R. Gwen Peterson, a partner with Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, helped star Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch trademark his nickname “Beast Mode.” Now that nickname, which appeared on a hat Lynch wore at Super Bowl Media Day, could lead to a $100,000 fine by the National Football League.

Lynch, who is no stranger to controversy, made it back into the headlines just days ahead of this Sunday's Super Bowl by wearing the hat and drawing the ire of the NFL, which closely monitors the attire of its players to ensure they comply with league-approved sponsors. Lynch's agent has pushed back, claiming that New Era, an approved NFL sponsor, makes the hat his client wore.

Nonetheless, Lynch's Beast Mode brand got The Am Law Daily thinking about his trademark counsel of choice. Federal trademark records show that Peterson, an IP licensing and trademark partner with Kilpatrick in Walnut Creek, Calif., has been advising Lynch since at least 2008, when he first sought to trademark the Beast Mode name. At the time, Peterson was a partner at Townsend and Townsend and Crew, which merged three years later with Kilpatrick Stockton.