Current President John L. Williams, Esq. and IncNow® founder David N. Williams, Esq.

IncNow ® – History

Everything IncNow does embodies the passion and entrepreneurial spirit of our customer. IncNow was founded by the first tax lawyer in Delaware, David N. Williams, Esq. in 1974. He then made his three children, David Jr., Elisabeth, and John the owners to help pay for their educations. All three have become award-winning entrepreneurs and continue to own and operate IncNow today as adults. David Sr. saw a need for a Registered Agent that could be more than a filing service. IncNow offers attorney quality internal company documents to you at a filing service price.

For the first 25 years, IncNow grew by word of mouth. The first thousand customers operated consulting businesses, farms, marketing services, entertainment companies, and family businesses. Some held assets from artwork to land, aircraft, and even Ted Turner’s yacht. Then in 2001, John Williams, Esq. launched IncNow into the digital age with an e-commerce order form that over the next 20 years helped IncNow grow to serve as Registered Agent for 20,000 active Delaware companies.

IncNow remains an attorney-operated incorporation service with a team of about a dozen, trained professionals who are the “special forces” of incorporation services, forming about 300 companies per month. The customer service delivered by the non-commissioned team of Incorporation Specialists has resulted in over 900 customers ranking IncNow with a near-perfect 5-star Trust Pilot rating. You can take comfort in the answers provided by the knowledgeable and specialized IncNow team. Automation technology improves speed and accuracy for a reasonable price all while IncNow is a green, sustainable company doing good for the community. 

Although IncNow is not itself a law firm, it is associated with The Williams Law Firm, P.A., which is a boutique law firm in Wilmington, Delaware that practices business and estate law. The firm is familiar with developments in Delaware Corporate and LLC law because they litigate real-world “bet the farm” multi-million-dollar disputes in Delaware Courts. Being active with both the Delaware State Bar Association and the Uniform Law Commission, John Williams has helped write business laws. John Williams teaches lawyers from across the country about the Series LLC and has served five times as an expert witness on the Series LLC. Knowing highly-experienced lawyers operate IncNow, gives our customers confidence in the Operating Agreements, Stockholder Agreements, resolutions, minutes, and stock certificates delivered by IncNow. 

Certified B Corp

IncNow has a spirit of helping its constituents and the community. In May 2019, IncNow became the first incorporation service worldwide to be a Certified B Corp and the first Certified B Corp in the State of Delaware. After a 7-month review, IncNow received its B Impact Assessment score of 85 from B Lab. This rating exceeded the average score of 50.9 for all businesses who complete the assessment. IncNow believes it is making the world better one LLC at a time. IncNow’s shareholders and directors amended its Certificate of Incorporation to declare its mission: “The specific public benefit purpose of the corporation is to support the environment, education, entrepreneurship, and the arts in the Greater Delaware Valley and promote a vibrant and healthy workplace utilizing funds not to exceed five percent (5%) of the Corporation’s annual gross profits.”

IncNow looks forward to serving you and others who want to incorporate the right way. Business formation is part of the “American Dream” of innovation, financial independence, and self-determination. It directly leads to job growth and economic prosperity for diverse communities. IncNow believes doing good and doing well go hand in hand. 

IncNow’s community involvement started with John Williams helping to coach as a volunteer at the University of Delaware Men’s Club Crew in 2001 where he still coaches. A number of athletes and coaches have returned that generosity by joining the IncNow service team, technology team, and legal team over the past 22 years. Annually, IncNow supports about a dozen local organizations, through financial contributions, board service, and volunteering. 

Examples of organizations IncNow supports/sponsors:

