Committee on Professional Ethics — Trade Name: Opinion 920

NYSBA Committee on Professional Ethics

Trade Name

Lawyer’s Initials

Opinion 920

Background: The inquiring attorney is the only lawyer and only employee of a new law firm. The inquiring lawyer believes that his last name is long and he wishes to call the law firm by his initials.

Opinion: The committee stated that a lawyer may not practice under a law firm name that consists only of the lawyer’s initials. The committee found the use of the initials equivalent to a trade name.