Hiring a Business Lawyer in Michigan
How to form an LLC in Michigan, the state fees and yearly filings, how to check a lawyer's license, and the state bar's fee rules. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Michigan: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | A contingent fee is allowed except where Rule 1.5(d) or other law prohibits it. The agreement must be in writing and state how the fee will be determined; at the end, the lawyer must give a written statement of the outcome and, if there is a recovery, the client's share and how it was figured. Michigan Court Rule 8.121 adds requirements for some contingent fee agreements. Lawyers may not charge a criminal defendant a contingent fee, or charge a domestic relations fee contingent on securing a divorce or on the amount of alimony, support or property settlement, or based on the lawyer's success, results obtained, value added or any factor that leaves the client unable to discern how the fee is determined. |
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| If a lawyer takes your money | The State Bar of Michigan Client Protection Fund reimburses clients harmed by a lawyer's dishonest conduct, such as theft or embezzlement of estate, trust or settlement funds, or failing to return unearned fees; it does not cover malpractice, negligence, fee disputes or consequential damages. Limits: $150,000 per claimant and $375,000 for all claims against one attorney (prorated if exceeded). File within two years after the loss or six months after discovery, whichever is later (or within one year after a discipline determination or the lawyer's death). A Request for Investigation with the Attorney Grievance Commission is part of the application. There is no filing fee; a lawyer who helps may charge no more than $250 unless the State Bar authorizes more. Contact: cpf@michbar.org, (517) 346-6354. Fund home: https://www.michbar.org/client/protectionfund |
Michigan rules to know first
| How to form an LLC | File Articles of Organization (Form 700, or Form 701 for a professional service LLC) with the Corporations Division of the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau. The articles can be submitted online (michigan.gov/corpfileonline), by mail with a check or money order, or in person. The articles must include a resident agent and registered office. The document is effective on the date filed unless a later effective date within 90 days is stated. |
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| LLC filing fee | The filing fee for Articles of Organization (Form 700) for a Michigan LLC is $50.00, nonrefundable. Optional expedited service costs extra: $50 for 24-hour service or $100 for same-day service on formation documents, with 2-hour ($500) and 1-hour ($1,000) same-day options also offered. Form 700 notes that LLCs whose initial membership interests are held mostly by veterans may qualify for a fee waiver (MCL 450.5101). |
| Registered agent | Each Michigan LLC must continuously maintain a registered office and a resident agent in Michigan. The resident agent may be an individual Michigan resident whose business office or residence is the registered office, or a Michigan or authorized foreign corporation or LLC with a business office at the registered office. To change the resident agent or registered office, file a Certificate of Change of Registered Office and/or Resident Agent (Form 520); the fee is $5.00. |
| Annual report | Every Michigan LLC (and every foreign LLC authorized in Michigan) must file an annual statement listing its resident agent and registered office by February 15 each year. An LLC formed after September 30 does not need to file on the February 15 immediately after its formation. The fee is $25.00 through September 30, 2027, and $15.00 if paid after September 30, 2027. LARA says an LLC that fails to file the annual statement is no longer in good standing after two years, and its name becomes available to other entities. |
| Operating agreement | Michigan's LLC Act defines an operating agreement as a written agreement by the member of a one-member LLC, or among all of the members of a multi-member LLC, about the LLC's affairs and the conduct of its business; it includes any such provisions in the articles of organization. LARA says the LLC's governance is set forth by the articles of organization or operating agreement. The pages read do not state that the operating agreement must be filed with LARA. |
| Closing an LLC | A Michigan LLC dissolves by filing a Certificate of Dissolution with LARA; the fee is $10.00. Form 731 is used when dissolution follows an event specified in the articles or operating agreement or a unanimous vote; Form 730 is for an LLC that has not commenced business, issued membership interests or incurred debts. LARA says a tax clearance must be requested from the Michigan Department of Treasury within 60 days of filing the dissolution, and an LLC not in good standing must first restore good standing before filing. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The State Bar of Michigan Lawyer Referral Service matches people who can afford to hire a lawyer with a participating panel lawyer; a referral assistant matches you by type of matter and area. Per the program rules (May 2023), the service "charges a $25 administrative fee" and the panelist "will provide up to a 25-minute initial consultation free of charge"; the fee is waived for residential tenants, Social Security claimants, workers' compensation claimants and personal injury plaintiffs. Hours: 8:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m., Monday-Friday. A Modest Means Program connects moderate-income people with attorneys offering reduced-cost help. Program rules: https://www.michbar.org/file/lrs/lrs-programrules.pdf |
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| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Complaints (Requests for Investigation) about Michigan lawyers go to the Attorney Grievance Commission. Anyone may file, using the AGC form or a signed letter describing the misconduct with approximate time and place and any documents (unbound, unstapled). Requests are not accepted electronically or by fax; mail them to the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission, 755 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 2100, Troy, MI 48084. Intake decides whether the lawyer must respond or dismisses (you may ask for reconsideration); after investigation the Commission may close the file, issue a consensual admonition, place the lawyer on contractual probation, or authorize formal charges before the Attorney Discipline Board, and notifies the parties in writing. A lawyer's public disciplinary record can be requested from the Commission. Phone: 313-961-6585. |
All legal help in Michigan · Background guide
Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026.
How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.