Limited Liability Companies

Oregon Requirements for Foreign Entities Doing Business in the State

May 22, 2026 | Jackie Ford

Oregon has a deep consumer market, and many businesses are seeking to enter the marketplace. However, foreign corporations and other entities such as limited liability companies need permission from the state before they begin performing transactions. These entities also must fully understand their tax obligations, which typically require registering with the Oregon Department of Revenue. Although Oregon welcomes business entities from around the world and the other 49 states, it’s critical to ensure that you meet all obligations. Below, we examine some of the most significant requirements for doing business in Oregon. Contact an Oregon business lawyer from SLG for assistance with your specific situation.

Applying for Authorization

Under ORS 60.701, a “foreign” corporation (meaning any non-Oregon corporation) may not transact business in Oregon unless authorization has been granted by the Secretary of State. There are similar statues for limited liability companies and other business entities. In general, most business activity conducted in Oregon requires a formal application for authorization.

Operating Agreements for Silicon Valley LLCs: Clauses That Prevent Member Disputes

May 8, 2026 | Christian Binder

An operating agreement serves as the foundational document for a limited liability company (LLC). It functions as the equivalent of a partnership agreement. A well-crafted operating agreement should proactively address potential member disputes by clearly delineating each owner’s rights and responsibilities. It should anticipate common disputes, such as the circumstances surrounding the sale of an ownership share, retirement, or death of a member.

Structure Law Group, LLP, can draft operating agreements for your business. Speak with a Silicon Valley LLC business lawyer in a private consultation. The sooner you draft this critical document, the more protection you receive.

Operating Agreements in CA LLCs: Preventing Member Disputes

Forming an LLC in Texas

December 19, 2025 | Structure Law Group, LLP

A limited liability company (LLC) is a type of legal entity that is neither a corporation nor a partnership. An LLC is a business owned by one or more “members” who themselves can be individuals, corporations, or some other legal entity. The LLC itself protects members from personal liability for business debts. But the actual profits and losses from the LLC are “passed through” to individual members for purposes of tax reporting.

Forming an LLC in Texas is a relatively straightforward process. It is still a good idea to work with an experienced Texas limited liability company attorney at Structure Law Group who can advise you on the steps to take when getting your business started. Depending on the specific needs and goals of your business, we can tailor a structure for your new LLC that will help set you up for success.

The Certificate of Formation

Trademarks: Protecting Your Texas Business

September 12, 2025 | Structure Law Group, LLP

Every Texas business must take essential steps to protect and enforce its intellectual property rights, with trademarks and service marks being among the most critical. These marks represent your company’s brand and reputation to the world. The Austin intellectual property lawyers at Structure Law Group are here to ensure your marks are properly registered and effectively protected.

How Trademarks and Service Marks Work

A trademark or service mark is any combination of words, phrases, symbols, or designs used to identify a good or service. (A trademark refers to a good, while a service mark refers to a service.) These marks serve several critical functions, including identifying the source of the good or service and providing consumer protection against counterfeiting. However, it is important to understand that a mark does not mean that you “own” a word, phrase, or symbol. Rather, you have the right to use the mark in connection with your company’s specific goods or services.

Can You Change a Sole Proprietorship to an LLC?

November 10, 2023 | Structure Law Group, LLP

Many Californians start their own business without creating a separate legal entity. An individual who does this is known as a sole proprietor. If this describes your current setup, you may want to consider adopting a more formal structure, such as a limited liability company, as your business continues to grow. The California LLC attorneys at Structure Law Group can advise you of the risks and rewards of such a move.

Legal Liability and Tax Considerations

The benefit of being a sole proprietor is that you generally do not need to file much if any legal paperwork. Any income or losses incurred through the business is simply reported on your personal tax return at the end of the year on your IRS Schedule C.

Corporate Transparency Act

October 6, 2023 | Mark Figueiredo

As of January 1, 2024, all entities that are not exempt in California must file reports on their “beneficial ownership” with the Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). These reporting rules were part of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), which itself was enacted by Congress as part of the 2021 Department of Defense authorization bill. The Los Angeles corporate law attorneys at Structure Law Group, LLP, can advise you on your company’s obligation under the new rules and how to avoid potential regulatory issues with FinCEN.

New Requirements for Disclosing “Beneficial Owners” of Foreign and Domestic Companies

At its core, the CTA is an effort to enhance the Treasury Department’s ability to identify and take legal action against potential money laundering activities. In adopting the CTA, Congress determined that many actors involved in illegal activities like terrorist and tax fraud used “shell” companies to conceal their identities and move their illegally obtained proceeds through the U.S. financial system undetected. Given that corporation law varies from state-to-state, there were no uniform national requirements for reporting the actual or “beneficial” owners of many corporate entities.

Incorporating a Company in Texas

September 15, 2023 | Structure Law Group, LLP

Incorporating a business in Texas involves filing incorporation paperwork with the Texas Secretary of State through a fill-in-the-blank certificate of formation that can be completed with or without the help of a lawyer. The Texas Secretary of State recommends that a decision regarding the business structure is one a person should make in consultation with a Texas corporate lawyer and accountant.

An individual person, other corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), partnerships, and foreign entities can all incorporate businesses in Texas. Incorporating a business will protect the personal assets of a company’s shareholders from business obligations and debts. This article provides an overview of the steps involved in forming a Texas corporation.

Selecting a Corporate Name

How to Move Your Out-of-State LLC to California

May 5, 2023 | Structure Law Group, LLP

If you have an LLC from another state, you might wonder whether you need to move it to California. This process of conversion (also called “domestication”) does take time and effort. There are, however, important reasons why you should invest in this legal protection. The San Jose LLC attorneys at Structure Law Group are here to answer all your questions about out-of-state LLCs. Our San Jose business formation lawyers have helped many business owners find the right business entity, form their business properly, and domesticate out-of-state businesses as California LLCs. Learn more about how to move your out-of-state LLC to California properly.

How do I file paperwork to domesticate a “foreign” LLC?

The Office of the Secretary of State handles conversions of out-of-state LLCs. (The term “foreign” business refers to any business established outside of California, even if it is inside the U.S.) Forms and fees must be submitted to this office, and it is important to be sure that your paperwork is completed correctly. Errors can leave your business without LLC protection.

How to Start an LLC in Texas 2023 Guide

March 31, 2023 | Structure Law Group, LLP

One of the first steps to starting your business is forming the business entity. For a variety of reasons, a limited liability company (LLC) can be an attractive option. There are several benefits to creating an LLC, and an Texas LLC lawyer can help you take all of the necessary steps to help you take advantage of them.

If you are starting a business, one of the biggest advantages to an LLC is that it can limit your personal liability for debts the business incurs, meaning that your home and personal bank account cannot be used to pay business debts or any liabilities if you or a business partner are sued. Additionally, you may deal with less paperwork once the LLC is up and running, there may be certain tax advantages, and you have flexibility to make the LLC operate how you want it to when it comes to ownership, management, and how profits are shared and distributed amongst the owners.

Steps to Starting an LLC

Business Entity Formation and Tax Implications

March 17, 2023 | Mark Figueiredo

One of the legal services that corporate attorneys provide is advising startups with strategies to protect their long term interests. Each business entity has specific tax requirements and a San Jose business attorney can help you determine which is best for your venture. In this article, we’ll discuss specific business entities and how they’re taxed.

Sole proprietorship

A sole proprietorship is not a business entity. It’s the default state of an individual who owns a business. Those who run sole proprietorships are taxed as individuals with assets and profits. The biggest pitfall of the sole proprietorship is that you end up paying both the employee and the employer side of social security. These are typically split between employer and employee.