Lewis Lazarus on Breach of Contract

Chancery Says Litigation Privilege No Shield Against LLC Interest Repurchase

Seva Holdings Inc. v. Octo Platform Equity Holdings, LLC, C.A. No. 2022-0437-PWR (Del. Ch. Aug. 29, 2024) - In deciding limited cross motions for summary judgment, the Court of Chancery held that the absolute litigation...more

2/26/2025 / Breach of Contract , Business Litigation , Contract Disputes , Contract Terms , Corporate Governance , Delaware , Dispute Resolution , Limited Liability Company (LLC) , Shareholders , Summary Judgment

Chancery Enforces Parties’ Agreement to Specific Enforcement for Breach of Preemptive Rights Provision

L-5 Healthcare Partners, LLC v. Alphatec Holdings, Inc., C.A. No. 2019-0412-NAC (Del. Ch. Aug. 21, 2024) - In this post-trial decision, the Court found specific performance was the appropriate remedy for a breach of a...more

2/6/2025 / Breach of Contract , Contract Terms , Corporate Governance , Securities Litigation , Securities Regulation , Shareholders

Chancery Enforces LLC Agreement in Prince Estate Dispute

McMillan v. Nelson, C.A. 2024-0016-KSJM (Del. Ch. July 5, 2024) - In a dispute over the management of Prince Legacy, LLC, an entity formed to manage assets from the estate of the late musician Prince, the Court of...more

12/10/2024 / Breach of Contract , Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing , Implied Covenants , Limited Liability Company (LLC) , LLC Agreements

Chancery Breaks With Two Earlier Decisions, Finds That an Integration Clause Does Not Bar Fraud Claims Based on Expressions of...

Trifecta Multimedia Holdings Inc. v. WCG Clinical Services, C.A. No. 2023-0699-JTL (Del. Ch. June 10, 2024) - Sophisticated parties frequently include “anti-reliance” clauses in their transaction agreements, whereby one...more

10/31/2024 / Breach of Contract , Fraud , Implied Covenants , Misrepresentation , Motion to Dismiss

Chancery Decides Scope of Expert’s Authority in Valuation Dispute Resolution Mechanism

Paul v. Rockpoint Group LLC, C.A. 2018-0907-JTL (Del. Ch. Jan. 29, 2024) - This dispute arose from a disagreement over the authority of an appraiser to include legal assertions and extrinsic evidence in his valuation. The...more

3/27/2024 / Breach of Contract , Contract Disputes , Contract Terms , Dispute Resolution

Chancery Concludes Accountant Provision in Stock Purchase Agreement Calls for Expert Determination Rather than Arbitration

ArchKey Intermediate Holdings Inc. v. Mona, C.A. No. 2021-0383-JTL (Del. Ch. Oct. 3, 2023) - Parties to a stock purchase agreement disputed post-closing price adjustments. The agreement called for an independent accountant...more

2/7/2024 / Breach of Contract , Breach of Duty , Fiduciary Duty , Shareholders , Stock Purchase Agreement

Chancery Determines That Former Executives Are Not Entitled to Equity Awards Under Separation Agreement

SeaWorld Entm't, Inc. v. Andrews, C.A. No. 2020-0955-NAC (Del. Ch. May 19, 2023) - SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. granted unvested equity awards to employees. Pursuant to equity agreements, the awards would vest if the...more

9/12/2023 / Breach of Contract , Motion to Dismiss , Separation Agreement

Chancery Relies on Unanimous Dictionary Entries To Confirm Unambiguity of Supply Agreement

Thermo Fisher Scientific PSG Corp. v. Arranta Bio MA, LLC, C.A. No. 2022-0608-NAC (Del. Ch. Apr. 4, 2023) - The plaintiff and the defendant entered into a supply agreement under which the defendant would manufacture...more

8/23/2023 / Breach of Contract , Breach of Duty , Contract Terms , Fiduciary Duty

Supreme Court Affirms Chancery’s Interpretation of Word “And” in Option Agreements

Weinberg v. Waystar, Inc., No. 274, 2022 (Del. March 16, 2023) - The appellant was a former chief marketing officer of the appellee, a Delaware corporation. Soon after her termination, the appellant timely exercised her...more

