How Many Names Can a Law Firm Have

A lawyer or law firm can use a domain name for an Internet website that does not include the name of the lawyer or law firm: naming a law firm after the owner or partners is simple and unlikely to confuse or mislead anyone. In addition, bar associations in some states may have ethical rules that dictate how a law firm can be appointed. Naming the company after the partners will almost certainly not violate these rules. In short, using your own name above your law firm`s door is never a bad idea (unless you`re unlucky enough to have a name that suggests unflattering things about your firm). In Illinois, Rule 7.5 of the Code of Business Conduct (the “Rules”) governs company names and letterheads. Rule 7.5 prohibits corporate names that are “false or misleading” and contains specific rules for the use of the names of current or former lawyers in a corporate name. Traditional law firm names tend to include the surnames of partners. In some States, this is a requirement and not just a tradition. If you`re starting a solo business, it`s simply your last name.

If you have partners, think about how you will order the last names. Say some possible combinations of partners` surnames. Which version sounds best? You can also try shortening the last names of the partners. As always, be sure to check your jurisdiction`s naming rules, as each state has different rules. Some states allow brand names, while others — like Georgia, New York and Ohio — ban trade names. Can a law firm use the name of a former partner in the firm`s name if the former partner leaves the firm but continues to act as general counsel of a corporation? When thinking about how to name a law firm, it`s important to determine who your target audience is. What are your buyer personas? What are your law firm`s marketing objectives? As you can imagine, your law firm`s name will pop up everywhere in your marketing, including your website, social media, and online profiles like Yelp and Google My Business. You should spend some time developing your marketing strategy if you haven`t already. We recommend using a law firm name that resonates with your target audience. Remember to consider cultural nuances.

Geo identifiers are one of the most common sticking points when naming law firms. For example, a company called the Fairview Legal Clinic could lead consumers to believe that the company is affiliated with the Fairview City Government. Some states will allow them as long as there is a disclaimer to clarify misleading associations, others don`t. As far as I know, these are new issues that we may never have to deal with again. But there are interesting questions about the ability of law firms to band together to fight a particular legal battle. Any answers, anyone? However, some jurisdictions may allow the use of the term “& associates” if only one employee is employed by the company. (See Ala. State Bar, Off. of Gen. Conseils., Officiel op.

cit. 1993-11 (1993); Arizona State Bar, Comm. on Rules of Conduct for Professors, op. cit. 90-01 (1990)). Answer: A law firm is not prohibited from using the term “lawyer” on its letterhead for a partner who has left the practice. However, a partner who leaves the firm to engage “regularly and continuously” as an in-house lawyer for a firm is not considered “counsel” from his or her former firm. Both Rhode Island and Nebraska have adopted ethical opinions stating that the “Of Counsel” list is not available to a lawyer who retires to practice elsewhere, take another job or take time off. The term “lawyer” “refers to a partnership and is therefore misleading to the public.” You can check if a domain is available through companies like GoDaddy or Name.com. If it is not available, choose a different name for a law firm.

If the domain name is taken, there is a chance that a law firm or company with the same name will be operated. In this case, it would be in your company`s best interest to use a different name to avoid confusion. There`s nothing inherently wrong with building a brand based on name partners or important personalities. The auto industry has always done that, for example Ford, Chevrolet, DeLorean. After all, the people behind these names pale in the past and only leave the brand. For hundreds of years, American law firms have been widely named after one or more of the founding lawyers. Homonymous companies such as Shearman & Sterling and Reed Smith Shaw & McClay were the rule, with a few exceptions. But in the age of online marketing and search engine optimization, lawyers who appoint new law firms or rename existing firms are abandoning traditional naming conventions more than ever and using company names to convey brand identities.

Regardless of the method used to appoint a law firm, lawyers must be careful to avoid ethical pitfalls. Question: Can the law firm treat the partner as a “leave of absence”? It may be observed that any corporate name that contains the name of a deceased shareholder is, strictly speaking, a trade name. The use of these names to refer to law firms has proven to be a useful means of identification. However, it is misleading to use the name of a lawyer who is not affiliated with the firm or a predecessor of the firm, or the name of a non-lawyer. the model rules for dealing with such situations in rule 7.5; However, the ABA removed the rule in 2018 to encourage greater consistency across jurisdictions. However, many states still apply similar standards. Others, such as New York, do not allow trade names for law firms at all. It may be unfair, but some clients feel like a great law firm is a better law firm.

Of course, while you don`t intentionally mean to imply that your company employs more people than it does, a brand name can feel like a more established practice. (a) The lawyer shall not use a trade name, letterhead or other professional title contrary to Rule 7.1.