Washington LLC Sample Operating Agreement

LLC Sample Operating Agreement

OPERATING AGREEMENT

OF

A WASHINGTON LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

THIS OPERATING AGREEMENT ("Agreement") is entered into the day of , 20 , by and between the following persons:

1.

2.

3.

4.

hereinafter, ("Members" or “Parties”).

FOR VALUABLE CONSIDERATION, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Parties covenant, contract and agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

1. Formation of LLC. The Parties have formed a Washington limited liability company named ("LLC"). The operation of the LLC shall be governed by the terms of this Agreement and the provisions of the Washington Limited Liability Company Act (Revised Code of Washington, Title 25, Chapter 25.15) hereinafter referred to as the "Act". To the extent permitted by the Act, the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall control if there is a conflict between such Law and this Agreement. The Parties intend that the LLC shall be taxed as a partnership. Any provisions of this Agreement, if any, that may cause the LLC not to be taxed as a partnership shall be inoperative.

2. Certificate of Formation. The Members acting through one of its Members, , filed a Certificate of Formation, ("Certificate") for record in the office of the Washington Secretary of State on , thereby creating the LLC.

3. Business. The business of the LLC shall be:

a)

and

b) To conduct or promote any lawful businesses or purposes within Washington or any other jurisdiction which a limited liability company is legally allowed to conduct or promote.

4. Registered Office and Registered Agent. The registered office and place of business of the LLC shall be and the registered agent at such office shall be . The Members may change the registered office and/or registered agent from time to time.

5. Duration. The LLC will commence business as of the date of filing and will continue in perpetuity.

6. Fiscal Year. The LLC's fiscal and tax year shall end December 31.

ARTICLE II

MEMBERS

7. Initial Members. The initial members of the LLC, their initial capital contributions, and their percentage interest in the LLC are:

8. Additional Members. New members may be admitted only upon the consent of a majority of the Members and upon compliance with the provisions of this agreement.

ARTICLE III

MANAGEMENT

9. Management. The Members have elected to manage the LLC as follows (check as appropriate):

The management of the LLC shall be vested in the Members without an appointed manager. The members shall elect officers who shall manage the company. The President and Secretary may act for and on behalf of the LLC and shall have the power and authority to bind the LLC in all transactions and business dealings of any kind except as otherwise provided in this Agreement.

The Members hereby delegate the management of the LLC to Manager(s), subject to the limitations set out in this agreement.

a) The Members shall elect and may remove the Manager(s) by majority vote.

b) A Manager shall serve until a successor is elected by the Members.

c) The Manager(s) shall have the authority to take all necessary and proper actions in order to conduct the business of the LLC.

d) Except for decisions concerning distributions, any Manager can take any appropriate action on behalf of the LLC, including, but not limited to signing checks, executing leases, and signing loan documents.

e) In determining the timing and total amount of distributions to the Members, the action of the Manager shall be based on a majority vote of the Managers, with or without a meeting.

f) The compensation to the Manager(s) shall be in the discretion of the majority of the Members of the LLC.

g) There shall be initial Managers.

h) The initial Manager(s) is/are:

10. Officers and Relating Provisions. In the event the Members elect to manage the LLC, rather than appointing a manager, the Members shall appoint officers for the LLC and the following provisions shall apply:

(a) Officers. The officers of the LLC shall consist of a president, a treasurer and a secretary, or other officers or agents as may be elected and appointed by the Members.

(b) Election and Term of Office. The officers of the LLC shall be elected annually by the Members by a majority vote.

(c) Removal. Any officer or agent may be removed by a majority of the Members whenever they decide that the best interests of the Company would be served thereby.

(d) Vacancies. A vacancy is any office because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification or otherwise may be filled by the Members for the unexpired portion of the term.

(e) President. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the LLC and shall preside at all meetings of the Members.

(f) The Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the LLC.

(g) Secretary. The secretary shall keep the minutes, notices, records, register, and certify resolutions.

11. Member Only Powers. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, only a majority of the Members may: (a) sell or encumber (but not lease) any real estate owned by the LLC, or (b) incur debt, expend funds, or otherwise obligate the LLC if the debt, expenditure, or other obligation exceeds $ .

ARTICLE IV

CONTRIBUTIONS, PROFITS, LOSSES, AND DISTRIBUTIONS

12. Interest of Members. Each Member shall own a percentage interest (sometimes referred to as a share) in the LLC.

13. Contributions. The initial contributions and initial percentage interest of the Members are as set out in this Agreement.

14. Additional Contributions. Only a majority of the Members of the LLC may call on the Members to make additional cash contributions as may be necessary to carry on the LLC's business.

