Partnership Legalities

[Stacy Weng]

I'm new to real estate investing and would like to start flipping in the Northern Virginia area. If I were to partner with another investor, whether it's a friend or someone I meet through a meetup, what do I need to do to make sure the partnership structure and details are outlined properly? Do all partnership agreements need to go through a lawyer, or are there customizable contracts/agreements from LegalZoom or some other online resource that I can download and use? At what point do I need to think about forming a LLC?

Total newb here, so any insight on the legalities and best practices would be appreciated!

Thanks!

Stacy