Oregon Legal Research Blog
Ordinary people (non-attorneys) often ask law librarians the most complex legal questions and expect answers. It’s a mystery. We show people how to fish – we don’t give them fish. If you want fish, call an attorney. (It’s ok – I won’t take this overused analogy much further, but it is a useful one, though putting fish in the same sentence with lawyers is not a little risky.)
Now about those LLCs … If you want to research LLCs, you have lots of options. I’m listing them here because sometimes when talking to a library patron I always manage to leave one out. I’m going to list the resources here and give readers a chance to add to the list if I’ve missed anything.
I. The Oregon Secretary of State Corporation Division
II. Small Business Administration (Oregon local office)
III. Your local public library: many public libraries have excellent collections of books and online information for small business owners and future owners. In my part of the state, your best public library business collections, and subject specialist librarians, are at the Beaverton and the Multnomah County Central public libraries.
IV. If you live in the Portland Metro Area (aka PoMA), you can consult with the attorneys at the Lewis & Clark Law School Small Business Legal Clinic.
V. If you want to continue your research, and learn everything you can about LLC law and practice, I suggest that you visit a law library that has a good collection of materials on LLCs, many of which are not online. Oregon has a large network of county law libraries. Not all have large collections, but many have knowledgeable staff and good Oregon legal research collections.
If you don’t know where your local county law library is, please feel free to telephone my library at 503-846-8880 and we can direct you.
VI. If you decide to consult an attorney, and it is advisable that you do so before filing anything, don’t forget to visit the Oregon State Bar (OSB) web site. You will find information for businesses and links to the OSB Information and Referral Service.
VII. Here are some specific LLC legal research resources available at Oregon county law libraries:
1. Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) (in print or online)
2. United States Code (print and online): GPO Access or at Cornell.
3. Purcell, Charles, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska Limited Liability Company: Forms and Practice Manual (looseleaf service, updated regularly)
4. Oregon State Bar, Advising Oregon Businesses (a 5-volume set)
5. Various Nolo Press titles on Limited Liability Corporations (visit the Nolo Press Web site for further information), for example:
a. Form Your Own Limited Liability Company, 4th ed., Nolo Press, 2005
b. LLC or Corporation: how to choose the right form for your business, 2nd ed., Nolo Press, 2006
c. Quick LLC: All you need to now about limited liability companies, 3rd ed., Nolo Press, 2004
VII. Lots (and “lots” is an understatement) of books have been written on starting and running businesses by publishers other than Nolo and will be available in your local law or public library or book store.