Los Angeles Business Lawyer
Form the company correctly, put the deals in writing, and have counsel ready when a partner or vendor stops performing.
SARI LAW FIRM represents Los Angeles founders, owners, and growing companies on entity formation, operating agreements, commercial contracts, and business disputes.
Serving Los Angeles County from our Irvine office. Video consultations available. In-person meetings in Irvine or by appointment.
Choosing a Business Structure
The entity you choose decides who is personally liable, how profits are taxed, and how easily you can bring in partners or investors later. Forming it is a filing with the California Secretary of State. Running it correctly is what keeps the liability protection in place.
LLC
Flexible management and pass-through taxation by default. The operating agreement sets ownership, voting, and exit terms. Without one, California's default rules apply, and they rarely match what the members intended.
Corporation
Shares, a board, and officers. The standard choice when you plan to raise venture capital or grant stock options. Can elect S-corp tax treatment if the shareholders qualify.
Ongoing filings: Most California LLCs and corporations owe the $800 annual minimum franchise tax. LLCs file a Statement of Information every two years, corporations every year. Missed filings can lead to penalties and suspension.
Business Matters We Handle for Los Angeles Companies
Los Angeles companies range from two-founder startups to family businesses in their second generation. The work we see most often:
- Forming an LLC or corporation
Articles, EIN, Statement of Information, and an operating agreement or bylaws written for your actual ownership.
- Partner and co-founder agreements
Equity splits, vesting, decision rights, and what happens when someone leaves. Settled in writing before it becomes a dispute.
- Commercial contracts
Vendor, customer, services, and distribution agreements drafted or reviewed before you sign, with the payment, termination, and liability terms that matter.
- Disputes with partners, vendors, or customers
Unpaid invoices, broken agreements, and partner deadlock. We assess the contract and your options before positions harden.
- Cleaning up an existing company
Missing operating agreements, lapsed filings, undocumented ownership changes. We bring the records current before a lender, investor, or buyer asks.
Not sure which category fits? Most clients start with a short call that sorts out what needs to happen first.
How We Work With Los Angeles Businesses
Most engagements start small and specific. We fix the immediate issue, then flag what else needs attention.
- 01
Consultation
We learn what the business does, who owns it, and what prompted the call. You leave with a clear next step.
- 02
Scope and fee in writing
A written engagement letter sets the work and the fee before we start. Formation and standard documents are flat fee.
- 03
Drafting and filing
We prepare the documents, file with the Secretary of State or county where required, and walk you through what each one controls.
- 04
Ongoing counsel
Contract reviews, ownership changes, compliance filings, and disputes as they come up, with the same attorney who knows your company.
What to Bring to the First Call
A consultation moves faster with the basics in hand:
- The names and ownership percentages of everyone involved
- Your existing formation documents, if the company already exists
- Any contract, invoice, or letter that prompted the call
- Key dates: formation, signing, missed payments, or deadlines
- What you want the outcome to look like
Mistakes That Cost Businesses Later
- Skipping the operating agreement
Without one, California's default rules decide ownership, voting, and buyouts. Members often discover this in the middle of a dispute.
- Mixing personal and business funds
Commingling gives a creditor an argument to reach the owners personally. Separate accounts and documented transfers protect the liability shield.
- Signing a counterparty's form contract unread
Indemnity, auto-renewal, venue, and limitation-of-liability clauses are where the risk sits. They are cheapest to change before signing.
- Letting state filings lapse
A missed Statement of Information or franchise tax payment can lead to suspension, which affects the company's ability to enforce its contracts in court.
Los Angeles Business Disputes: Where They Are Heard
Formation and annual filings go to the California Secretary of State and are handled online, so where your business sits does not change them. When a business dispute goes to court, most Los Angeles cases are filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, with larger civil matters downtown at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse. Cases with a federal claim or parties from different states may go to the Central District of California. Many commercial contracts require arbitration instead, so we read the dispute clause first.
Why SARI LAW FIRM for Los Angeles Business Matters
- Formation through disputes
One firm for entity setup, contracts, trademarks, and the disputes that follow, so nothing gets lost between providers.
- Flat-fee formation
Predictable cost for entity formation and standard documents, set in writing before work begins.
- Direct access to your attorney
Plain-English answers from the attorney handling your matter, not a paralegal relay.
- Video consultations
Most business work is handled by video, phone, and email. In-person meetings are available at our Irvine office by appointment.
Talk to a Los Angeles business lawyer today. A short consultation tells you what needs to happen first.
Common Questions
Quick answers for Los Angeles businesses forming and running a company.
The questions we field most often, answered the way we would answer them on a first call.
Q.Should I form an LLC or a corporation?
Q.How long does it take to form an LLC in California?
Q.Do I need an operating agreement if I am the only member?
Q.A vendor or partner broke our contract. What should I do first?
Q.Do I need to meet in person?
Nearby Locations We Serve
Speak with a Los Angeles business attorney today.
We'll review where your company stands and give you a clear next step.