伦理意见254

Use of Abbreviations by Limited Liability Companies, Limited Liability Partnerships and Professional Limited Liability Companies

In light of recent legislation that has been adopted in the District of Columbia, law firms organized as limited liability companies, 有限责任合伙, or professional limited liability companies are no longer limited to using the designation, 有限责任公司,“有限责任合伙”,” or “professional limited liability company,视情况而定, as the last words of their formal name. These companies may now alternatively use the abbreviations “L.L.C.”, “L.L.P.，或者“P.L.L.C.”,分别.

适用的规则

• 规则7.1(a) (Communications Concerning a Lawyer’s Services)
• 规则7.5(a) and (b) (Firm Names and Letterheads)

调查

In 1993, this Committee adopted Opinion No. 解析:选D.C. 酒吧 members to practice in local offices of out-of-state firms that were organized under state law as “limited liability companies” or “registered 有限责任合伙.” Because these forms of business organization were foreign to this jurisdiction, 然而, the Committee concluded that the formal name under which these law firms practice must identify in full, 不仅仅是缩写, 有限责任公司形式.

既然意见No. 235被采纳, the 注册istered Limited Liability Partnership Amendment Act and the Limited Liability Company Act of 1994 have been enacted in the District of Columbia. Numerous lawyers have contacted the Committee to determine whether it remains necessary to identify their form of business organization in full or if abbreviations are now acceptable.

讨论

意见No. 235, the Committee stated “[t]here may come a time in the not too distant future when, either by District of Columbia Council action, 或以其他方式, the implications of the abbreviation ‘L.L.P.[或' L.L.C.’] will be as well understood as the implications of the historically more common abbreviations ‘P.C.'或' P '.A.’, but until that time comes we are not disposed to approve the use in the District of Columbia of the abbreviation.1993年10月, the 注册istered Limited Liability Partnership Amendment Act was enacted in the District of Columbia.¹ D.C. Code § 41-144 states that “[t]he name of a registered limited liability partnership shall contain the words ‘注册istered Limited Liability Partnership’ 或者缩写“L”.L.P.’ as the last words or letters of its name.(加重语气).

最近, 5月3日, 1994, the District of Columbia Council passed the Limited Liability Company Act of 1994.² 在维.C. 法典§29-1304, “a limited liability company name shall contain the words ‘limited liability company’ 或者缩写“L”.L.C.’(加重语气). The Limited Liability Company Act of 1994 also provided guidance for “professional limited liability companies” which are limited liability companies organized solely for the purpose of rendering professional services through its members, 经理, 或员工. 根据D.C. 法典§29-1304, a “professional limited liability company name shall contain the words ‘professional limited liability company’ 或者缩写“P”.L.L.C.’(加重语气)

In light of these recent legislative enactments, we see no reason to disallow the use of the abbreviations, “L.L.P.”, “L.L.C.，或者“P.L.L.C.” Therefore, the Committee revises its position taken in Opinion No. 235 regarding the use of abbreviations by law firms organized under limited liability statutes. A law firm so organized will satisfy the requirements of 规则 7.1(a)和7.5(a) and (b) by identifying its form of business organization either in full or by use of the appropriate abbreviation.

通过:1995年3月21日

1. 40 D.C. 注册. 5764年8月. 13, 1993)， 7477(10月. (1993年第29号)(颁布公告).
2. 41 D.C. 注册. 3010(1994年5月27日)，5138(1994年8月27日). (1994年第5号公告)(颁布公告).