Hiring a Business Lawyer in Mississippi
How to form an LLC in Mississippi, 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 Mississippi: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Contingent fees are allowed except where Rule 1.5(d) or other law prohibits them. The agreement must be in writing and state how the fee is figured, including percentages on settlement, trial or appeal, the litigation and other expenses deducted from the recovery, and whether expenses come out before or after the fee is calculated. At the end, the lawyer must give a written statement of the outcome and the client's share. Contingent fees are banned for criminal defendants and for domestic relations fees contingent on a divorce or the amount of alimony, support or property settlement. |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The Mississippi Bar's Fee Dispute Resolution Committee offers free mediation or arbitration of fee disagreements between clients and lawyers (and between lawyers). It is voluntary: each side must separately agree, and the consent form must be returned within 15 days or the matter is closed. Mediation is non-binding unless the parties sign an agreement (enforceable in court); arbitration produces a decision binding on both sides. Fee disputes involving a rule violation go through the grievance process instead. |
Mississippi rules to know first
| How to form an LLC | A Mississippi LLC is formed by filing a Certificate of Formation with the Secretary of State. Filings are made through the Secretary of State's online business filing system after creating a user account; payment can be made online by credit card, e-check or ACH, or the form can be completed online, printed and mailed with a check. The office says paper filings take significantly longer to process than online filings. Filed or rejected documents are returned by email; some online filings are approved immediately, and those that need staff review should be returned within 24 hours of submission. |
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| LLC filing fee | The filing fee for a Certificate of Formation of a Mississippi LLC is $50. Fee from the Secretary of State's Services & Fees Schedule (revised October 2024). |
| Registered agent | Any individual, corporation or LLC may act as registered agent for a Mississippi company if the agent has a physical address in Mississippi. A company using a noncommercial registered agent must obtain the agent's permission before listing the agent on forms filed with the Secretary of State. A Registered Agent/Office Statement of Change costs $10, and a registered agent's change of address costs $10 per company. |
| Annual report | Under Mississippi law, all limited liability companies operating in Mississippi must file an Annual Report with the Secretary of State. The report can be filed on or after January 1 and is due by April 15 of that year, and it must be filed online. There is no fee for the annual report of a Mississippi LLC; the annual report of a foreign LLC is $250. Failure to file the annual report may result in administrative dissolution; reinstatement of a Mississippi LLC costs $50 (foreign LLC $100). |
| Operating agreement | The Secretary of State says the members of an LLC should develop an operating agreement to govern the company, although one is not required by law. |
| Closing an LLC | A Mississippi LLC is dissolved by filing a Certificate of Dissolution with the Secretary of State; the fee is $50. A foreign LLC files a Certificate of Cancellation ($25). A Certificate of Revocation of Dissolution costs $25. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Mississippi Bar does not run a lawyer referral service; its Consumer Assistance Program "does not maintain referral lists of Mississippi attorneys" and cannot recommend a specific attorney. The Bar offers an online Find a Lawyer directory of Mississippi attorneys (msbar.reliaguide.com) and a How to Select a Lawyer guide; the Consumer Assistance Program, (601) 948-2344, can suggest websites for locating an attorney. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Mississippi Bar's Office of General Counsel, at (601) 948-0568, can confirm a Mississippi lawyer's current status and whether the lawyer has received public discipline (public reprimand, suspension or disbarment). Other information cannot be released without the lawyer's signed release. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | To file a grievance against a Mississippi lawyer, first contact the Mississippi Bar's Consumer Assistance Program at (601) 948-2344 (weekdays 8 a.m.-5 p.m.) or PO Box 2168, Jackson, MS 39225-2168. If warranted, CAP sends a grievance form to complete and return to the Bar's Office of General Counsel. Grievances generally must be filed within three years after discovering the misconduct, except those involving dishonesty or mishandling of funds. The Committee on Professional Responsibility meets four times a year and notifies you in writing within a month of its decision; outcomes include informal admonition, private or public reprimand, or a formal complaint to the Supreme Court. Complainants cannot appeal or withdraw a grievance. Public discipline can be confirmed by calling the Office of General Counsel at (601) 948-0568. |
All legal help in Mississippi · 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.