Tyler O'Connell on Contract Terms

Delaware Supreme Court Clarifies Enforcement of Forfeiture-for-Competition Provisions

LKQ Corp. v. Rutledge, C.A. No. 110, 2024 (Del. Dec. 18, 2024) - In this en banc decision, the Delaware Supreme Court answered a certified question from the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit...more

5/22/2025 / Appeals , Business Entities , Contract Terms , Delaware , Employee Benefits , Employee Rights , Employment Litigation , Forfeiture , Non-Compete Agreements , Restrictive Covenants

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 Finds that the Plaintiff Successfully Pled Breach of Contract for Milestone Payments

Medal v. Beckett Collectibles, LLC, C.A. No. 2023-0984-VLM (Del. Ch. Aug. 22, 2024). In denying a motion to dismiss, the Court of Chancery held that the plaintiff pled reasonably conceivable claims for breach of...more

2/19/2025 / Breach of Contract , Business Litigation , Contract Terms , Corporate Governance , Delaware , Motion to Dismiss , Shareholder Litigation , Shareholders

Court of Chancery Finds Class Counsel’s Litigation Funding Agreement is Discoverable

Burkhart v. Genworth Fin., Inc., C.A. No. 2018-0691-NAC (Del. Ch. Aug. 21, 2024). The rise in litigation funding brings a predictable follow-on question: Are litigation funding agreements protected as work product, or...more

2/7/2025 / Class Action , Class Members , Consumer Litigation , Contract Terms , Disclosure Requirements , Discovery , Insurance Industry , Litigation Funding

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 Finds That Advancement Plaintiff was Employed by a Subsidiary and Entitled to Advancement

Centrella v. Avantor, Inc., C.A. No. 2022-0876-NAC (Del. Ch. July 1, 2024) - It is common for Delaware corporations to provide advancement rights to their officers and directors. In this post-trial decision from the Court...more

11/14/2024 / Board of Directors , Breach of Contract , Bylaws , Contract Terms , Mergers

Plaintiffs Adequately Pled Unjust Enrichment for Materially Deficient Disclosures

Buttonwood Tree Value Partners, L.P. v. R.L. Polk & Co. Inc., C.A. No. 9250-VCG (Del. Ch. Dec. 29, 2023) - To state a claim for unjust enrichment, a plaintiff must adequately plead: (1) an enrichment; (2) an...more

3/20/2024 / Breach of Contract , Breach of Duty , Contract Terms , Fiduciary Duty , Implied Contract , Unjust Enrichment

Chancery Decision Explains Availability of Reformation as a Targeted Remedy

AECOM, et al. v. SCCI Nat’l Hldgs., Inc., C.A. No. 2022-0727-MTZ (Del. Ch. Sept. 27, 2023) - Although the Court of Chancery frequently resolves contractual disputes, it grants contractual reformation only when...more

2/7/2024 / Breach of Contract , Contract Terms , Fraud , Shareholders

Chancery Refuses to Order Specific Performance Due to Inaccurate Representations and Warranties

Restanca, LLC v. House of Lithium, Ltd., C.A. No. 2022-0690-PAF (Del. Ch. Jun. 30, 2023) - The parties seeking specific performance of an agreement must establish a clear right to performance, including that all conditions...more

11/30/2023 / Acquisitions , Breach of Contract , Contract Termination , Contract Terms , Mergers

Superior Court CCLD Declines to Award Costs for Special Master and Mediator, and Awards only Simple Interest on Judgment in...

LCT Capital, LLC v. NGL Energy Partners LP, C.A. No. N15C-08-109 JJC CCLD (Del. Super. Ct. June 20, 2023) - Under Superior Court Rule 54, costs are allowed as a matter of course to the prevailing party. In this post-trial...more

10/24/2023 / Breach of Contract , Business Litigation , Contract Terms , Quantum Meruit , Unjust Enrichment

Chancery Denies Sellers’ Claim Against Buyers for Failure to Close, Finds That Sellers’ Award of “Phantom Equity” to Former...

HControl Holdings LLC vs. Antin Infrastructure Partners S.A.S., C.A. 2023-0283-KSJM (Del. Ch. May 29, 2023) - In Delaware, buyers bear the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence their claims for breach of a...more

9/12/2023 / Breach of Contract , Contract Terms , Merger Agreements , Mergers

Chancery Resolves Dispute About Competing Forum Selection and Arbitration Provisions

Fairstead Cap. Mgmt. LLC v. Blodgett, C.A. No. 2022-0673-JTL (Del. Ch. Jan. 6, 2023) - This case highlights the difficulties that can arise when relationships are governed by contracts with competing forum selection and...more

5/4/2023 / Arbitration , Arbitration Agreements , Breach of Contract , Contract Terms , Motion to Compel

Chancery Finds Asset Purchase Agreement Required Buyer to Indemnify Seller for Liability Under State Tobacco Settlement

ITG Brands LLC v. Reynolds Am., Inc., C.A. No. 2017-0129-LWW (Del. Ch. Sept. 30, 2022) - Plaintiff acquired four cigarette brands from the defendant under an asset purchase agreement. Prior to entering into the APA, the...more

