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John Williams, Esq. Attorney Biography Photo


John Legaré Williams, Esquire


john@trustwilliams.com
p. 302-575-0873 | f. 302-575-0925
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Practice Areas

Trust and estate planning, administration, and litigation.

Delaware business law:

  • Delaware incorporation and LLC formation,
  • Business succession planning,
  • Contract drafting and negotiation,
  • Corporate governance,
  • General Counsel,
  • Business partner separation disputes,
  • Delaware LLC opinion letters for United States real estate transactions, and
  • Business litigation regarding valuation, mismanagement, and obtaining records;
  • Nationally recognized on Delaware Series LLC law; and
  • Corporate bankruptcy adversary proceedings, defending voidable preference claims.

Representative Cases/Clients

  • Favorable post-trial settlement after a 4-day trial in the Court of Chancery.  This case analyzed Delaware corporate law on issues such as breaches of fiduciary duty and business valuation.
  • Represented:
    • Medical device company,
    • Newspaper publisher,
    • Large equipment manufacturer,
    • Mining equipment repair company,
    • Former professional athlete,
    • Famous musicians,
    • Food processing company,
    • Scientific instrument company,
    • Executives,
    • Medical Doctors,
    • Certified Professional Accountants,
    • Mobile App businesses,
    • Film Producers,
    • Entrepreneurs, and
    • Non-profits.

Professional Affiliations
  • President of Agents and Corporations, Inc., a Delaware incorporation and registered agent service that serves 16,000 Delaware LLCs and Delaware corporations under management, including Pinterest, Inc.
  • ABA Section Advisor to National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (ULC) on the Series of Unincorporated Business Entities Act Drafting Committee (Uniform Series LLC Act).
  • Member of ABA LLCs, Partnerships and Unincorporated Business Entities Committee
  • Member of ABA Legal Opinions Committee
  • Member of ABA Nonprofit Organizations Committee
  • Former Chair of American Bar Association’s Committee on Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies in the Special Investors and Investment Structure Group of the Real Property, Trusts and Estates Section.
  • Master Member of Richard S. Rodney Inn of Court.
Civic Engagements
  • Chair, Downtown YMCA (Wilmington, DE)
  • Board Member, Downtown Visions (Wilmington, DE)
  • President, Wilmington Rowing Center
  • Honorary Commander: Delaware National Guard, 2019
  • Co-Chair, 18th Representative District Committee of Delaware
  • Appointed by Governors Minner, Markell, and Carney to the Delaware Natural Areas Advisory Council. Previous chairman.  Previously served on Delaware State Parks Council
  • Assistant Coach, University of Delaware Men’s Club Crew (See News Journal article “The Oars of Justice” from November 11, 2003)
  • President, One Commerce Center Condo Council, which manages an 11-story commercial office building
  • Chancellor and Membership Chair, Society of Colonial Wars, Delaware Chapter, including duties as state genealogist and state registrar
  • President, Christina Conservancy
  • Director, Delaware Founders Initiative
  • Former Director, Wilmington Youth Rowing Association
  • Former Council Member, Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation
  • Former Chairman, Kalmar Nyckel Foundation
  • Founder, Christina Navy Ltd., an entity that promotes boating safety
Presentations, Publications & Contributions

