Hong Kong Regulations

SOLICITORS (GROUP PRACTICE) RULES - SECT 5

Name and style of group practice

(1) A group practice shall be identified by-

   (a)  a Chinese name or an English name that has been approved; or

   (b)  a Chinese name and an English name that have been approved, by the
        Council under subsection (4).

(2) The approved Chinese name (if any) of a group practice shall include the
expression "律師聯合執業事務所" and the approved English name (if
any)
of a group practice shall include the expression "Group Practice".

(3) Approval shall not be given to a name that in the opinion of the Council-

   (a)  makes reference to any expertise;

   (b)  implies that the group practice has a particular affiliation or size;

   (c)  implies that the group practice is itself a legal entity;

   (d)  is or may reasonably be regarded as being ostentatious, in bad taste,
        misleading, exploitative, deceptive, inaccurate, false, sensational,
        offensive or in any other way out of keeping with the dignity of the
        legal profession;

   (e)  is so similar to that of an existing group practice or firm as to be
        likely to be confused with it; or

   (f)  is inconsistent with any provision of the Practice Rules.

(4) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), the Council may in its discretion, on
application by 2 or more solicitors or firms who have agreed to conduct their
businesses as members of a group practice, approve or reject any proposed name
for the group practice.

(5) An approval may also specify the manner in which the name of the
group practice is to be used in conjunction with the name of each member of
the group practice.

(6) The Council may, if it thinks fit, determine that an approval previously
granted under this section in respect of a name be withdrawn and, if such a
determination is made, the approval shall cease to have effect for the purpose
of subsection (1) on the date 6 weeks from the date on which it is made or on
such later date as the Council may specify in the determination.

(7) Only a member of a group practice may use the name of the group  practice
in conjunction with his or its own name.

(8) For the purposes of these Rules, approval of the name of a group practice
granted under subsection (4) does not cease to have effect merely because an
existing group practice agreement is terminated upon the coming into effect of
another group practice agreement that supersedes it.