Estate planning and business law attorneys often advise their clients to form a limited liability company (LLC). An LLC provides flexibility and protection from lawsuits for the LLC’s members. You can add value by helping your business-owner clients through this process. Your expertise will make a difference to the success of your clients’ businesses, especially when it comes to drafting their operating agreements. 

Piercing the corporate veil is a legal concept that involves separating the business entity from its owner, allowing the owner to be protected from personal liability for the business’s debts. The applicable law can be nebulous, and protection against personal liability may not always be available, especially if a single owner of a business uses personal funds to run the company—or uses the business’s funds for their own purposes. A recent legal case from North Dakota illustrates some of the factors that determine whether the business is operating separately or merely as the alter ego of its owner. Read on to learn more.

Limited liability companies are typically run by a sole member or some or all of its members. However, sometimes it is best for a limited liability company (LLC) to be managed by a third party nonmember manager. Keep reading to learn how to advise your business-owning clients about when to consider using a nonmember manager.