NCSB Journal Summer 2026

Subparagraph (a)(1), (a) (2) and (a) (5) of in this Rule. Th e following additional require ments shall apply to the name of a profession al corporation: (1) “Corporate Designation” Th ename of a professional corporation shall end with the following words: (A) “Professional Association” or the abbreviation “P.A.”; or (B) “Professional Corporation” or the abbreviation “P.C.” (2) “Deceased or Retired Shareholder” Th e surname of any shareholder of a profes sional corporation may be retained in the corporate name after such person’s death, retirement or inactivity due to age or dis ability, even though such person may have disposed of his or her shares of stock in the professional corporation; (3) “Disqualified Shareholder” If a share holder in a professional corporation whose surname appears in the corporate name be comes legally disqualified to render profes sional services in North Carolina or, if the shareholder is not licensed in North Car olina North Carolina , becomes legally dis qualified to render professional services in any other jurisdiction in which the share holder is licensed, the name of the profes sional corporation shall be promptly changed to eliminate the name of such shareholder, and such shareholder shall promptly dispose of his or her shares of stock in the corporation; (4) “Shareholder Becomes Judge or O ffi cial” If a shareholder in a professional corporation whose surname appears in the corporate name becomes a judge or other adjudicatory o ffi cer or holds any other o ffi ce which disqualifies such shareholder to practice law, the name of the profes sional corporation shall be promptly changed to eliminate the name of such shareholder and such person shall promptly dispose of his or her shares of stock in the corporation; (5) “Trade Name Allowed” A professional corporation shall not use any name other than its corporate name, except to the extent a trade name or other name is required or permitted by statute, rule of court or the Rules of Professional Conduct. Trade names must be filed with the Register of Deeds O ffi ce in the county where the professional corpora tion exists. (b) “Name of Professional Limited

Liability Company” Th e name of every pro fessional limited liability company shall con tain the surname of one or more of its mem bers or one or more persons who were asso ciated with its immediate corporate, individ ual, partnership, or professional limited lia bility company predecessor in the practice of law and shall not contain any other name, word or character (other than punctuation marks and conjunctions) except as required or permitted by Rules .0102 Subparagraph (b)(1), (b) (2) and (b) (5) of this Rule .below. Th e following requirements shall apply to the name of a professional limited liability company: (1) “Professional Limited Liability Company Designation” Th e name of a professional limited liability company shall end with the words “Professional Limited Liability Company” or the abbreviations “P.L.L.C.” or “PLLC”; (2) “Deceased or Retired Member” Th e surname of any member of a professional limited liability company may be retained in the limited liability company name after such person’s death, retirement, or inactiv ity due to age or disability, even though such person may have disposed of his or her interest in the professional limited lia bility company; (3) “Disqualified Member” If a member of a professional limited liability compa ny whose surname appears in the name of such professional limited liability company becomes legally disqualified to render professional services in North Carolina or, if the member is not licensed in North Carolina, becomes legally disqualified to render profession al services in any other jurisdiction in which the member is licensed, the name of the professional limited liability com pany shall be promptly changed to elim inate the name of such member, and such member shall promptly dispose of his or her interest in the professional lim ited liability company; (4) “Member Becomes Judge or O ffi cial” If a member of a professional limited liabil ity company whose surname appears in the professional limited liability company name becomes a judge or other adjudica toryo ffi cial or holds any other o ffi cewhich disqualifies such person to practice law, the name of the professional limited liability company shall be promptly changed to eliminate the name of such member and

specifically approved by the Board to o ff er PNA programs. To be approved as a PNA program, the program must satisfy the annual content requirements, and a sponsor must submit a detailed description of the program to the Board for approval. A sponsor may not advertise a PNA program until approved by the Board. PNA programs shall be specially designated by the Board and no program that is not so designated shall satisfy the PNA pro gram requirement for new members. ... (d) PNA Requirement. Except as provided in Rule .1517(1) of this Subchapter , each newly admitted active member of the North Carolina State Bar must complete the PNA program during the member’s first reporting period. It is strongly recommended that newly admitted members complete the PNA pro gram within their first year of admission. Proposed Amendments to the Rules Governing the Regulations for Organization Practicing Law 27 NCAC 1E, Section .0100, Section .0200 Th e proposed amendments update regis tration and compliance rules for professional law firms by requiring trade names to be recorded locally, removing disqualified shareholders from firm names, and mandat ing online filings instead of mailed submis sions. Th ey also clarify reinstatement and interstate status requirements, require certain out-of-state firms with a virtual presence in North Carolina to register, confirm exemp tions for nonprofit firms and in-state–only lawyer groups, and remove form samples. Th e formatting of 27 NCAC 01E .0103 was also changed to better align with the format ting requirements of the O ffi ce of Administrative Hearings. Rule .0102, Name of Professional Corporation or Professional Limited Liability Company (a) “Name of Professional Corporation” Th e name of every professional corporation shall contain the surname of one or more of its shareholders or of one or more persons who were associated with its immediate corporate, individual, partnership, or professional limit ed liability company predecessor in the prac tice of law and shall not contain any other name, word, or character (other than punctu ation marks and conjunctions) except as required or permitted by Rules .0102

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THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE BAR JOURNAL