Las Vegas Sun

November 14, 2009

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Judge throws out rule on law firm trade names

Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2002 | 10:51 a.m.

A federal judge in Las Vegas has rejected as unconstitutional a rule imposed by the State Bar of Nevada that prevented law firms from operating under trade names, a newspaper reported.

In Business Las Vegas, a sister newspaper to the Las Vegas Sun, Friday reported the ruling was a victory for attorney Herbert Michel Jr., who operates using the names "Your Legal Power" and "Su Poder Legal."

Michel Jr. filed a U.S. District court lawsuit on Sept. 3 challenging rules against the use of trade names. The State Bar defended the rule, saying the state has been plagued by the practice of law by non-lawyers who operate using trade names.

U.S. District Judge Philip Pro ruled that banning trade names violates the First Amendment guarantee of free speech and noted other rules remain in place to allow for the prosecution of those illegally practicing law.

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