Stage 1 of 4
Open: put the company on paper first
The cheapest legal work a business ever buys is the work done before the first sale.
In the Open stage we choose the entity with you and your accountant, file it, and write the agreement that says who owns what and what happens if someone leaves. Most founders skip that last part. It is the document we are asked for most often when a founder leaves.
What it covers
Three ways to start
What each matter involves. Your quote comes in writing before any work begins.
- Quoted in writing
Formation package
Entity choice, state filing, tax ID, operating or shareholder agreement, and a first-year compliance calendar.
- Quoted in writing
Founders' agreement
Ownership, vesting, roles and what happens when a founder leaves, signed before anyone is upset.
- Quoted in writing
Licenses and registrations
City, county and state registrations, a fictitious name, and the permits your trade needs.
How it runs
From idea to filed company
- 01
Step 1: A 20-minute call
We hear the plan, the owners and the timeline, and tell you what the package covers.
- 02
Step 2: A written quote
The scope and the fee arrive by email the same week. Nothing starts until you sign it.
- 03
Step 3: Filed and explained
We file, draft and walk you through every page on a call before you sign.
Questions founders ask
LLC or corporation?
It depends on whether you plan to raise money, how you want to be taxed and how many owners there will be. We decide it with your accountant on the first call, not from a chart.
Can we form the company ourselves and have you review it?
Yes. A review of a company you filed yourself, with a new operating agreement, is quoted in writing like any other matter.
Does the fee include state filing fees?
No. Filing fees go to the state at cost and are listed separately on the quote.
Ready to file the company?
Book a free 20-minute call with Dominic Petrakis. You'll have a written quote that week.
The first call is free. It doesn't make us your lawyers; a signed engagement letter does.