Start a Professional LLP in California

Only licensed professionals may form a professional LLP in most states, including attorneys, certified public accountants, physicians, dentists, architects, and engineers. State licensing boards often must approve or be notified of the registration. Our attorneys verify your state's eligibility rules and board requirements before we file anything on your behalf.

The difference is personal exposure. In a general partnership, every partner is jointly and severally liable for the acts of every other partner. In an LLP, the statute cuts off that vicarious liability, so a partner's malpractice judgment cannot reach your home or savings. Taxation and management remain identical. Our attorneys explain both structures before you choose.

All three shield you from a colleague's malpractice, but they operate under different statutes. A professional corporation requires corporate formalities such as directors, bylaws, and minutes. A PLLC follows LLC rules. An LLP remains a partnership with pass through taxation and minimal formality. Our attorneys match the entity to your profession, your state's rules, and your exit plans.

No. No entity protects a professional from their own negligence, and any provider suggesting otherwise is misleading you. The LLP shields you from your partners' acts only, which is why we advise every client to carry malpractice insurance alongside the entity. Our attorneys explain precisely where the statutory shield begins and ends before you sign.

An LLP is a pass through entity under federal law. The partnership files an informational Form 1065 and issues each partner a Schedule K1, so income is taxed once on the partners' personal returns with no corporate level tax. Our attorneys coordinate the partnership agreement's allocation provisions with your accountant so the tax result matches your deal.

Formation is a three part legal process: registering the LLP with the state, executing a partnership agreement that governs the partners' rights, and satisfying your profession's licensing requirements. Our attorneys prepare all three for one flat fee plus state fees, and state fees are included in every state except Nevada, where they are added separately.

Yes. The partnership agreement is the document a court reads first when partners dispute profits, authority, or withdrawal. Without one, your state's default partnership act controls outcomes you never chose. Our attorneys draft capital, allocation, admission, withdrawal, and dissolution provisions tailored to your practice as part of every LLP formation.