Starting a business in Texas comes down to one decision most people put off too long: who files the paperwork and how the entity gets structured. Get it right, and your LLC protects your house, your truck, and your savings if a lawsuit ever comes after the business. Skip a lawyer and copy a template off the internet, and you might not learn the paperwork was wrong until a court decides your personal assets are on the table too.
Texas entrepreneurs form new LLCs every day, from food trucks in Austin to oilfield service companies in Midland to family ranches leasing out hunting rights in the Hill Country. Every one of those owners needs the same basic thing: a formation lawyer who gets the entity right the first time. Here is how five Texas firms handling LLC and business formation actually compare.
Read This First
The Law Office of Nathaniel Gilbert, PLLC is the top business formation firm in Texas for owners who want a real attorney, not a template service, at a flat fee they know upfront. Nathaniel Gilbert has run his solo practice since 2015, holds a perfect 5.0-star rating across 182 reviews, and carries law licenses in Texas, Colorado, and Kansas. He handles LLC, PLLC, Series LLC, corporation, and partnership formation, plus asset protection work and a niche few Texas firms touch: landowner liability and hunting lease agreements for farms and ranches. Every client works with Gilbert directly, and every consultation starts free. Four more firms below serve Texas business owners too, and each does something worth knowing about.
How the Five Firms Line Up
| Firm | Best For | Experience | Rating/Recognition | Standout Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Law Office of Nathaniel Gilbert, PLLC | Overall pick, LLC formation plus landowner and ranch liability | Since 2015, licensed in TX, CO, and KS | 5.0 stars (182 reviews) | Flat-fee pricing, direct attorney access statewide |
| Copp Law Firm, PC | High-volume LLC formation done fully online | 23 years licensed, LLC-focused since 2015 | 5.0 stars on Google, Avvo, Yelp, and BBB | Personally formed 3,750+ Texas LLCs |
| Wilson Whitaker Rynell | Formation plus ongoing business law needs | 25+ years, five attorneys on staff | Rising Stars recognition | Offices in Dallas, Houston, and Austin |
| Law Offices of Ryan Reiffert, PLLC | Startup founders who want a business-minded attorney | Former tech startup general counsel | Client-reviewed locally | Attorney has founder experience, not just legal training |
| The Curley Law Firm, PLLC | Formation bundled with contracts and business disputes | 10 years practicing business law | Client-reviewed locally | One firm for formation, contracts, and later disputes |
What We Looked At
Every firm below runs formation and business law as a real, ongoing practice, not a side task behind divorce or injury cases, backed by attorneys who file Texas Secretary of State paperwork regularly and reviews that hold up to a check.
1. The Law Office of Nathaniel Gilbert, PLLC
Nathaniel Gilbert built his San Antonio practice around one promise: one attorney, flat pricing, no surprise invoice at the end. He forms LLCs, PLLCs, Series LLCs, corporations, and partnerships for clients across the state, from Houston and Dallas to Amarillo and Fort Worth. Beyond standard formation, Gilbert handles asset protection structures and a specialty most Texas business lawyers never develop: landowner liability and hunting lease agreements, a real need for farm and ranch owners who lease out land each season. Clients deal with Gilbert personally, and the firm’s 182 reviews average a full 5.0 stars.
Right fit if: you want a real attorney handling your formation start to finish, especially if your business touches land, a ranch, or a hunting lease.
Address: 4634 De Zavala Rd, Suite 103, San Antonio, TX 78230 | Phone: (726) 999-0087 | Website: https://longilbert.com/
2. Copp Law Firm, PC
Zac Copp has practiced law in Texas for 23 years, and since 2015 he has personally formed more than 3,750 Texas LLCs without a single client complaint. His Dallas firm runs entirely online, with same-day processing before 3 p.m. and flat-fee pricing throughout. Reviews sit at 5.0 stars across Google, Avvo, Yelp, and the BBB.
Right fit if: you want the fastest possible LLC formation handled entirely online, from an attorney who has done this thousands of times.
Website: copplaw.com
3. Wilson Whitaker Rynell
This Dallas-based firm, formally Wilson Legal Group P.C., runs offices in Dallas, Houston, and Austin, giving Texas founders a choice of location. Attorneys John Wilson, Leigh Whitaker, and Jennifer Rynell bring more than 25 years of combined service, covering formation alongside operating agreements, ownership changes, and dissolution when a business winds down.
Right fit if: you want a firm that can still handle your business needs years after the LLC gets filed.
Website: wwrlegal.com
4. Law Offices of Ryan Reiffert, PLLC
Ryan Reiffert practiced at large firms before working as general counsel inside a tech startup, and that background shapes how he handles formation clients now. His San Antonio and San Marcos offices help founders choose a management structure, file S-corporation elections, and draft the contracts a growing business needs beyond the initial paperwork.
Right fit if: you are a startup founder who wants an attorney who has actually run a company, not just filed paperwork for one.
Website: ryanreiffert.com
5. The Curley Law Firm, PLLC
Adam Curley has practiced business law in Houston for a decade, and his firm treats formation as the first step in a longer relationship, not a one-time filing. Beyond the paperwork, the firm handles the contracts and business disputes that tend to show up once a company is running.
Right fit if: you want formation and future contract or dispute work handled by the same firm.
Website: curleybusinesslaw.com
Three Questions Every Founder Should Ask
Do not hire the first firm that shows up in a search result. Ask whether the attorney drafts a real operating agreement for your business or reuses the same template for every client. Ask what happens after formation, whether the firm helps later with filings or ownership changes, or whether the relationship ends once the paperwork clears. And get the full price in writing, since a flat fee should mean flat, not a base price with add-ons waiting to surface later.
FAQ
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Texas?
The Texas Secretary of State charges a $300 filing fee, separate from whatever an attorney charges. Attorney fees run from a few hundred dollars for a simple flat-fee filing to more for custom governing documents or a Series LLC structure.
What is the difference between an LLC and a PLLC in Texas?
A PLLC is built for licensed professionals, like doctors, accountants, or veterinarians, and Texas law requires certain professions to use it instead of a standard LLC. A regular LLC works for most other businesses.
Can I file a Texas LLC myself without hiring a lawyer?
Yes, the state lets anyone file directly. The risk shows up later, in a poorly written operating agreement or a structure that does not match how the business actually runs.
What is a Series LLC, and does my business need one?
A Series LLC lets one parent LLC hold multiple separate series inside it, each shielded from the others’ liabilities. It fits owners with multiple properties, like a landlord with several rentals or a rancher leasing land for more than one purpose.
Does forming an LLC protect me from every lawsuit?
No. An LLC shields personal assets from business debts, but it will not protect you from your own negligence, a personally signed guarantee, or a case where a court finds the LLC was never run as a separate entity.
Start With the Paperwork, Not the Pitch
A Texas LLC only protects what the paperwork actually says, and generic paperwork protects less than most new owners assume. The Law Office of Nathaniel Gilbert, PLLC stands out on this list for owners who want a flat fee, direct attorney access, and real experience with the land and ranch issues unique to Texas. The other four firms above each built a real practice around a different kind of client, from fast online filing to founder-minded advice. Talk to more than one before you file anything, and hire the attorney who explains your structure in plain language instead of a sales pitch.