6/21/2023 / Breach of Contract , Employment Contract , Restrictive Covenants

Chancery Rules That Moving Situs of Trust to Delaware Supports Personal Jurisdiction Under the State’s Long-Arm Statute

Harris v. Harris, C.A. No. 2019-0736-JTL (Del. Ch. Jan. 12, 2023) - Three children filed suit against their mother and her associates, alleging they had seized control of a family-owned corporation and engaged in...more

5/4/2023 / Board of Directors , Breach of Contract , Breach of Duty , Fiduciary Duty , Personal Jurisdiction

Delaware Corporate and Commercial Case Law Year in Review - February 2023

This top ten list summarizes significant decisions of the Delaware Supreme Court and the Delaware Court of Chancery over the past calendar year. Our criteria for selection are that the decision either meaningfully changed...more

2/13/2023 / Board of Directors , Breach of Contract , Breach of Duty , Corporate Counsel , Derivative Suit , Fiduciary Duty , Motion to Dismiss , Shareholders

Chancery Denies Bid to Dismiss Derivative Claims Amid Alleged “Gamesmanship” Regarding Composition of LLC’s Board of Managers

Schoenmann v. Irvin, C.A. 2021-0326-SG (Del. Ch. Jun. 2, 2022) - After the plaintiff filed his direct and derivative claims in April 2021, the defendants – the company and its controller – circulated in June 2021 a written...more

10/14/2022 / Breach of Contract , Breach of Duty , Demand Futility , Derivative Suit , Fiduciary Duty

Court Rejects Franchisor’s Attempt Based on Business Effects of COVID-19 to Escape Contractual Obligation to Purchase Franchisee’s...

Level 4 Yoga, LLC v. CorePower Yoga, LLC, C.A. No. 2020-0249-JRS (Del. Ch. March 1, 2022) - In this post-trial decision, the Court of Chancery awarded specific performance to Plaintiff/franchisee who sought to enforce...more

9/9/2022 / Breach of Contract , Material Adverse Effects , Merger Agreements , Mergers

Chancery Enforces Parties’ Merger Agreement That Barred Claims Upon Termination of the Agreement

Yatra Online, Inc. v. Ebix, Inc., C.A. No. 2020-0444-JRS (Del. Ch. Aug. 30, 2021) - Agreements frequently specify how the termination of the agreement affects the parties’ rights and obligations. This case illustrates that...more

11/4/2021 / Breach of Contract , Contract Termination , Merger Agreements , Mergers

Company Did Not Breach Mandatory Redemption Provision Where Special Committee Determined Company Lacked Funds To Redeem All...

Cont’l Investors Fund LLC v. TradingScreen, Inc., C.A. No. 10164-VCL (Del. Ch. July 23, 2021) - A holder of preferred stock often possesses redemption rights that permit the stockholder to require a company to repurchase...more

9/29/2021 / Breach of Contract , Preferred Shares , Right of Redemption , Special Committees

Chancery Explains Pleading Standard and Sustains Unjust Enrichment Claim Related to Plaintiff’s Forfeiture of LLC Acquisition...

Angel v. Warrior Met Coal, Inc., C.A. No. 2019-0235-SG (Del. Ch. Jun. 30, 2021) - Under Delaware’s notice pleading standard, a plaintiff’s claim will survive a motion to dismiss if it is “reasonably conceivable” that the...more

8/20/2021 / Breach of Contract , Breach of Duty , Fiduciary Duty , Limited Liability Company (LLC) , Pleading Standards , Unjust Enrichment

Delaware Court of Chancery Applies Direct/Derivative Distinction In Voting Context

Clifford Paper, Inc. v. WPP Investors, LLC, 2021 WL 2211694 (Del. Ch. Jun. 1, 2021) - The disenfranchisement of an investor with voting or consent rights often is considered to be a direct harm, thus permitting the...more

6/23/2021 / Breach of Contract , Breach of Duty , Duty of Loyalty , Fiduciary Duty , Investors

