(a) "Licensing authority" means the regents of the university of the state of New York or the state education department, as the case may be, in the case of all professions licensed under title eight of the education law, and the appropriate appellate division of the supreme court in the case of the profession of law.

(b) "Profession" includes any practice as an attorney and counselor-at-law, or as a licensed physician, and those professions designated in title eight of the education law.

(c) "Professional" means an individual duly authorized to practice a profession, a professional service corporation, a professional service limited liability company, a foreign professional service limited liability company, a registered limited liability partnership, a foreign limited liability partnership, a foreign professional service corporation or a professional partnership.

(d) "Professional service" means any type of service to the public that may be lawfully rendered by a member of a profession within the purview of his or her profession.

(e) "Professional service corporation" means (i) a corporation organized under article fifteen of the business corporation law and (ii) any other corporation organized under the business corporation law or under any other predecessor statute, which is authorized by, or holds a license, certificate, registration or permit issued by, the licensing authority pursuant to the education law to render professional services within this state.

(f) "Professional service limited liability company" means a limited liability company organized under this article.

(g) "Foreign professional service corporation" has the meaning given to it in subdivision (d) of section fifteen hundred twenty-five of the business corporation law.

(h) "Foreign professional service limited liability company" has the meaning given to it in subdivision (a) of section thirteen hundred one of this chapter.

(i) "Professional partnership" means (1) a partnership without limited partners each of whose partners is a professional authorized by law to render a professional service within this state, (2) a partnership without limited partners each of whose partners is a professional, at least one of whom is authorized by law to render a professional service within this state or (3) a partnership without limited partners authorized by, or holding a license, certificate, registration or permit issued by the licensing authority pursuant to the education law to render a professional service within this state.