Legal Definitions - name partner

A name partner is an attorney whose surname is included in the official title of a law firm. These individuals are typically founding partners, long-standing senior partners, or highly influential attorneys whose contributions and reputation are significant enough to be recognized in the firm's public identity. Their name often reflects the firm's history, its core leadership, or its established brand.

• Example 1: Sarah and David, two experienced litigators, decide to leave their respective firms to start their own practice focusing on intellectual property law. They name their new firm "Chen & Rodriguez LLP." In this scenario, Sarah Chen and David Rodriguez are the name partners because their surnames form the official title of the legal practice they founded.

• Example 2: A large corporate law firm, originally known as "Sterling & Associates," decides to merge with a smaller, highly respected boutique firm led by a prominent attorney named Michael Vance. To reflect the new combined leadership and to leverage Mr. Vance's strong reputation in the mergers and acquisitions field, the firm rebrands itself as "Sterling, Vance & Partners." Here, Michael Vance becomes a name partner, signifying his integral role and influence within the newly structured firm.

• Example 3: The law firm "Thompson, Miller & Green" has been a fixture in the community for over 70 years. While Mr. Thompson and Mr. Miller retired decades ago and Mr. Green passed away, their names remain part of the firm's title. The current managing partners choose to retain these names to honor the firm's legacy and established reputation. In this case, Thompson, Miller, and Green are considered name partners, even if they are no longer actively practicing, because their names continue to define the firm's identity.