Audit, Compliance and Risk Blog

I am not a historian.  My recollection of the massacre in Tiananmen Square is colored by teenage self-centeredness and the ramblings of a slightly ridiculous history teacher who I managed to ignore for nine months whilst acing the class.  I am not proud of this.

If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.  Not on Facebook.  No, not on Twitter either.  Just don't say it.  Or, does it depend on context? 

It appears that Mr. Anil Vazirani, an independent insurance agent, has “griped” against the sixth largest insurance conglomerate, Aviva USA, and pretty much gotten away with it.   See Aviva USA Corp. v. Vazirani, D. Ariz., No. 2:11-cv-00369-JAT, 10/2/12.  I am somewhat happy for him.  Mr. Vazirani used to sell Aviva life insurance products and, at some point, the relationship was terminated.  So, Mr. Vazirani then bought up about 14 domain names incorporating the trademark AVIVA, for example, AVIVAPLCSUCKS.COM and AVIVAUNCOVERED.  On these sites, Mr. Vazirani proceeded to “gripe”. 

I find that, because I run my own practice, I spend a lot of time networking, meeting people and learning. One of the “hot topics” of conversation I often encounter is “branding”, and how everyone wants to establish, and use, their new brands consistently on social media and in other avenues.

The internet is such a special place. It makes life so easy. I know that there are a slew of attorneys who existed before the time of the internet, and on-line legal research, but I am so glad that I did not have to be one of them. I am grateful that I did not have to know that kind of grueling legal practice. This is so much more fun!