• • University of Delaware Men’s Crew (uniforms, volunteer coaching, financial support for equipment, jobs for student athletes, alumni, and coaches)
  • Puerto Rican National Rowing Team (Support for Will Purman, uniform purchase, revenue share with leads for Puerto Rico LLCs)
  • Christina Conservancy (Volunteer, board service – President)
  • Christina River Watershed (Hosted committee meetings and organized river cleanups in 2021 and 2022)
  • The Downtown YMCA (Sponsorship and board service – Chair)
  • Clean Water Campaign (Sponsorship and advocacy at local, state, and national levels with a goal to turn Wilmington into an emerald city) 
  • Delaware Community Foundation (Sponsorship and board service to Next Generation North board)
  • Delaware Natural Areas Advisory Council (Governor appointment to dedicate nature preserves)
  • Delaware Sustainable Chemistry Alliance (Panelist; Sponsored Delaware Entrepreneurs Roundtable December 17, 2020)
  • Kalmar Nyckel Foundation (Sponsorship and board service Past Chair, to promote history, maritime, and STEM education on the Tall Ship of Delaware)
  • Downtown Visions (Board Service and Contribution to promote a clean and safe Wilmington)
  • Wilmington Rowing Center (Sponsorship, board service – President, volunteer)
  • Delaware National Guard (Honorary Commander of joint force headquarters and supporter of golf tournament for youth camp)
  • Delaware Founders Initiative (Sponsorship, board service – Vice President, volunteer to educate and support local entrepreneurs)
  • Delaware Bar Corporation Section Drafting Committee to revise Delaware LLC Act and Delaware General Corporation Law
  • ABA’s Task Force Advisor on Beneficial Ownership to fight money laundering and terrorist financing from U.S. business entities
  • ABA past chair of LLC and Partnerships Committee within Real Property, Trust and Estate Section
  • ABA Lecturer for Partnerships, LLCs, and Unincorporated Entities Committee of Business Law Section
  • Uniform Law Commission drafting Committee Member of Uniform Protected Series Act

Examples of office trips with IncNow team to promote cultural awareness and team building: 

• • Puerto Rico 2015 (To help understand history and different cultures within the United States)
  • Hawaii 2017 (To bring Aloha culture back to the office)
  • Portugal 2018 (Experience the San Francisco of Europe, Meet NomadX team founded by David Williams, Jr.)
  • Tokyo 2020 (To learn about eastern business culture and robotics, canceled due to coronavirus)
  • Iceland 2022 (To appreciate other cultures, sustainability, and our natural world)

The IncNow Timeline

• • 1960 – David Williams, Sr. after graduating from Tower Hill School, Williams College, and Columbia Law School, started practicing law in the Air Force as a Judge Advocate General stationed in Mississippi and South Korea, later an associate at the law firms of Potter Anderson followed by Cooch and Taylor. 
  • 1968 – David Williams, Sr. graduated from NYU’s Masters of Law in Tax program returning as the first tax lawyer in Delaware.
  • 1974 – The Williams Law Firm, P.A. was incorporated and later rated preeminent by Martindale Hubbell Bar Register. Delaware Registered Agent service started, naming David Williams, Sr. personally as Registered Agent (in Joe Biden’s first campaign office).
  • 1976 – David Jr. and Elisabeth became first two stockholders of Registered Agent service initially incorporated as DNW, Inc.
  • 1978 – John Williams added as 3rd stockholder in DNW, Inc.
  • 1983 – DNW, Inc. name changed to Agents and Corporations, Inc. and office moved to 1201 Orange Street, Suite 600 that remains the office address today.
  • 1990 -1992 – David Williams, Jr. co-founded and operated W&W Window Washing during college. 
  • 1993 -1997- John Williams founded and operated Black Diamond Seal Coating during high school and college.
  • 1998 – John Williams registered the domain name IncNow.com from his Williams College dorm room.
  • 1999 – David Williams, Jr. who previously worked as a C.P.A. for Price Waterhouse as an audit accountant and for IBM as an internet strategy consultant, created the first website for IncNow.com with an order form that could be faxed to our office. He went on to found 360i.com, one of the top 3 digital marketing agencies in the United States. After selling 360i.com, he founded BLiNQ Media a social network marketing agency later sold to Gannet. He then founded and currently operates NomadX, a remote co-working service that supports entrepreneurs with housing, workspace, entertainment, and mentoring in Lisbon, Portugal. He is the recipient of Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. He also co-founded the Atlanta Interactive Marketing Association.
  • 2000 – Elisabeth Blum (Williams) after Denison University attended the Portfolio Center specializing in graphic design. She worked for London Fog and Victoria Secret Beauty in New York City. 
  • 2001 – John Williams- graduated Emory University School of Law, joined firm and developed IncNow’s e-commerce order form.
  • 2002-2003 – John Williams passed 5 bar exams in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and Delaware.
  • 2004 – IncNow became first incorporation service worldwide to offer Series LLC packages.
  • 2008 – IncNow became first incorporation service to use YouTube videos to promote its incorporation service and educate customers.
  • 2011 – API implemented to automate IncNow documentation and improve quality control. Automation improves quality control by avoiding rekeying data.
  • 2013 – Migrated from QuickBooks platform to custom SalesForce implementation with C# middleware to automate much more of the incorporation service process to allow for 1 business day turnaround from order to final document delivery, next-generation technology unique in the industry.
  • 2015 – John Williams receives 40 under 40 award from Delaware Business Times for leaders and innovators.
  • 2016 – Delaware Library/Global Delaware Partnership – IncNow becomes one of only two incorporation services in Delaware to be selected to partner with Global Delaware and the Delaware Library system to help Delawareans incorporate the right way.
  • 2017 – TEDx Wilmington presentation by John Williams explaining his vision to automate the Series LLC for enhanced asset protection. 
  • 2017 – Elisabeth Blum (Williams) opened Et Cetera clothing sale business from her house in Philadelphia. 
  • 2018 – U.S. Patent granted to John Williams on, “ A System and Method for Processing and Dynamically Segregating Business Assets.”
  • 2018 – Family Owned Business Awards organized by Delaware Business Times gave IncNow the Community Service Award. IncNow amended its Certificate of Incorporation to become a Public Benefit Corporation.
  • 2019 – IncNow won approval to become the first Certified B Corp in Delaware and first Certified B Corp in the incorporation industry.
  • 2019 – IncNow awarded Best for the World: Governance by B-Labs
  • 2021 – IncNow again awarded Best for the World: Governance by B-Labs
  • 2022 – IncNow again awarded Best for the World: Governance by B-Labs

