117 N.J.L.J. 259
February 27, 1986
OPINION 581
Use of "J.D." on the Business
Card of a Non-Practicing Lawyer
The inquirer, who has been admitted to practice law in New
Jersey, is currently employed as an Account Executive for a
securities firm. The inquirer is not employed as an attorney. As an
Account Executive, the inquirer is licensed to sell securities,
annuities, and insurance as a commission salesperson. She asks
whether she may include the educational designation "J.D." on her
business card.
This issue was raised before the American Bar Association's
Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility in
Informal Opinion 993 (1967) where the committee permitted an
attorney, who was working as a full-time governmental employee in
a non-legal capacity, to use the initials "J.D." after his name on
his governmental letterhead. Informal Opinion 1064 (1968), in
discussing Informal Opinion 993, recognized that a problem would
exist if the activity being done by the person would be considered
the practice of law if done by a lawyer, even though it could
legally and properly be done by a layman.
In Formal Opinion 321 (1969), the aforementioned American Bar
Association Standing Committee concluded that "degree designations
are not appropriate on letterheads, cards, shingles, telephone or
other directories" with the following exceptions: (1) "a reputable
law list"; (2) on "personal stationery or cards not showing him as
a lawyer or showing his law office address, but simply identifying
him and his degree"; (3) by "persons in the academic community or
persons who have left the practice of law"; and, (4) in dealing
"with lawyers or others in countries where the rules are different
and where it is appropriate for a lawyer of that country to utilize
his degree designation and be called 'Doctor.'"
Our Opinion 321, 98 N.J.L.J. 977 (1975) - not to be confused
with Opinion 321 cited in the foregoing paragraph - was decided
under the superseded Disciplinary Rules of the Code of Professional
Responsibility and spoke of the "growing trend toward approving the
use of degrees and the title 'Doctor' by lawyers." The question
submitted in our Opinion 321 was: "Is it proper for an attorney
with a J.D. degree, who is on the faculty at one of the New Jersey
State Colleges, to use the title Doctor before his name, solely in
connection with his academic position?" Pointing out that we were
dealing with a lawyer solely in connection with his position as a
faculty member at a college, we rendered an opinion "that the
inquirer may ethically use his 'J.D.' degree and the title 'Doctor'
limited strictly, however, to his academic position."
In our Opinion 461, 106 N.J.L.J. 221 (1980) decided after the
enactment of DR 2-102(E), we found that "a lawyer is now permitted
to use the degree 'J.D.' and the title 'Doctor' in connection with
his practice." It was unnecessary to decide whether permission to
use the "J.D." designation is restricted to those who are currently