Which firm-name rule is true?

• A. Trade name not allowed
• B. A dead person may be named in the firm's name only if they worked there
• C. Disbarred lawyers may stay in the firm name
• D. Full-time public office status does not affect the firm name

Answer: (A)

Firm names must honestly identify who is practicing in the firm and not mislead the public about who provides the legal services. A pure trade name that doesn’t reveal the actual lawyers behind the firm is not allowed, which is why this statement is true. In practice, names may reflect current or former partners and certain associations, but they cannot be a vague brand that masks the lawyers. The other options run into problems: a deceased partner’s name is allowed only as part of the firm’s historical or ongoing association, not merely because they “worked there”; disbarred lawyers cannot remain named in the firm; and someone who takes full-time public office typically should not have their name used in the firm’s name because they are no longer practicing with the firm.