Can I put a paralegal's name on my firm's letterhead, and how should it be labeled?

Plain-English summary

The inquiring attorney asked whether it is proper to include the name of a "paralegal" on the firm's letterhead.

The panel took the position that the firm should follow Provisional Order No. 18, Use of Legal Assistants Guideline 7, which states that the words "legal assistant" should be used rather than "paralegal" and that the legal assistant's non-lawyer status should be clearly indicated. The panel added that the names of the attorneys should be separated from the name of the legal assistant.

Currency note

This opinion was issued in 1992, after the Rhode Island Supreme Court adopted the Model Rules of Professional Conduct effective November 15, 1988, and it applies Provisional Order No. 18 governing the use of legal assistants as it then stood. The Rhode Island Supreme Court later revised the Rules of Professional Conduct in 2007 as part of the nationwide Ethics 2000 process, and the guidelines and terminology for non-lawyer staff have since evolved. Subsequent rule amendments or later opinions may have changed the analysis. Treat this page as historical context, not current guidance. Verify against current rules before relying on any specific requirement mentioned here.

Common questions

Q: Can a non-lawyer's name go on the firm letterhead at all?

A: Per the opinion, yes, following Provisional Order No. 18's Guideline 7, provided the non-lawyer status is clearly indicated.

Q: Should the letterhead say "paralegal" or "legal assistant"?

A: Per the opinion, the words "legal assistant" should be used rather than "paralegal."

Q: How should the name be placed?

A: Per the opinion, the names of the attorneys should be separated from the name of the legal assistant.

Background and rules framework

The opinion does not turn on a numbered Rule of Professional Conduct; it applies Provisional Order No. 18, the Rhode Island Supreme Court's guidelines on the use of legal assistants, specifically Guideline 7. The panel's directions, the "legal assistant" label, a clear non-lawyer designation, and separation from the attorneys' names, all serve to prevent the letterhead from misleading the public about who is and is not a lawyer.

Citations and references

Rules of Professional Conduct:

• None cited. The panel applied Provisional Order No. 18 (Use of Legal Assistants), Guideline 7.

Statutes:

• None cited.

Cases:

• None cited.

Other opinions cited:

• None cited.

See also

• RI EAP Op. 91-42: A Non-Lawyer Paralegal's Name May Not Appear Among the Attorneys on Firm Materials
• RI EAP Op. 91-64: An Out-of-State Bar Member Ineligible in RI, Listed as a "Legal Assistant"
• RI EAP Op. 88-04: A Non-Lawyer Graduate on Firm Letterhead

Source

• Landing page: https://www.courts.ri.gov/attorney-resources/Pages/Ethics-Advisory-Panel-default.aspx
• Original PDF: https://www.courts.ri.gov/Opinions/EAP%2092-06.pdf

Original opinion text

Best-effort transcription from a scanned PDF. Minor errors may remain; the linked PDF is authoritative.

DIGEST OF ETHICS ADVISORY PANEL
Opinion #92-6, Request #212
Issued January 14, 1992

An attorney seeks Panel advice as to whether or not it is proper to include the name of a "paralegal" on the firm's letterhead.

The Panel takes the position that the firm should follow Provisional Order No. 18 - Use of Legal Assistants Guideline 7, which states that the words "legal assistant" should be used rather than "paralegal" and the legal assistant non-lawyer status is clearly indicated. Also, the Panel believes that the names of the attorneys should be separated from the name of the legal assistant.