Legal Question in Entertainment Law in California

Re: protect our group legally

"Protection" means different things to different people and organizations.

You can form a Corporation or LLC (either Profit or Non-Profit) to protect the group's members from liability for group activities.

You can buy INSURANCE to protect against liabilities

You can register a trade/service mark to protect the name of the group.

You can establish strict policies on admission to the group, operating rules, etc. to prevent misunderstandings and problems down the line.

I recommend ALL of the above

Bottom line.. you should consult a lawyer to help get organized and make sure everything is done right.