Mentions in Publications

• • Yahoo, “IncNow Named a ‘Best For The World’ B Corp for Excellence Beyond Profit” (July 13, 2022)
  • Pittsburgh-Post Gazette, “New U.S. Law Battles Corporate Secrecy, Money Laundering” (July 11, 2022)
  • ESG in the Boardroom: A Guidebook for Directors – Chapter 19 Operations Management, Supply Chain, Employees, Customers; Chapter author with Matt Dochnal and Ryan Jornlin (2022)
  • Tower Hill School Bulletin; Community Engagement: John Williams ’94 Involved with Wilmington-Area Nonprofits. (Fall 2021)
  • Town Square Live, “Grant will help make Christina River fishable, swimmable in a generation” (September 14, 2020)
  • Technically/Delaware, “RealLIST Connectors: Meet the 75 leaders building Delaware’s innovation community” (May 28, 2020)
  • Innovation Delaware, “Delaware’s landscape of corporate services, legal experts is second to none” (2019/2020)
  • Technically Delaware, “What is Delaware’s next big thing? Our stakeholders have spoken: These are the trends to watch for in Delaware” (August 13, 2019)
  • Technically/Delaware, “IncNow is Delaware’s first B Corporation” (Jul. 16, 2019)
  • Technically/Delaware, Blockchain, March 2022
  • Delaware Business Times, “Proposed U.S. Corporate Transparency Act being watched by state’s LLC community” (July 9, 2019)
  • Delaware Business Times: How a passion for rowing shapes IncNow’s office culture (May 9, 2019)
  • ABA Publication, The Charging Orders Practice Guide – Contributor (2018)
  • Delaware Business Times: 2018 Family-Owned Business award winners (June 21, 2018)
  • Delaware Business Magazine, “To B or Not to B: B-Corporations Do Well by Doing Good” – Article Author (May/June 2016)
  • The News Journal, “Delaware’s entrepreneurs learn to turn dreams into reality” (Dec. 2, 2016)
  • Technically Delaware: You’ll soon be able to incorporate your business at a Delaware library (October 6, 2016)
  • The News Journal: Delaware libraries to add online incorporation service (October 5, 2016)

Seminar Presentations and Expert Witness Engagements by John Williams:

• • Expert witness on Series LLC for Northern Frac Proppants, LLC et al. v. Regions Bank, NA, et al. US District Court for Middle District Louisiana 2021
  • ABA Charging Order Panel; Panelist with Jay Adkinson on “Enforcing Judgements with Charging Orders: Redirecting Partnership and LLC Profits to Judgement Creditors” hosted by Stafford Publications September 29, 2021.
  • 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.
  • ABA Business Law Section’s Partnerships, LLCs and Unincorporated Entities Committee- Member
  • 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 & 2021-2022.
  • 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.