Lawyers-another name change question...UPDATE

I completely understand both sides of it. Like I said, I work for a large firm and have only been practicing a year and a half -- That makes it easier for me.

I don't fault anyone for their choice to keep or change their name. It's a personal decision... and I'm so tired of hearing other people tell me not to change mine (as if it were their business!) I'd never tell anyone to do anything they don't want to do. I say go with what works for you - this is why we have options.

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Posted by Kara and Todd

I completely understand both sides of it. Like I said, I work for a large firm and have only been practicing a year and a half -- That makes it easier for me.

I don't fault anyone for their choice to keep or change their name. It's a personal decision... and I'm so tired of hearing other people tell me not to change mine (as if it were their business!) I'd never tell anyone to do anything they don't want to do. I say go with what works for you - this is why we have options.

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i totally agree!

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Posted by DiamondPipa

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Posted by Kara and Todd

I completely understand both sides of it. Like I said, I work for a large firm and have only been practicing a year and a half -- That makes it easier for me.

I don't fault anyone for their choice to keep or change their name. It's a personal decision... and I'm so tired of hearing other people tell me not to change mine (as if it were their business!) I'd never tell anyone to do anything they don't want to do. I say go with what works for you - this is why we have options.

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i totally agree!

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I just looked at the pics in your album - I think we went to law school together!!

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Posted by ssdbk

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Posted by Kara and Todd

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Posted by ssdbk

Actively using 2 different names, even if you steer clear of mixing them up, is where I see a potential ethical problem. The court, it seems, disagrees with me anyway, as do many of my attorney friends (some great lawyers, too). We all have our own ways of going beyond the minimum requrements of the ethical rules, I hope. For me, this is one of them. I could change my mind anyway.

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Oh, I DO agree with that. I think using 2 names could really confuse things and possibly cause an ethical problem.

I misunderstood your earlier post and thought you meant that changing your name both professionally and personally was a problem. That's what I plan to do, and I don't see that as a problem.

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One problem with changing my name both legally and professionally would have been that I would have had to change the name of my law firm. I am a sole practitioner. Also, I was in practice for over 12 years when I got married, most of that time in the same area of law. I would have had to start over letting the judges know who I am, etc. I could have done it but I never felt strongly about changing my name and neither did DH.

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Yes, I agree. I have been practicing over 8 years under my name and alot of my industry is done on paper. People would not know who I was with my new name. I don't want to start from scratch. I do think that their may be some confusion but not to the point of it producing an 'ethical' problem.

The woman on the phone at the second dept. stated what you do in your personal life is up to you, which I agree with.

Nevertheless, I see both sides of the argument.

For those lawyers that are recent grads it is not as important to keep your name because you are just starting to build your reputation. But for those of us that are getting married in our thirties and have invested alot into our careers starting off with a new name can be difficut.