NY · rules
N.Y. R. Prof'l Conduct 7.5
Professional notices, letterheads, and signs
(a) A lawyer or law firm may use internet web sites, professional cards, professional announcement cards, office signs, letterheads, or similar professional notices or devices, provided the same do not violate these Rules or any statute or court rule.
(b)
(1) A lawyer or law firm in private practice shall not practice under:
(i) a false, deceptive, or misleading trade name;
(ii) a false, deceptive, or misleading domain name; or
(iii) a name that is misleading as to the identity of the lawyer or lawyers practicing under such name
(2) Specific Guidance Regarding Law Firm Names.
(i) Such terms as "legal aid," "legal service office," "legal assistance office," "defender office," and the like may be used only by bona fide legal assistance organizations.
(ii) A law firm name, trade name, or domain name may not include the terms "non-profit" or "not-for-profit" unless the law firm qualifies for those designations under applicable law.
(iii) A lawyer or law firm in private practice may not include the name of a nonlawyer in its firm name.
(iv) The name of a professional corporation shall contain "PC" or such symbols permitted by law.
(v) The name of a limited liability company or limited liability partnership shall contain "LLC," "LLP" or such symbols permitted by law.
(vi) A lawyer or law firm may utilize a telephone number that contains a trade name, domain name, nickname, moniker, or motto that does not otherwise violate these Rules.
(3) A lawyer or law firm that has a contractual relationship with a nonlegal professional or nonlegal professional service firm pursuant to Rule 5.8 to provide legal and other professional services on a systematic and continuing basis may not include in its firm name the name of the nonlegal professional service firm or any individual nonlegal professional affiliated therewith.
(4) A lawyer who assumes a judicial, legislative or public executive or administrative post or office shall not permit the lawyer's name to remain in the name of a law firm or to be used in professional notices of the firm during any significant period in which the lawyer is not actively and regularly practicing law as a member of the firm and, during such period, other members of the firm shall not use the lawyer's name in the firm name or in professional notices of the firm.
(c) Lawyers shall not hold themselves out as having a partnership with one or more other lawyers unless they are in fact partners.
(d) A partnership shall not be formed or continued between or among lawyers licensed in different jurisdictions unless all enumerations of the members and associates of the firm on its letterhead and in other permissible listings make clear the jurisdictional limitations on those members and associates of the firm not licensed to practice in all listed jurisdictions; however, the same firm name may be used in each jurisdiction.
History
Amended New York State Register July 15, 2020/Volume XLII, Issue 28, eff. 7/15/2020
Provenance
- Source
- law.cornell.edu
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-17
- Edition
- 2026-09-17
- Content hash
6b9da9313b954fc473744fa14d1019f725b416136285239a99f6e3443b804083
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