Legally, a Service Mark is a Trademark, however, Service Marks relate to services, while Trademarks can relate to either goods or services. Parties claiming rights to particular trademarks may use the symbol TM next to their marks at any time - even prior to filing a trademark application. A party claiming such right to a Service Mark may similarly use either the TM or the SM symbol. Registration is not necessary in order to use these particular symbols. You are not required to use an attorney to prepare your trademark application.
Most attorneys charge an hourly fee and require a retainer.
However, assuming you eventually secure the registration for your trademark, your protection starts as of the date of filing, not the date of issue. Thus, you do not need to wait for a final registration certificate before you begin to use your trademark in interstate commerce. Trademarks may be filed at either the state or federal level. State trademarks protect your mark in a specific state while federal trademarks normally protect your mark in all the states. State trademarks generally provide far less legal protection than federal trademarks.