Legal Definitions - incorporator

An incorporator is the individual who officially establishes a new corporation by preparing and submitting the required legal documents to the relevant state government. This person is responsible for filing the initial paperwork, most notably the Articles of Incorporation, which formally registers the business as a corporation. The incorporator acts as the legal agent to bring the corporate entity into existence, ensuring all foundational legal requirements are met.

• Example 1: A Solo Entrepreneur Launching a Startup

  Imagine a software engineer, Alex, who decides to turn his innovative app idea into a formal business. Alex drafts the Articles of Incorporation, listing the company's name, purpose, and initial structure, and then personally submits these documents to the Secretary of State's office in his state. By taking these steps to legally register his new company as a corporation, Alex is acting as the incorporator.

• Example 2: A Law Firm Assisting Clients

  A group of investors wants to create a new real estate development company. They hire a law firm to handle the legal formalities. A specific attorney or paralegal at the law firm prepares all the necessary documents, including the Articles of Incorporation, and then signs and files them with the state on behalf of the investors. In this scenario, the attorney or paralegal from the law firm is the incorporator, as they are the individual executing the official filing process.

• Example 3: One Founder Taking the Lead in a Partnership

  Three friends, Maria, David, and Emily, decide to open a gourmet coffee shop together. They agree that Maria, who has some prior experience with business administration, will handle all the initial legal paperwork to incorporate their business. Maria fills out the Articles of Incorporation, signs them, and submits them to the state. Even though all three are founders, Maria is the designated incorporator because she is the one officially filing the documents to bring the corporation into legal existence.