Chancery Enjoins Prosecution of Fraudulent Inducement and Declaratory Judgment Claims Based on Exclusive Delaware Forum Provision

SPay, Inc. v. Stack Media Inc. k/n/a JLC2011, Inc., et al., CA No. 2020-0540-JRS (Del. Ch. Mar. 23, 2021) - To obtain a preliminary anti-suit injunction, a movant must show (1) a reasonable likelihood of success on the...more

4/20/2021 / Asset Purchase Agreements , Breach of Contract , Fiduciary Duty , Forum Selection , Fraudulent Inducement , Restrictive Covenants

Delaware Supreme Court Concludes Out-of-Pocket Damages Are the Default Remedy for Fraudulent Misrepresentation Absent an...

LCT Capital, LLC v. NGL Energy Partners, LLP, App. Nos. 565,2019 & 568,2019 (Del. Jan. 28, 2021) - Delaware law recognizes both benefit-of-the-bargain damages and out-of-pocket damages as remedies for fraudulent...more

2/25/2021 / Breach of Contract , Damages , Fraud , Misrepresentation , Motion for Judgment

Superior Court Dismisses Tortious Interference with Contract Claim against Corporate Officer

American Bottling Co. v. Repole, C.A. No. N19C-03-048 AML CCLD (Del. Super. Dec. 30, 2020) - This case illustrates that a Delaware court will dismiss a claim against an officer for tortious interference with a contract to...more

1/27/2021 / Breach of Contract , Promissory Estoppel , Sales & Distribution Agreements , Tortious Interference

CCLD Holds Indemnification Provision Does Not Cover First-Party Claims

Ashland LLC v. Samuel J. Heyman 1981 Continuing Trust for Lazarus S. Heyman, C.A. No. N15C-10-176 EMD CCLD (Del. Super. Ct. Nov. 10, 2020) - This case illustrates that Delaware courts will follow the “American Rule” that...more

12/31/2020 / Breach of Contract , Motion for Summary Judgment , Prevailing Party , Stock Purchase Agreement

Enforcing a “Draconian” Bargain, Chancery Grants Motion to Dismiss Claims Arising from Right to Repurchase Interest Upon...

Moscowitz v. Theory Entertainment LLC, C.A. No. 2019-0780-MTZ (Del. Ch. Oct. 28, 2020) - This case illustrates that the Court will enforce parties’ agreements even if they reflect a bad bargain for one party. Plaintiff...more

12/15/2020 / Breach of Contract , Contract Terms , Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing , Implied Covenants , Motion to Dismiss , Repurchases , Termination for Cause

Chancery Rejects Conspiracy Jurisdiction Over Foreign Defendant

Lacey v. Mota-Velasco, C.A. No. 2019-312-SG (Del. Ch. Oct. 6, 2020) - Under Istituto Bancario, a foreign defendant alleged to be part of a conspiracy may be subject to personal jurisdiction in Delaware, but only if the...more

11/25/2020 / Breach of Contract , Breach of Duty , Fiduciary Duty , Foreign Defendants , Long Arm Statute , Motion to Dismiss , Personal Jurisdiction

Chancery Upholds Class Claims Alleging Breaches of Fiduciary Duty in Alleged Controlling Stockholder’s Tender Offer

In re Coty Inc. Stockholder Litigation, C.A. No. 2019-0336-AGB (Del. Ch. Aug. 17, 2020) - JAB Holding Company S.à.r.l. and its affiliates (together “JAB”) completed a partial tender offer (the “Tender Offer”) for shares...more

10/12/2020 / Breach of Contract , Breach of Duty , Controlling Stockholders , Fiduciary Duty

Chancery Rejects Implied Covenant Claim for Failure to Prove that, Had the Issue Been Negotiated, Both Parties Would Have Agreed

Roundpoint Mortgage Servicing Corp. v. Freedom Mortgage Corp., C.A. No. 2020-0161-SG (Del. Ch. July 22, 2020) - To establish an implied contractual obligation pursuant to the implied covenant of good faith and fair...more

8/26/2020 / Acquisitions , Breach of Contract , Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing , Mergers

Lewis Lazarus

Morris James LLP

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