The right business lawyer in Los Angeles for two founders building an app in Santa Monica is almost never the right one for a private equity fund buying a manufacturer in the City of Industry. Business law covers forming companies, raising money, buying and selling businesses, and keeping all of it compliant. The firm that does one well may charge far too much, or know far too little, for another.
That’s why the five firms below are organized by company stage. Each holds current 2026 rankings from Chambers USA or has a documented track record in its niche. Together, they cover the full range of business clients in Los Angeles, from first-time founders to public companies.
Running a Business in California: Essentials
These rules affect almost every company formed or operating in Los Angeles:
- LLC costs: Filing Articles of Organization costs $70. Every California LLC then owes an $800 minimum franchise tax each year, including the first year. The temporary first-year waiver applied only to LLCs formed from 2021 through 2023.
- Extra LLC fee: LLCs with higher California income pay an additional annual fee, starting at $900 once income reaches $250,000.
- Statement of Information: LLCs must file one within 90 days of formation and every two years after that.
- Federal ownership reporting: In August 2026, FinCEN finalized a rule permanently exempting U.S. companies from beneficial ownership reporting under the Corporate Transparency Act. Some foreign companies still have to report.
- Non-competes: California voids most employee non-compete agreements, so businesses rely on confidentiality agreements and trade secret law instead.
- City registration: Businesses operating within the City of Los Angeles generally need a Business Tax Registration Certificate from the Office of Finance.
For Startups and Venture-Backed Companies
1. Cooley: David Young
Cooley came to Los Angeles in 2012, opening a Santa Monica office to serve the region’s technology, digital media, and venture capital companies. David Young co-founded that office. He holds 2026 Chambers rankings for startups and emerging companies nationwide, and for venture capital in California.
He represents companies from formation through fundraising, acquisitions, and public offerings. He also advises venture firms and strategic investors. One Chambers reviewer called his Los Angeles practice “phenomenal.” In 2026, Cooley also ranks among “The Elite” for corporate and M&A work in Los Angeles.
- Ideal client: founders raising seed through growth-stage rounds
- Office: 1333 2nd Street, Suite 400, Santa Monica, CA 90401
2. Stubbs Alderton & Markiles
This San Fernando Valley firm has built a niche advising growth companies in technology, entertainment, and digital media. It holds a 2026 Chambers Band 1 ranking among highly regarded corporate and M&A firms in Los Angeles, a ranking it has held for four years.
From 2013 until it announced the program’s closing in 2025, the firm ran the Preccelerator, which gave early-stage startups temporary workspace and legal support. It was an unusual commitment for a law firm, working with companies before they could afford regular legal fees. Its practice covers corporate law, venture capital, M&A, litigation, intellectual property, and entertainment deals.
- Ideal client: emerging companies that want one firm for deals, disputes, and IP
- Office: 15260 Ventura Boulevard, 20th Floor, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
3. Massumi + Consoli: Peter Massumi
Peter Massumi and Anthony Consoli left Kirkland & Ellis to start a boutique focused on a part of the market big firms often price out of reach: middle-market mergers and private equity deals. The firm is now about a decade old. Chambers ranks it in Band 1 among highly regarded corporate and M&A firms in Los Angeles.
Clients have included Oaktree Capital Management and Monogram Capital Partners. Legal 500 reported that the group added nine new clients in a single year, including Japan’s Asahi Kasei. Massumi leads the Los Angeles office with partners Michael Young and Daniel Dubelman, while Consoli works from Dallas.
- Ideal client: private equity funds and owners selling or buying established companies
- Office: Los Angeles and Dallas
4. Gibson Dunn
Gibson Dunn opened in Los Angeles in 1890 and still runs its original office downtown, now with more than 280 lawyers and the chairs or co-chairs of 22 of the firm’s practice groups. Its work covers capital markets, corporate governance, investment funds, tax, and real estate, along with deals in film, television, music, games, and technology. The office also includes two former U.S. Attorneys, which helps when a transaction draws regulatory or government scrutiny. For a company preparing an IPO or a board facing a hostile bid, that range under one roof is the main reason to pay big-firm rates.
- Ideal client: public companies and large private businesses handling major transactions
- Office: 333 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90071
5. Latham & Watkins
Dana Latham and Paul Watkins founded their firm in Los Angeles in 1934. It has grown into one of the largest law firms in the world, with more than 3,500 lawyers and $8.3 billion in 2025 revenue. Its Los Angeles office is home base for the firm’s Southern California corporate, finance, tax, and private equity lawyers, as well as its entertainment, sports, and media practice.
That mix fits Los Angeles well. Many of the region’s largest deals involve studios, music catalogs, sports teams, or streaming businesses, where corporate, financing, and media expertise overlap. For a smaller company, though, a firm of this size usually makes sense only for a transaction large enough to justify its rates.
- Ideal client: major M&A, private equity, financing, and media transactions
- Office: 10250 Constellation Boulevard, Suite 1100, Los Angeles, CA 90067
Downtown vs. Century City: Where LA’s Deal Lawyers Work
Los Angeles’s two most famous homegrown law firms show how the city’s business center has shifted. Gibson Dunn has kept its original office downtown since 1890. Latham & Watkins, also founded in Los Angeles, now runs its LA office from a tower on Constellation Boulevard in Century City, closer to the entertainment companies, investment firms, and family offices of the Westside.
Startup-focused firms have spread out even further, with Cooley in Santa Monica and Stubbs Alderton & Markiles in Sherman Oaks. When choosing a business lawyer, location isn’t everything. Still, a firm close to your industry tends to know its people, deal terms, and investors.
What to Ask Before Hiring a Business Lawyer
Business lawyers bill very differently depending on firm size, so ask these questions in the first meeting:
- Who will do the work? A partner may win your business, while associates handle the documents.
- Do you offer fixed fees? Many firms quote flat fees for company formation or financing documents.
- Will you defer fees? Some startup-focused firms defer part of their fees until a company raises money.
- How many deals like mine have you closed? A $5 million acquisition and a $500 million one require different skills.
This content is general information, not legal advice. Business and tax rules depend on your company’s facts, so speak with a licensed California attorney.
Business Law Questions LA Owners Ask
Q1. Do I need a lawyer to form an LLC in California?
A: No. You can file online with the Secretary of State. A lawyer helps with operating agreements, multiple owners, investors, or tax planning that could cause problems later.
Q2. How much does a business lawyer cost in Los Angeles?
A: Solo practitioners may charge a few hundred dollars an hour, while large-firm partners often charge over $1,000. Many firms offer flat fees for common work like formations.
Q3. Do California LLCs still pay the $800 tax in the first year?
A: Yes. The first-year exemption applied only to LLCs formed from 2021 through 2023. New LLCs in 2026 owe the $800 minimum franchise tax.
Q4. Do LA businesses still need to file a beneficial ownership report?
A: Most don’t. FinCEN’s August 2026 final rule permanently exempted U.S. companies. Certain foreign companies registered to do business in the U.S. must still report.
