An LLC without an operating agreement falls under your state's default rules, which may not protect you. Three essential provisions: specify whether it's manager or member-managed, avoid mandatory distributions to protect against creditor claims, and restrict ownership transfers to prevent unwanted partners.
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If you want to avoid the state dictating how your LLC should be run, then you must have a good operating agreement. If your single or multi-member LLC doesn't have an operating agreement, then the state's laws will automatically apply to your LLC, and that's certainly not in your business's or your best interest. So here are a few provisions that you want to make sure are included in your operating agreement. First, you want it to state whether the LLC is manager-managed or member-managed. Second, you want to avoid language stating that distributions must be made. The reason is because if there's ever a charging order, then you're going to be forced to pay yourself and then lose that money. The third is that you should consider having it restrict transfers of ownership. The reason is because you might not want your partner selling his share to somebody that you don't want to be in business with.