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How Long Does It Take a Lawyer to Draft an Operating Agreement

This page explains how long it takes for a lawyer to draft an operating agreement, based on real project data from ContractsCounsel.

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Quick Facts — Operating Agreement Lawyers

Setting up an LLC ? If so, an important document you need is an operating agreement, which governs how the business will be managed, how profits are distributed, and other important terms.

If you are setting up your LLC with partners, we would recommend having a professionally drafted operating agreement to make sure there are no disputes in the future.

To help you plan, we analyzed hundreds of operating agreement projects in the ContractsCounsel platform to determine the average turnaround time for drafting.

Average Turnaround Time

The average turnaround time to draft an operating agreement is 3 to 4 business days.

If a single member LLC with a simple structure, the draft is often delivered in 1 to 2 days.

For multi-member LLCs that have custom terms, it may take 4 to 5 business days.

What Affects Turnaround Time?

The turnaround time to draft an operating agreement depends on several factors:

  • Single member vs multi-member LLC
  • Complexity of terms and required customization
  • Number of revisions rounds a client may request
  • Client preparation on the terms they want in the agreement
  • Whether a kick-off call is scheduled with the client to go over terms

Clients who are prepared with full details upfront typically get drafts delivered sooner.

Tips to Speed Up the Process

  • Upon hiring, fill out the client intake form completely
  • Review common terms included in LLC operating agreements and discuss them with your business partners
  • Ask the lawyer for a delivery date upfront and hold them accountable
  • Choose a lawyer that specializes in LLC law with experience in business formation

Real-World Example:

A three-member LLC posted a project to draft a custom operating agreement with member buyout provisions. The project received eight proposals within 24 hours. The selected lawyer delivered a first draft in three business days and finalized the agreement after one round of edits - all within a 6-day timeline.

Need Help Drafting an Operating Agreement?

Post your project on ContractsCounsel and get matched with experienced business lawyers who can draft a customized operating agreement for your LLC — quickly and at a flat rate.


ContractsCounsel is not a law firm, and this post should not be considered and does not contain legal advice. To ensure the information and advice in this post are correct, sufficient, and appropriate for your situation, please consult a licensed attorney. Also, using or accessing ContractsCounsel's site does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and ContractsCounsel.


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Licensed in DC, PA
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Kenneth E. Gray, Jr. is a business and tax attorney who advises entrepreneurs, investors, and closely held companies on transactions, tax planning, disputes, and long-term wealth structuring. He focuses on helping clients make legally sound decisions that also make business sense. Ken’s practice includes business formation and restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, private investments and fundraising transactions, contract drafting and negotiation, and cross-border matters. He also maintains a significant tax practice, advising on federal and state structuring, specialty filings (including partnership, corporate, and non-resident matters), and representing clients in disputes before the U.S. Tax Court and other federal and state tribunals. In addition to his transactional work, Ken handles commercial and business litigation, including tax controversies, financial disputes, and partnership matters. His litigation experience informs how he structures deals and governance documents, with an eye toward preventing disputes before they arise. Ken also advises individuals and families on estate planning, trust formation, tax-efficient wealth transfer strategies, and probate administration, including planning involving closely held businesses and foreign assets. Before practicing law, Ken worked in banking and private equity, including managing a $5 billion emerging markets fund-of-funds portfolio at the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and serving in equity research at ABN AMRO. That financial background allows him to understand transactions from both the legal and capital perspective. He holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and an MBA from Yale University. He practices before the U.S. Tax Court, various state courts, and other federal courts.

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"Elexius did tremendous work on our project together. It was a very complex heir assignment between three independent couples that co own a foreign property with a LLC based out of Georgia. She did rapid research and reached out to lawyers in the foreign country to understand the legal landscape, brought solutions to our challenges and helped us develop separate documents to cover both the foreign and stateside interests of the owning parties. She jumped on zoom calls and phone calls with short notice all along the way. I could not recommend her highly enough."

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See Real Operating Agreement Projects

Washington new operating or partnership agreement for a multi-member business venture Drafting
  • Washington
  • 5 lawyer bids
  • $690 - $1,500
View Details
Massachusetts Operating Agreement: Partnership Drafting
  • Massachusetts
  • 8 lawyer bids
  • $400 - $2,500
View Details
California Creating a Business Drafting
  • California
  • 5 lawyer bids
  • $800 - $1,550
View Details
Maine Contract Drafting for a yacht charter business Drafting
  • Maine
  • 2 lawyer bids
  • $850 - $1,000
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Delaware Update Operating Agreement Drafting
  • Delaware
  • 10 lawyer bids
  • $350 - $1,500
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North Carolina Review Operating agreement for an LLC Review
  • North Carolina
  • 8 lawyer bids
  • $400 - $850
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See all Operating Agreement projects

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Clients Rate Lawyers 4.9 Stars
based on 19,287 reviews
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Contracts Counsel was incredibly helpful and easy to use. I submitted a project for a lawyer's help within a day I had received over 6 proposals from qualified lawyers. I submitted a bid that works best for my business and we went forward with the project.

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I never knew how difficult it was to obtain representation or a lawyer, and ContractsCounsel was EXACTLY the type of service I was hoping for when I was in a pinch. Working with their service was efficient, effective and made me feel in control. Thank you so much and should I ever need attorney services down the road, I'll certainly be a repeat customer.

View Trustpilot Review

I got 5 bids within 24h of posting my project. I choose the person who provided the most detailed and relevant intro letter, highlighting their experience relevant to my project. I am very satisfied with the outcome and quality of the two agreements that were produced, they actually far exceed my expectations.

View Trustpilot Review

Need help with an Operating Agreement?

Create a free project posting
Clients Rate Lawyers 4.9 Stars
based on 19,287 reviews

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