20000142 | Office of Legal Ethics Counsel & Advisory Committee of the Supreme Court of Missouri

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Informal Opinion Number: 20000142

Rules: 4-7.1; 4-7.5

Information About Legal Services

Firm Names and Letterheads

QUESTION: Attorney is forming a new law firm. It will initially consist of at least one principal, X, and one associate. It will be an LLC, consisting only of attorneys. Can the name of the law firm be The X Group or The X Law Group. Is there any problem if eventually there was only one attorney in the firm? Is there any problem if the associate eventually becomes a partner?
ANSWER: It would be permissible for a law firm consisting of a principal and associate or two principals to be known as The X Group, L.C. It would not be permissible to use the word ´group,´ if the firm consists of only one attorney.

Informal Opinions are ethics advisory opinions issued by the Office of Legal Ethics Counsel to members of the Bar about Rule 4 (Rules of Professional Conduct), Rule 5 (Complaints and Proceedings Thereon), and Rule 6 (Fees to Practice Law) pursuant to Missouri Supreme Court Rule 5.30(c). Written summaries of select Informal Opinions are published for informational purposes as determined by the Advisory Committee of the Supreme Court of Missouri pursuant to Rule 5.30(c). Informal opinion summaries are advisory in nature and are not binding. These opinions are published as an educational service and do not constitute legal advice.

To request an Informal Opinion, please visit: http://mo-legal-ethics.org/for lawyers/requesting-an-informal-advisory-opinion/.