11/29/2022 / Acquisitions , Asset Purchase Agreements , Contract Interpretation , Contract Terms , Mergers , Purchase Agreement

Chancery Declines to Order Acquirer to Make Contingent Payments after Discontinuing Development of a Medical Product

Pavel Menn v. ConMed Corp., C.A. No. 2017-0137-KSJM (Del. Ch. June 30, 2022) - Plaintiff was a representative of stockholders who had entered into a stock purchase agreement (“SPA”), in which the defendant acquired a...more

11/4/2022 / Acquisitions , Breach of Contract , Contract Terms , Stock Purchase Agreement

Court of Chancery Holds That Exclusive Remedy Provisions Alone Are Not Enough To Bar Fraud Claims Based On Extra-Contractual...

Fortis Advisors LLC v. Johnson & Johnson, C.A. No. 2020-0881-LLW(Del. Ch. Dec. 13, 2021) - Delaware public policy respects freedom of contract, but it is also intolerant of fraud. These dueling policy aims are often pitted...more

3/28/2022 / Breach of Contract , Contract Terms , Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing , Implied Covenants , Merger Agreements , Mergers

Chancery Applies Plain Language of a Merger Covenant To Dismiss Acquirer’s Untimely Indemnification Claim and Deny Sellers’...

Supernus Pharms., Inc. v. Reich Consulting Grp., Inc., C.A. No. 2020-0217-MTZ (Del. Ch. Oct. 29, 2021) - Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. acquired biotech startup Biscayne Neurotherapeutics, Inc. pursuant to a 2018 merger...more

1/11/2022 / Breach of Contract , Contract Terms , Merger Agreements , Mergers , Representations and Warranties

Court of Chancery Finds “Bird-Dogging” Entitles Plaintiff To Compensation Under Unjust Enrichment Theory

While parties may discuss the terms of a business arrangement, absent definite agreement on all material terms or a definite promise, these arrangements are generally unenforceable. However, as the Court of Chancery held in...more

12/22/2021 / Breach of Contract , Contract Terms , Promissory Estoppel , Unjust Enrichment

Chancery Orders Specific Performance of Deal, Despite Lack of Debt Financing, Finding that COVID-Related Business Decline Was Not...

Snow Phipps Grp., LLC v. KCake Acquisition, Inc., 2020-0282-KSJM (Del. Ch. Apr. 30, 2021) - In Snow Phipps, the Court of Chancery refused to allow a private equity buyer with pandemic-related cold feet to back out of its...more

6/15/2021 / Breach of Contract , Contract Terms , Merger Agreements , Mergers

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 Interprets Contractual Language Permitting Asset Sale

AM Gen. Holdings LLC v. The Renco Grp., Inc., C.A. No. 7639-VCS (Del. Ch. June 26, 2020) - Under fundamental contract interpretation principles, the Court of Chancery will interpret a contract to give effect to specific...more

8/4/2020 / Contract Interpretation , Contract Terms , LLC Agreements

In Post-Trial Opinion, Chancery Finds for Defendant, Rejecting Claims Alleging Breach of Purchase Agreement and Right to “Board...

Braga Investment & Advisory, LLC v. Yenni Income Opportunities Fund I, L.P., C.A. No. 2017-0393-AGB (Del. Ch. June 8, 2020) - In this post-trial opinion, the Court of Chancery held in favor of defendant Yenni Income...more

7/31/2020 / Acquisitions , Breach of Contract , Contract Terms , Purchase Agreement

Chancery Denies Preliminary Injunction Against Nurse Practitioner Based Upon Overbroad Restrictive Covenants

FP UC Holdings, LLC v. Hamilton, C.A. No. 2019-1029-JRS (Del. Ch. Mar. 27, 2020). A party seeking a preliminary injunction must demonstrate a likelihood of success at trial....more

5/12/2020 / Contract Terms , Former Employee , Non-Compete Agreements , Preliminary Injunctions , Restrictive Covenants

Chancery Upholds Adequacy of Description of Buyer’s Indemnification Claims but Finds Indemnification Request for Pending...

Horton v. Organogenesis Inc.,C.A. No. 2018-0537-KSJM (Del. Ch. July 22, 2019). Sellers in merger agreements generally agree to indemnify buyers for certain “Losses” but require the buyers to provide timely notice of...more

7/29/2019 / Contract Terms , Indemnification Clauses , Merger Agreements , Mergers , Representations and Warranties

Chancery Declines to Extend Rent-A-Center Merger Agreement, But Questions Request for Termination Fee

Vintage Rodeo Parent, LLC v. B. Riley Financial, Inc., C.A. No. 2018-0927-SG (Del. Ch. Mar. 14, 2019). The merger agreement at issue in this case included provisions permitting extensions or terminations to account for...more

3/20/2019 / Contract Termination , Contract Terms , Federal Trade Commission (FTC) , Merger Agreements , Mergers

Tyler O'Connell

Morris James LLP

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