Lawyer Attempts to Trademark Bitcoin

An anonymous reader writes: A NY based lawyer has submitted an application to the US Patent and Trademark Office claiming first use of the term bitcoin on June 22nd, 2011. The evidence of first use in the form of a letter a letter detailing his wife's offer to sell "bitcoin" for $17.50 on June 23rd. A pdf extolling the virtues of bitcoin has also been uploaded to his law firms webpage

First use date?

[ian_from_brisbane]

The application claim is simply wrong to state a 'first use' date of June 22, 2011... Clearly the word 'bitcoin' has been in use in commerce long before that.

Re:

[repapetilto]

Whats the legal definition of "in use" though? For example, I know that a cow or chicken is not legally an animal in the US as long as it is being used as livestock. There is always weird crap like that to consider.