15. Record of Contributions/Percentage Interests. This Agreement, any amendment(s) to this Agreement, and all Resolutions of the Members of the LLC shall constitute the record of the Members of the LLC and of their respective interest therein.

16. Profits and Losses. The profits and losses and all other tax attributes of the LLC shall be allocated among the Members on the basis of the Members' percentage interests in the LLC.

17. Distributions. Distributions of cash or other assets of the LLC (other than in dissolution of the LLC) shall be made in the total amounts and at the times as determined by a majority of the Members.

18. Change in Interests. If during any year there is a change in a Member's percentage interest, the Member's share of profits and losses and distributions in that year shall be determined under a method which takes into account the varying interests during the year.

ARTICLE V

VOTING; CONSENT TO ACTION

19. Voting by Members. Members shall be entitled to vote on all matters which provide for a vote of the Members in accordance with each Member’s percentage interest.

20. Majority Required. Except as otherwise provided and delegated to the Officers or Managers, a majority of the Members, based upon their percentage ownership, is required for any action.

21. Meetings - Written Consent. Action of the Members or Officers may be accomplished with or without a meeting.

22. Meetings. Meetings of the Members may be called by any Member owning 10% or more of the LLC, or, if Managers were selected, by any Manager of the LLC, or if Officers were elected, by any officer.

23. Majority Defined. As used throughout this agreement the term “Majority” of the Members shall mean a majority of the ownership interest of the LLC as determined by the records of the LLC on the date of the action.

ARTICLE VI

DUTIES AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY MEMBERS, OFFICERS, AND PERSONS SERVING ON ADVISORY COMMITTEES; INDEMNIFICATION

24. Duties of Members: Limitation of Liability. The Members, Managers and officers shall perform their duties in good faith, in a manner they reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the LLC, and with such care as an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances.

25. Members Have No Exclusive Duty to LLC. The Members shall not be required to participate in the LLC as their sole and exclusive business.

26. Protection of Members and Officers.

(a) As used herein, the term “Protected Party” refers to the Members and officers of the Company.

(b) To the extent that, at law or in equity, a Protected Party has duties and liabilities relating thereto to the LLC or to any other Protected Party, a Protected Party acting under this Agreement shall not be liable to the LLC or to any other Protected Party for good faith reliance on:

(i) the provisions of this Agreement;

(ii) the records of the LLC; and/or

(iii) such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the LLC by any person as to matters the Protected Party reasonably believes are within such other person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the LLC.

27. Indemnification and Insurance.

(a) Right to Indemnification.

(i) Any person who is or was a member or officer of the LLC and who is or may be a party to any civil action because of his/her participation in or with the LLC, and who acted in good faith and in a manner which he/she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the LLC may be indemnified and held harmless by the LLC.

(ii) Any person who is or was a member or officer of the LLC and who is or may be a party to any criminal action because of his/her participation in or with the LLC, and who acted in good faith and had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was lawful, may be indemnified and held harmless by the LLC.

(b) Advancement of Expenses. Expenses (including attorney’s fees) incurred by an indemnified person in defending any proceeding shall be paid in advance of the proceedings conclusion.

(c) Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The right to indemnification and payment of fees and expenses conferred in this section shall not be exclusive of any right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of this Agreement, contract, agreement, vote of Members or otherwise.

(d) Insurance. The Members may cause the LLC to purchase and maintain insurance for the LLC, for its Members and officers, and/or on behalf of any third party or parties whom the members might determine should be entitled to such insurance coverage.

(e) Effect of Amendment. No amendment, repeal or modification of this Article shall adversely affect any rights hereunder with respect to any action or omission occurring prior to the date when such amendment, repeal or modification became effective.

ARTICLE VII

MEMBERS INTEREST TERMINATED

28. Termination of Membership. A Member’s interest in the LLC shall cease upon the occurrence of one or more of the following events:

(a) A Member provided notice of withdrawal to the LLC thirty (30) days in advance of the withdrawal date.

(b) A Member assigns all of his/her interest to a qualified third party.

(c) A Member dies.

(d) There is an entry of an order by a court of competent jurisdiction adjudicating the Member incompetent to manage his/her person or his/her estate.

(e) In the case of an estate that is a Member, the distribution by the fiduciary of the estate's entire interest in the LLC.

(f) A Member, without the consent of a majority of the Members, makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, files bankruptcy, or similar events.

(g) If within one hundred twenty (120) days after the commencement of any action against a Member seeking reorganization, arrangement, composition, readjustment, liquidation, dissolution, or similar relief, the action has not been dismissed and/or has not been consented to by a majority of the members.

