Businesses have the right to seek trademark protection for their names, logos and products, of course.
Mr. Lenarsky helped Mr. Workman choose an office location, seek trademark advice for his company, FirstFireworks Group Ltd., an entertainment branding and business development agency, and find a chief operating officer.
Those challenges have come, not surprisingly, from applications seeking trademarks that include ".com," "i" for Internet or "e" for electronic.
Until recent years, New York did not bother seeking trademarks for common abbreviations like N.Y.P.D., whose obvious association with the city affords some common-law protection against unauthorized use.
Some bidders have sought trademark protection in the hope of scaring off rivals.
Over the past month, Apple has sought trademark protection for the term in at least four places: Taiwan, Russia, Mexico and Japan.
Ethiopia had sought trademark status for its premium coffees — Harrar, Sidamo and Yirgacheffe beans — as part of an effort to get more of the retail dollar for its farmers.
President Bush has adopted the phrase, and a foundation set up in Mr. Beamer's name to help children of Sept. 11 victims is seeking trademark protection of the expression to try to ensure that any profits from its reuse benefit victims' families.
One recently departed celebrity to keep an eye on is screen legend Marlon Brando Marlon Brando, whose executors are seeking trademark protection against any individuals trying to profit off Brando without the proper blessings of his estate.
According to government trademark records, the law firm in 1995 helped Mr. Pellicano seek a trademark for computer hardware and software "which will be used for the monitoring and/or recording and subsequent playback of telecommunications".
