PHOENIX, AZ - July 9, 2001 International Research Center (IRC - http://www.researchedge.com/) has successfully defended against a challenge from Micron Technology (NYSE: MU) over its ownership and use of the domain name CrucialTechnology.com at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The decision of WIPO's Arbitration Panel clearly establishes IRC's "good faith" ownership of this and other similar generic technology domain names. More importantly, it affirms that domain name speculation can be a legitimate business pursuit and the ownership and sale of such names an appropriate business activity.

Though Micron Technology (http://www.micron.com/) owns and operates a division, Crucial Technology (http://www.crucial.com/), that sells computer components and has a related U.S. federal trademark, WIPO could find no evidence of "bad faith" in IRC's ownership of the domain name CrucialTechnology.com. They concluded that IRC neither intended nor created any consumer confusion or misdirection through its name ownership and that there was no evidence of trademark dilution having occurred.

Mark Goldstein, President of International Research Center, said "We are gratified that WIPO decided in our favor as it validates our strategy of building a portfolio of generic technology-related domain names in which we have intentionally sought to avoid brand and trademark conflicts." IRC currently holds over 600 top-level domain names and believes WIPO's decision serves to affirm the legitimacy of its approach. IRC is currently preparing an auction of some 150 biotechnology-related domain names for an anticipated September 1 launch.

International Research Center was successfully defended by Lynn Broderick of the Weinberg Cummerford Legal Group (http://www.weinberglegal.com/) of Phoenix, AZ. Ms. Broderick said "It is an exciting win for IRC and we are really pleased to have had the opportunity to represent them in this important case with significant implications for domain name owners globally." The WIPO Arbitration Panel's decision in Case No. D2001-0608 can be found online at

http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2001/d2001-0608.html

About International Research Center:
International Research Center (IRC - http://www.researchedge.com/) is an Arizona-based consulting and contract research service provider. Harnessing global information resources for informed decision making, IRC provides custom research and strategic support for business, legal, and public policy clients in a variety of high-technology disciplines and arenas, concentrating on telecommunications, information technology, eContent and the Internet. For further information, contact Mark Goldstein at 602-470-0389 or markg@researchedge.com. This press release may be found on IRC's web site at http://www.researchedge.com/news/pr070901.html

About the Weinberg Cummerford Legal Group:
Weinberg Cummerford Legal Group (http://www.weinberglegal.com/) is engaged exclusively in counseling, licensing, transactions and litigation related to global Intellectual Property (IP) and Internet law. The Firm is particularly well known for providing legal services in the areas of e-Business, software, trademarks, copyrights, patents, trade secrets, privacy, and the worldwide protection and management of trademarks, patents and domain names. Weinberg Cummerford Legal Group also supports global branding strategies, corporate digital communications, cyber risk management and e-business policy development and implementation. For further information, contact Lynn Broderick at 602-381-7721 or broderick@weinberglegal.com

About the World Intellectual Property Organization:
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO - http://www.wipo.org/) is an international organization based in Geneva, Switzerland and dedicated to promoting the use and protection of works of the human spirit. WIPO plays an important role in these works of intellectual property helping expand the bounds of science and technology and enriching the world of the arts as well as creating real wealth for nations. WIPO's Arbitration and Mediation Center (http://arbiter.wipo.int/center/) was established in 1994 to offer arbitration and mediation services for the resolution of international commercial disputes for technology, content, entertainment, domain names and other intellectual property issues.