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Partnerships: Requirements to Create and Verify

By Adrienne Hersh, JD, ICS Legal Counsel · May 1, 20195 min read
People shaking hands
partnership concept with business man and woman hand shake and take agreement in modern office interior
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Editor's Note: This is a portion of a full article on how to form and license different entities. Members may access the full article here. To read a more in-depth discussion on the differences between the entities, click here.

Because a partnership exists on its own based on the parties’ intent and behavior, no filing is required with the Secretary of State to form a partnership (similarly to a sole proprietorship), whether or not the partners have a written agreement. Nonetheless, in contrast to a sole proprietorship, a partnership is considered a legal entity that is distinct from its owners. Therefore, a partnership may conduct business, own property or sue in its own name. For example, Susie Smith, D.C. & John Jones, D.C. may open bank accounts and sign a lease under that partnership name. Either one of the partners is authorized to enter into business agreements on behalf of the partnership.

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About the Author

Adrienne serves as Illinois Chiropractic Society general counsel and provides legal advice and support on a wide range of legal issues affecting chiropractic physicians, including licensing and other health care regulations, scope of practice, insurance and reimbursement, business structuring, labor and employment, contracts, and litigation. Adrienne previously served for 8 years as general counsel to the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation (now the Division of Professional Regulation, Department of Financial and Professional Regulation), where she was chief legal counsel responsible for overseeing all legal issues and advising the 50+ licensing and disciplinary boards, including the Medical Disciplinary Board and the Medical Licensing Board. She is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association Health Care Section, the Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys, and the National Association of Chiropractic Attorneys.

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