A law firm name change takes coordinated filings with the state, the IRS, the bar, the courts, and your insurer, followed by a same-day switch of signage, accounts, and client-facing materials. Handle the legal filings first. Rebrand and announce once the new name is officially on record.
Check Ethics Rules Before Choosing a Name
Your new name has to clear your jurisdiction’s professional conduct rules. ABA Model Rule 7.1 bars any communication about a lawyer’s services that contains a material misrepresentation or omits facts that would make the statement misleading overall, and a firm name is a communication.1American Bar Association. Rule 7.1 Communications Concerning a Lawyer’s Services Most states also keep their own version of Rule 7.5 with specific restrictions on firm names.
The bright-line prohibitions that carry over in most jurisdictions: a firm name cannot imply a connection with a government agency or a charitable legal services organization; a lawyer holding public office cannot have their name in the firm’s title during any period when they aren’t actively practicing there; a firm cannot include a nonlawyer’s name; and lawyers may only hold themselves out as practicing in a partnership or organization when that is actually the case.2American Bar Association. Model Rule 7.5 Firm Names and Letterheads
Trade names are generally permitted, and the firm name does not have to include partner surnames. A retired or deceased partner’s name can stay when there has been genuine continuity of identity. The same truthfulness standard applies to your website domain.
File the Amendment With Your State
The formal change starts with articles of amendment (or your state’s equivalent) filed with the Secretary of State. This amends the original articles of organization or incorporation to reflect the new name. Fees vary by state, from as little as $10 to more than $150. Most states now offer online filing portals that process faster than mail, and the state issues a certificate of amendment once the change is recorded.
Approve the change internally first. Corporations need a board resolution authorizing it. LLCs typically need a member vote under their operating agreement. Document the approval and keep it in the firm’s records so there is no later dispute about authority.
If the firm will operate under a trade name different from its registered legal name, a separate assumed-name or DBA filing may be required at the state or county level. Requirements and fees for those filings vary widely. A firm with offices in multiple states also needs to update its foreign-entity registrations in each state.
Notify the IRS
A name change does not require a new Employer Identification Number. Corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietorships all keep their existing EIN when only the business name changes.3Internal Revenue Service. Do You Need a New Employer Identification Number You still have to tell the IRS.
How you notify depends on entity type and timing. If the firm hasn’t yet filed its return for the current year, check the name-change box on the appropriate form: line E, box 3 on Form 1120 for corporations; line H, box 2 on Form 1120-S for S corporations; or line G, box 3 on Form 1065 for partnerships. If the return has already been filed, send a written notice to the IRS address where the return was submitted, signed by a corporate officer for corporations or by a partner for partnerships.4Internal Revenue Service. Business Name Change
One boundary worth noting: FinCEN’s Beneficial Ownership Information reporting under the Corporate Transparency Act once required updated reports within 30 days of a name change, but as of March 2025 FinCEN exempted all entities formed in the United States from BOI reporting. Only foreign companies registered to do business in the U.S. remain subject to that 30-day deadline.5FinCEN. Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting6eCFR. 31 CFR 1010.380 – Reports of Beneficial Ownership Information
Update Your Bar Registration and Pending Cases
Each attorney in the firm needs to update their individual registration with every state bar where they hold a license. Processes vary. Some bars require a notarized petition submitted to the board of bar examiners; others accept updates through an online portal. Processing can take several weeks in some jurisdictions, so start early.
Court notifications are easy to miss. For every pending case, file a notice of the name change with the court. Federal courts generally require attorneys to update contact information through their PACER account and file a separate notice in each active case, often within five business days of the change. State courts have their own local rules with similar requirements. Missing these deadlines won’t change the substance of a case, but it creates avoidable confusion for judges, clerks, and opposing counsel.
Fix Malpractice Coverage and Bank Accounts
This is where the most consequential mistakes happen. A legal malpractice policy covers the named entity, and because these policies are claims-made (coverage depends on the policy being in force when a claim is reported, not when the alleged malpractice occurred), the exact name on the policy and the date of any change matter. Contact your carrier before the effective date of the name change. Waiting until renewal can create an ambiguity an insurer could use to contest coverage.
Financial accounts need the same attention. The firm’s operating accounts, trust accounts, and especially IOLTA accounts must be updated with the bank to reflect the new entity name. IOLTA accounts are subject to bar oversight, and a mismatch between the bar’s records and the account name invites questions. Amend vendor contracts, office leases, and any professional liability designations tied to the firm’s name as well.
Rebrand Online and in the Office
Secure the new website domain early, ideally before the public announcement. On the transition date, implement 301 redirects from the old domain to the new one so bookmarks and old business cards still reach the right site and search rankings carry over. Switch email addresses, online legal directory profiles, and social media accounts at the same time.
Physical changes need more coordination. Exterior signage, lobby directories, letterhead, business cards, and envelopes all need to reflect the new name on the effective date. If the firm is in a shared office building, give building management advance notice to update common-area directories. Schedule everything for the same day so there is no window where half the firm’s touchpoints say one thing and half say another.
Tell Clients Before the Effective Date
Current clients should hear about the name change before anyone else, and before the effective date. The duty of communication in most states’ professional conduct rules requires keeping clients reasonably informed about significant matters affecting their representation. A name change doesn’t alter the attorney-client relationship, but clients need to know so they can update their records and aren’t surprised by unfamiliar letterhead on their next invoice.
Email is fast and gives you delivery confirmation. Send digital notices a few days before the effective date. For long-standing clients and important professional contacts—referral sources, co-counsel, opposing counsel in active matters—a physical letter by first-class mail adds a level of professionalism email alone doesn’t convey.
Former clients and the broader professional network can receive the announcement through a wider distribution. Keep it brief: the new name, the effective date, and any updated contact information. People want to know what changed and whether it affects them.