Informal Opinion Number: 980184

QUESTION: Attorney recently got married. Attorney would like to continue to practice law under Attorney´s maiden name, while conducting personal business under Attorney´s legal surname. Would this be permissible under the Rules of Professional Conduct?
ANSWER: Attorney will not violate any provision of Supreme Court Rule 4, the Rules of Professional Conduct, by continuing to use Attorney´s maiden name for professional purposes while using Attorney´s legal surname for personal matters. Attorney should ascertain that the correct name, used for professional purposes, has been provided to the Missouri Bar, the Missouri Supreme Court Clerk and the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel.

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/.

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