conducted pursuant to the applicable rules (the “Arbitration Rules”) of the American Arbitration Association, as modified herein, to the extent such modifications are not prohibited by the Arbitration Rules. The arbitration will be conducted in Indianapolis, Indiana. The parties will select a single arbitrator, but in the event that the parties are unable to agree, the arbitrator will be appointed pursuant to the Arbitration Rules. The arbitrator will be a practicing attorney with significant expertise in litigating and/or presiding over cases involving the substantive legal areas involved in the dispute. The parties to the arbitration will not request, and the arbitrator will not order, that any discovery be taken or provided, including depositions, interrogatories or document requests, except to the extent the amount in controversy exceeds $50,000. The arbitration will be concluded within three months of the date the arbitrator is appointed. The arbitrator’s findings, reasoning, decision, and award will be stated in writing and based upon applicable law. Judgment on the arbitration award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction. In the event that the arbitration results in an award which imposes an injunction or contains a monetary award in excess of $100,000, the award will be reviewable on appeal initiated by filing notice of appeal with the AAA office within 30 days of the award, governed by the AAA Optional Appellate Arbitration Rules and conducted by a panel of three new arbitrators, ruling by majority, under the procedure for appointment from the national roster of arbitrators. Unless the applicable Arbitration Rules require otherwise, arbitration fees and costs will be shared equally by the claimant(s) and respondent(s), respectively, in any arbitration proceeding. Should the AAA be unavailable, unable or unwilling to accept and administer the arbitration of any claim under these arbitration provisions as written, the parties will agree on a substitute arbitration organization, such as JAMS, that will enforce the arbitration provisions as written. Because this Agreement memorializes a transaction in interstate commerce, the Federal Arbitration Act governs the interpretation and enforcement of these arbitration provisions. More information about arbitration, including the Arbitration Rules, is available at xxx.xxx.xxx or by calling 0-000-000-0000.
