The importance of the research every quarter also concerns the owners of earlier marks in order to monitor the register for possible filings of a similar or similar mark to theirs, in similar or similar classes.    If the search shows an identical or similar mark within the quarter of its publication, the client can file an opposition to prevent it from being registered due to similarity with his own earlier mark.   To protect your trademark from infringement and misrepresentation, you must be vigilant that your mark is not used by others and you must prosecute those who use your mark without permission. By doing research, you can develop a strong brand or service mark that other competitors will find difficult to copy.