  • Presented Strafford Webinar: “Enforcing Judgments with Charging Orders” on September 29, 2021
  • Chapter author: Governance Meets Sustainability: A Guidebook for Directors, Fall, 2021
  • Article author: The LLC & Partnership Recorder: South Dakota Enacts Series LLC Legislation – What You Need To Know, November, 2020 issue
  • Panelist: Delaware Sustainable Chemistry Alliance Entrepreneur’s Roundtable, November, 2020
  • Contributing author: The Limited Liability Company Handbook, Wolters Kluwer, 2008 – 2021 editions
  • Contributing author: The Charging Orders Practice Guide: Understanding Judgment Creditor Rights Against LLC Members, ABA, December, 2019
  • Presented to University of Delaware Social Entrepreneurship class regarding sustainability and the B Corp Certification process, November, 2019
  • Presented Strafford Webinar: “Series LLCs: Selected Federal Tax Issues” on April 24, 2019
  • Expert witness in multimillion-dollar AAA Arbitration in Chicago involving Series LLC and options on oil sand land, February 2019
  • Presented at the ABA Business Law Section’s LLC Institute: “Charging Orders.” October 12, 2018
  • Expert witness in Symphony FS Limited v. Thompson in the U.S. Federal Court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania involving Series LLC and cryptocurrency
  • Presented at the ABA Business Law Section Annual Meeting: “Drafting Series LLC Provisions Under the Delaware, Texas, and Uniform Acts” on September 13, 2018
  • Drafted Series LLC and Delaware LLC Agreements for publication in the Limited Liability Company Handbook– 2008-2009, 2011-2012, 2015-2016, 2017-2018, & 2018-2019
  • Expert witness in New York Supreme Court case involving a Delaware Series LLC, May 2018
  • Presented to the Wilmington Tax Group – “Navigating the Delaware Series LLC” on October 17, 2017
  • Presented to TEDxWilmington: “Series LLC: Not Your Average Business Entity.” August, 2017
  • Presented to the Delaware State Bar Association on panel: “Starting a Law Practice: and so the Adventure Begins! – Your Entity of Choice and Your Business Plan.” January 24, 2017
  • Presented to Goldey-Beacom College MBA class; “How to Avoid Common Legal Mistakes When Starting a Business: Entrepreneurship & Law.” December 7, 2016
  • ABA’s Real Property, Trust and Estates Group (RPTE) publication, Probate & Property, co-author of: “Operating Agreements Today: The Foundation to Avoid Controversy Tomorrow.” September/October 2016
  • Presented National Business Institute (“NBI”) national teleconference: “Series LLCs: Drafting Operating Agreements” October 24, 2016
  • Presented National CLE webinar for ABA’s RPTE Group: “Operating Agreements Today: The Foundation to Avoid Controversy Tomorrow – Commercial Real Estate Fundamentals 2.0.” March 23, 2016
  • Quoted in February 2, 2016 article titled “Zuckerbergs chose Delaware-based LLC for Chan Zuckerberg Initiative” by the Delaware Business Times
  • Authored: “Rural Metro: Gulping Advisors and Practitioner Guidance” article in the ABA’s Business Law Today periodical, January 2016
  • Presented to University of Delaware Horn Entrepreneurship Program “How to Avoid Common Legal Mistakes When Starting a Business: Entrepreneurship & Law” on October 28, 2015
  • Presented National CLE webinar for NBI on Series LLCs: Drafting Operating Agreements, August 12, 2015
  • Panelist on CLE seminar presented at the ABA’s RPTE Group Symposia on Drafting LLC Agreements for Real Estate Transactions, May 1, 2015
  • Presented to the Delaware Real Estate Investor’s Association (DelREIA) on the use of Series LLC in real estate investments, June 2014
  • Presented National CLE webinar for Strafford Publications on Delaware LLC Agreements: Planning and Drafting Approaches, November 25, 2013
  • Presented Sterling Education Seminar (“SES”) on “Elder Law Planning for Incapacity: Health Care Issues.” September 11, 2013
  • Presented National Hot Topics call for the ABA’s RPTE Group on the Delaware Series LLC, May 14, 2013
  • Presented NBI Seminar: “Advanced LLC Issues: The New ‘Series’ LLCs”, December 19, 2011
  • Presented SES Seminar: “Estate Planning Update: Using Gifts and Trusts for Wealth Transfers.” September 7, 2011
  • Interviewed by China Business News and Xinhua News Agency (Official China News), June 2011
  • Presented to The Richard S. Rodney American Inn of Court – “Technology in the Courtroom.” 2011
  • Presented NBI Seminar: “Limited Liability Companies: Advantageous Uses of LLCs.” December 14, 2010
  • Interviewed by Swiss National Public Television www.srgssr.ch (regarding Delaware corporate and LLC law’s international advantages) for an entrepreneurial program broadcast throughout German-speaking Europe, 2010
  • Presented NBI Seminar: “LLCs: From Formation to Special Uses.” March 13, 2009
  • Presented an in-house continuing professional education seminar to Gunnip & Company LLP (Certified Public Accounting firm) on LLC law in Delaware, circa 2009
  • Presented “Intellectual Property and Choice of Entity” seminar, organized by the Small Business Administration (Delaware), 2009
  • Quoted in June 9, 2008 article on “State-Federal Tussle on Beneficial Owners” by Compliance Weekly
  • Expert witness for the Alaska Office of Public Advocacy in litigation involving a Delaware Series LLC, which owned 40 parcels of real estate (Genesis Properties LLC vs. McDowell). Circa 2008
  • Guest lectured for senior seminar on small business at the University of Delaware: 2006, 2007, & 2008.
  • Presented NBI Seminar: “LLC Trends and Developments: Special Uses.” September 27, 2007
  • Presented on panel of Delaware Trust Conference on “Series LLC,” sponsored by Delaware Bankers Association. Circa 2006
  • Trained advisors on “Choice of Entity” at the Delaware Small Business Development Center. Circa 2006
  • Interviewed regarding international foreign money judgment recognition by Delaware Law Weekly, 2005

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– John Williams

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Education, Distinctions and Experience


Distinctions and Awards

Distinctions and Awards

  • Avvo “Badge” for 10.0/10.0 superb rating on AVVO.com lawyer rating service and directory.
  • Recognized by Philadelphia Magazine as a “5-Star Wealth Manager” in Estate and Business Planning, 2010 – 2015.
  • “40 under 40” Leaders and Innovators – Delaware Business Times, 2015.
Education

Education

  • Williams College, B.A. (Political Economy), 1998
  • Emory University School of Law, J.D., 2001
Summer Clerkships and Externship

Summer Clerkships and Externship

  • Vice Chancellor Jack B. Jacobs, Delaware Court of Chancery, Summer 1999
  • Justice Joseph T. Walsh, Delaware Supreme Court, Summer 2000
  • Field Placement Extern, Patent Law Division, General IP Counsel, The Coca-Cola Company, 2001
Bar and Court Admissions

Bar and Court Admissions

  • Pennsylvania, 2002
  • New Jersey, 2002 (State & Federal Southern District)
  • Delaware, 2003 (State & Federal)
  • Massachusetts, 2003
  • New York, 2004
  • 3rd Circuit Federal Court of Appeals

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

– Martin Luther King, Jr.

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