Form the company the right way.
Entity choice, California filings, and the governing documents that make the company real — set up so it still works when you hire, raise, or sell.
Business Formation, item by item.
Every engagement is scoped to what you actually need. These are the matters Eight Law handles most often in this area.
Entity choice
The structure that fits how you'll operate, pay taxes, and raise money.
- LLC or corporation, and what each means for ownership and governance
- Tax treatment considered alongside your CPA
- Where to form, and registering to do business in California
- Single-owner, co-founder, and family business set-ups
California filings
The state paperwork, filed correctly the first time.
- Articles of Organization (LLC) or Articles of Incorporation
- Designation of an agent for service of process
- Initial Statement of Information
- Name considerations before you file
Governing documents
The internal rules the state doesn't file — but everyone relies on.
- Operating agreement for an LLC
- Bylaws for a corporation
- Initial organizational consents and officer appointments
- Stock or membership interest issuance and ledgers
After formation
A clean start and a calendar so nothing lapses.
- Post-formation checklist: EIN, bank resolutions, records
- Compliance calendar for state filings and annual tax
- Converting an LLC to a corporation when the time comes
- Review of a company you already formed online
Signs it's time to call.
How it's billed
Formation is usually a defined project, so it's typically quoted as a flat fee covering the filings and governing documents agreed in the scope. State filing fees and taxes are separate and paid to the state.
- You're starting a business and haven't filed anything yet
- You formed an LLC online and aren't sure it's set up right
- You have co-owners and need an operating agreement or bylaws
- You plan to raise money and want the right entity from the start
- You're converting from an LLC to a corporation
What working together looks like.
Direct access to your attorney at every step — no hand-offs, and scope and fees agreed in writing before work begins.
- 01
Discovery call
Your plans, co-owners, timeline, and funding goals.
- 02
Recommendation
Entity type and structure explained in plain English.
- 03
Filings & documents
State filings submitted and governing documents drafted for review.
- 04
Organized & handed off
Signed documents, records, and a compliance calendar.
Should I form an LLC or a corporation?
What does California charge to form and keep a company?
Can you fix a company I formed with an online service?
Do operating agreements and bylaws get filed with the state?
Read before you call.
LLC vs. Corporation in California: How to Choose
A plain-English comparison of California LLCs and corporations: liability, taxes, the $800 minimum tax, state filings, governance, and raising money.
Read the guide FormationHow to Form an LLC in California, Step by Step
The steps to form a California LLC: name, Articles of Organization ($70), operating agreement, EIN, Statement of Information, and the $800 annual tax.
Read the guideRelated services.
Let's build something that lasts.
Tell us where your business is headed. We'll tell you what it takes, legally, to get there.