Definitions

As used in this chapter: (1) “Professional service” means any type of service to the public that requires that members of a profession rendering such service obtain a license or other legal authorization as a condition precedent to the rendition thereof, limited to the professional services rendered by dentists, naturopaths, chiropractors, physicians and surgeons, physician assistants, doctors of dentistry, physical therapists, occupational therapists, podiatrists, optometrists, nurses, nurse-midwives, veterinarians, pharmacists, architects, professional engineers, or jointly by architects and professional engineers, landscape architects, real estate brokers, insurance producers, certified public accountants and public accountants, land surveyors, psychologists, attorneys-at-law, licensed marital and family therapists, licensed professional counselors and licensed clinical social workers. (2) “Professional corporation” means (A) a corporation that is organized under this chapter for the sole and specific purpose of rendering professional service and that has as its shareholders only individuals who themselves are licensed or otherwise legally authorized to render the same professional service as the corporation, (B) a corporation that is organized under this chapter for the sole and specific purpose of rendering professional services rendered by members of two or more of the following professions: Psychology, marital and family therapy, social work, nursing, professional counseling and psychiatry and that has as its shareholders only individuals who themselves are licensed or otherwise legally authorized to render one of the professional services for which the corporation was specifically incorporated, (C) a corporation that is organized under this chapter for the sole and specific purpose of rendering professional services by physicians specializing in ophthalmology and optometrists and that has as its shareholders only individuals who themselves are licensed or otherwise legally authorized to render one of the professional services for which the corporation was specifically incorporated, (D) a corporation that is organized under this chapter for the sole and specific purpose of rendering professional services by (i) physicians, and (ii) physician assistants or advanced practice registered nurses, or both, and that has as its shareholders only individuals who themselves are licensed or otherwise legally authorized to render one of the professional services for which the corporation was specifically incorporated, (E) a corporation that is organized under this chapter for the sole and specific purpose of rendering professional services by physicians and chiropractors and that has as its shareholders only individuals who themselves are licensed or otherwise legally authorized to render one of the professional services for which the corporation was specifically incorporated, (F) a corporation that is organized under this chapter for the sole and specific purpose of rendering professional services by physicians and psychologists and that has as its shareholders only individuals who themselves are licensed or otherwise legally authorized to render one of the professional services for which the corporation was specifically incorporated, or (G) a corporation which is organized under this chapter for the sole and specific purpose of rendering professional services by physicians and podiatrists and that has as its shareholders only individuals who themselves are licensed or otherwise legally authorized to render one of the professional services for which the corporation was specifically incorporated. (3) “Shareholder” means the holder of any shares of the capital stock of a professional corporation. The shareholders of a professional corporation may be designated as “members” in its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and other corporate documents and may be referred to, for all purposes, as “members”, whether or not so designated; and the term “shareholder” or “shareholders”, when used in the general statutes in reference to the shareholders of a professional corporation, shall include such “members”.