In Solak v. Sarowitz, C.A. No. 12299-CB (Del. Ch. Dec. 27, 2016), the Delaware Court of Chancery held that plaintiff stated a claim that a stock corporation’s fee-shifting bylaw was facially invalid under Section 109(b) of...more
The Delaware General Assembly recently amended Delaware’s corporate statutes in several respects of interest to public companies. Boards may delegate stock issuances to non-directors....more
On June 24, Delaware’s Governor signed Senate Bill No. 75 into law and closed the door on the tantalizing prospect of fee shifting (“loser pays”) bylaws for Delaware stock corporations. The full text of the bill can be read...more
Late last week, Senate Bill 75 was introduced in Delaware. This bill is in part a reaction to the Delaware Supreme Court’s holding in ATP Tour, Inc. v. Deutscher Tennis Bund, 91 A.3d 554 (Del. 2014) upholding as facially...more
Following the unexpected May 2014 decision of the Delaware Supreme Court in ATP Tour Inc. v. Deutscher Tennis Bund, 91 A.3d 554 (Del. 2014), upholding the validity of fee-shifting bylaws of a non-stock corporation, the...more
The Delaware State Bar Association is submitting new legislation that will prohibit the use of fee-shifting bylaws or corporate charters for litigation involving “intracorporate” disputes. ...more
On March 6, 2015, the Corporation Law Council of the Delaware State Bar Association announced proposed amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL) intended to address fee shifting, forum selection and appraisal...more
The ability of corporations to impose liability on shareholders through bylaws and charter provisions has been the subject of much debate recently. On May 8, 2014, the Supreme Court of Delaware held in ATP Tour, Inc. v....more
As noted in this Reuters post, the Council of Institutional Investors, along with a number of individual pension funds and other institutional investors, have chimed in on the debate currently roiling the Delaware bar over...more
Today, at the PLI Securities Regulation Institute, the Honorable Jack Jacobs, formerly a Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court, was asked to comment on ATP Tour, Inc. v. Deutscher Tennis Bund, the Delaware Supreme Court case...more
Over the past several years there has been an overwhelming abundance of class action shareholder litigation. A study by Cornerstone Research found that in 2013 alone, 94% of mergers and acquisitions worth over $100 million...more
The “American Rule.” To the uninitiated, that name probably conjures up fuzzy feelings of independence. The hardy spirit of our forefathers. Bootstraps and grit. Rocky IV. But to American lawyers, it’s just a rule about...more
Shareholder litigation is on the rise, increasing the cost of doing business; and companies often face litigation on multiple fronts, further increasing litigation exposure. In 2013, 94 percent of M&A deals were challenged by...more
1. Is a fee-shifting bylaw facially valid under applicable law? The Delaware Supreme Court has held that a fee-shifting bylaw adopted by a Delaware non-stock corporation is facially valid. ATP Tour, Inc. v. Deutscher...more
In yesterday’s posting, I noted a recent Form 8-K filing that discloses the adoption of a fee-shifting bylaw. In ATP Tour, Inc. v. Deutscher Tennis Bund, 2014 Del. LEXIS 209 (Del. May 8, 2014), the Delaware Supreme Court...more
In the face of opposition from business organizations, the Delaware legislature has deferred consideration, likely until the beginning of 2015, of proposed legislation (discussed in the Corporate and Financial Weekly Digest...more
The Delaware Supreme Court caused quite a stir when it concluded that a fee shifting bylaw adopted by a non-stock corporation did not run afoul of the Delaware General Corporation Law. ATP Tour, Inc. v. Deutscher Tennis...more
On May 8, 2014, the Supreme Court of Delaware held that fee-shifting provisions in a non-stock corporation’s bylaws can be valid and enforceable if not enacted for an improper purpose or improperly applied, under Delaware...more
In a swift response to the Delaware Supreme Court’s May 8 opinion holding that fee-shifting bylaws are facially valid (ATP Tour v. Deutscher Tennis Bund), members of the Delaware bar, representing both plaintiffs and...more
Recent court decisions, including the Delaware Supreme Court’s opinion earlier this month in ATP Tour, Inc. v. Deutscher Tennis Bund, have focused new attention on the use of corporate bylaws and charters to establish the...more
The corporate governance world has been disquieted by Delaware Supreme Court Justice Carolyn Berger’s recent opinion that upheld the validity of a fee-shifting bylaw provision in the bylaws of a Delaware non-stock...more
As discussed (see link below), a recent decision of the Delaware Supreme Court could be a game changer in the world of stockholder litigation. In ATP Tour, Inc. v. Deutscher Tennis Bund (Del. May 8, 2014), the Delaware...more
On May 8, 2014, the Delaware Supreme Court held in ATP Tour, Inc. v. Deutscher Tennis Bund that a bylaw provision that shifts "all fees, costs and expenses of every kind and description (including, but not limited to...more