John Legaré Williams, Esquire
john@trustwilliams.com
p. 302-575-0873 | f. 302-575-0925
Download V-Card
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
- 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
- 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 – 2020 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 Stafford 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 Stafford 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
“Thanks for letting us assist you.”
– John Williams
[avia_codeblock_placeholder uid="0"]
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.
Our Location
One Commerce Center
1201 N. Orange Street
Suite 600
Wilmington, Delaware 19801
Get directions via Google Maps
Phone: 302-575-0873
Fax: 302-575-1642
