CHAPTER 5 - 5-6 FIRM NAMES

• Jurisdiction: United States

5-6 Firm Names

Lawyers may use firm names as long as they are not false or misleading.⁸⁷ The firm name may not state or imply that the lawyers are practicing in partnership or other business organization if that is not true.⁸⁸ If a firm operates in more than one jurisdiction, the firm may use the same name in each, but the firm letterhead and advertising materials must indicate the jurisdictional limitations of any lawyer not licensed to practice in the jurisdiction where the material is used.⁸⁹ Use of a website that includes an acronym or the words "recall" and "attorneys" and the name of an auto manufacturer along with a phone number using the same acronym was found to be permitted.⁹⁰

Some Connecticut lawyers have used clever names permitted by the rule, such as Action Advocates, The Law Shoppe, The Law Barn, and No Stone Unturned Legal Offices. But for the "false and misleading" prohibitions of the rules, there do not appear to be any limits on creativity when it comes to naming law offices.⁹¹

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Notes:

^[87] Conn. Rules of Prof'l Conduct R 7.1, Commentary.

^[88] Conn. Rules of Prof'l Conduct R 7.1, Commentary.

^[89] Opinion #14-03988-A.

^[90] See § 5-8:4 for examples of permitted trade names, including "Lady DUI," "Lady Closing," and "15% Lawyers."

^[91] Conn. Rules of Prof'l Conduct R 7.3(b).