LLC Operating Agreement — forming LLC for freelance business

Has anyone dealt with something like this? I'm not sure what my options are.

forming LLC for freelance business. I've been dealing with this for about 9 weeks now and the situation isn't improving.

I have already tried to resolve this directly but the other party is not cooperating.

Should I hire a lawyer for this or try to handle it myself?

I work in this industry and unfortunately this is very common. The good news is that when people actually push back with legal representation, companies usually settle.

Colorado attorney here — the advice above is solid. Let me add some legal nuance:

Veil piercing risk is real for SMLLCs. Colorado courts apply the Micciche v. Billings factors: commingling of funds, failure to maintain separate records, undercapitalization, and disregard of LLC formalities. An operating agreement is Exhibit A of "formalities" — it's your first line of defense if someone sues you personally for an LLC obligation.

Key clauses every freelancer SMLLC operating agreement needs:

1. Purpose clause — keep it broad ("any lawful business") so you're not boxed in
2. Management clause — state that you, as sole member, have full management authority
3. Capital contributions — document the initial $5K and state whether additional contributions are required
4. Distributions — state that you can take distributions at any time at your discretion (important for S-Corp election if you go that route)
5. Dissolution clause — what happens if you die, become incapacitated, or just want to shut down
6. Indemnification clause — protects you in your capacity as manager from LLC liabilities

One thing people miss: keep minutes or written records of major decisions, even as a sole member. If you decide to take on a $50K project, buy equipment over $5K, or sign a lease — write a one-paragraph "Member Resolution" and file it with your operating agreement. Courts look at this when assessing whether you treated the LLC as a real entity.

For a solo freelancer at $120K revenue, a template-based operating agreement is fine. You don't need $500 worth of custom drafting unless you're planning to bring on partners, take on investors, or have unusual IP ownership questions.