(h) If within ninety (90) days after the appointment, without a member’s consent or acquiescence, of a trustee, receiver, or liquidator of the Member or of all or any substantial part of the member’s properties, said appointment is not vacated.

(i) Any of the events provided in applicable code provisions that are not inconsistent with the dissociation events identified above.

29. Effect of Dissociation. Any dissociated Member shall not be entitled to receive the fair value of his LLC interest solely by virtue of his dissociation.

ARTICLE VIII

RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY OF LLC INTEREST; SET PRICE FOR LLC INTEREST

30. LLC Interest. The LLC interest is personal property. A Member has no interest in property owned by the LLC.

31. Encumbrance. A Member can encumber his LLC interest by a security interest or other form of collateral only with the consent of a majority of the other Members.

32. Sale of Interest. A Member can sell his LLC interest only as follows:

(a) If a Member desires to sell his/her interest, in whole or in part, he/she shall give written notice to the LLC of his desire to sell all or part of his/her interest and must first offer the interest to the LLC.

(b) To the extent the LLC does not buy the offered interest of the selling Member, the other Members shall have the option to buy the offered interest at the Set Price on a pro rata basis.

(c) To the extent the LLC or the Members do not buy the offered interest, the selling Member can then assign the interest to a non-member.

(d) The selling Member must close on the assignment within ninety (90) days of the date that he gave notice to the LLC.

(e) A non-member purchaser of a member’s interest cannot exercise any rights of a Member unless a majority of the non-selling Members consent to him becoming a Member.

33. Set Price. The Set Price for purposes of this Agreement shall be the price fixed by consent of a majority of the Members.

ARTICLE IX

OBLIGATION TO SELL ON A DISSOCIATION EVENT CONCERNING A MEMBER

34. Dissociation. Except as otherwise provided, upon the occurrence of a dissociation event with respect to a Member, the LLC and the remaining Members shall have the option to purchase the dissociated Member's interest at the Set Price in the same manner as provided in ARTICLE VIII.

ARTICLE X

DISSOLUTION

35. Termination of LLC. The LLC will be dissolved and its affairs must be wound up only upon the written consent of a majority of the Members.

36. Final Distributions. Upon the winding up of the LLC, the assets must be distributed as follows: (a) to the LLC creditors; (b) to Members in satisfaction of liabilities for distributions; and (c) to Members first for the return of their contributions and secondly respecting their LLC interest, in the proportions in which the Members share in profits and losses.

ARTICLE XI

TAX MATTERS

37. Capital Accounts. Capital accounts shall be maintained consistent with Internal Revenue Code § 704 and the regulations thereunder.

38. Partnership Election. The Members elect that the LLC be taxed as a partnership and not as an association taxable as a corporation.

ARTICLE XII

RECORDS AND INFORMATION

39. Records and Inspection. The LLC shall maintain at its place of business the Certificate of Formation, any amendments thereto, this Agreement, and all other LLC records required to be kept by the Act, and the same shall be subject to inspection and copying at the reasonable request, and the expense, of any Member.

40. Obtaining Additional Information. Subject to reasonable standards, each Member may obtain from the LLC from time to time upon reasonable demand for any purpose reasonably related to the Member's interest as a Member in the LLC.

ARTICLE XIII

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

41. Amendment. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, any amendment to this Agreement may be proposed by a Member.

42. Applicable Law. To the extent permitted by law, this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Washington.

43. Pronouns, Etc. References to a Member or Manager, including by use of a pronoun, shall be deemed to include masculine, feminine, singular, plural, individuals, partnerships or corporations where applicable.

44. Counterparts. This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be considered an original.

45. Specific Performance. Each Member agrees with the other Members that the other Members would be irreparably damaged if any of the provisions of this Agreement are not performed in accordance with their specific terms.

46. Further Action. Each Member, upon the request of the LLC, agrees to perform all further acts and to execute, acknowledge and deliver any documents which may be necessary, appropriate, or desirable to carry out the provisions of this Agreement.

47. Method of Notices. All written notices required or permitted by this Agreement shall be hand delivered or sent by registered or certified mail.

48. Facsimiles. For purposes of this Agreement, any copy, facsimile, telecommunication or other reliable reproduction of a writing, transmission or signature may be substituted or used in lieu of the original.

49. Computation of Time. In computing any period of time under this Agreement, the day of the act, event or default from which the designated period of time begins to run shall not be included.

WHEREFORE, the Parties have executed this Agreement on the dates stated below their signatures on the attached signature page for each individual Party.

EACH MEMBER HEREBY CERTIFIES THAT HE OR SHE HAS RECEIVED A COPY OF THIS OPERATING AGREEMENT AND FORMATION DOCUMENT OF , A WASHINGTON LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY.

Members: