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Bennett Jones LLP

Delaware Court Affirms High Threshold for Breach of Directors' Caremark Duties

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In a recent case, Bricklayers Pension Fund of Western Pennsylvania (derivatively on behalf of Centene Corporation) v Brinkley (Centene), Delaware's Court of Chancery dismissed “Caremark duty claims”—named after the 1996 case...more

Goodwin

Delaware Court of Chancery Rescinds Elon Musk’s $55.8 Billion Compensation Package in Cautionary Tale About Director Independence...

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On January 30, 2024, the Chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery struck down the $55.8 billion compensation plan that Tesla, Inc.’s board of directors had granted to Tesla’s well-known CEO, Elon Musk, finding that the...more

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

2023 Delaware Corporate Law and Litigation Year in Review

Wilson Sonsini is pleased to present the 2023 Delaware Corporate Law and Litigation Year In Review. In 2023, the Delaware courts issued many decisions addressing an array of important topics, including director and officer...more

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Delaware Supreme Court Affirms Important Ruling for Multi-Class Companies Concerning Class Votes

On January 17, 2024, the Delaware Supreme Court issued a significant decision affirming that the Delaware General Corporation Law (the DGCL) does not require companies with multiple classes of common stock to obtain separate...more

Vinson & Elkins LLP

Delaware Supreme Court Decision Shows Continued Momentum for Caremark Plaintiffs

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A recent opinion from the Delaware Supreme Court could be viewed by some as expanding plaintiffs’ ability to viably plead a duty of oversight (or “Caremark”) claim against directors. In Lebanon County Employees’ Retirement...more

A&O Shearman

Delaware Court Of Chancery Rejects Stockholder Demand For Corporation To Supplement Its Section 220 Production With Searches And...

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On August 25, 2023, Magistrate Bonnie W. David of the Delaware Chancery Court issued a post-trial report denying stockholder requests for supplemental productions of emails from Zendesk, Inc. (the “Company”) pursuant to a...more

Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP

The Business Judgment Rule Saves Disney Officers and Directors in a Stockholder Records Action

Corporate activity related to ESG can have profound legal and market consequences. These consequences can be cut many ways. Although having taken a position on Florida legislation that resulted in negative business...more

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

In Rare Decision, Delaware Court of Chancery Imposes Liability on CEO and Acquiror Post-Trial

On March 15, 2023, Chancellor Kathaleen St. J. McCormick of the Delaware Court of Chancery issued a rare post-trial decision finding a CEO personally liable for millions of dollars in damages for breaching his fiduciary...more

Goodwin

McDonald’s Part Two: Delaware Court of Chancery Dismisses Caremark Claims Against Directors Arising From Sexual Harassment Issues

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On March 1, 2023, in In re McDonald’s Corporation Stockholder Derivative Litigation, Vice Chancellor Travis Laster of Delaware’s Court of Chancery granted a motion to dismiss derivative claims against McDonald’s directors...more

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

2022 Delaware Corporate Law and Litigation Year in Review

Amid a broader cooldown in the markets, 2022 nonetheless proved to be a significant year with respect to developments in Delaware corporate law and practice. The Delaware courts issued scores of opinions relevant to those in...more

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

Delaware Chancery Court Issues Delman Decision Potentially Increasing Scrutiny of the Actions of SPAC Sponsors and Boards

On January 4, the Delaware Chancery Court issued a second decision suggesting that SPAC sponsors and directors proceed with care in connection with de-SPAC transactions (and potentially future SPAC formation). As a result of...more

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Delaware Court of Chancery Applies MFW Factors to ‘Reverse Spinoff

The Court of Chancery’s decision in In re Match Group, Inc. Derivative Litigation1 is the latest example of how the Delaware Supreme Court’s watershed 2014 decision in Kahn v. M & F Worldwide Corp. (MFW)2 has been applied to...more

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Advancing Forward — Delaware Courts Provide Further Guidance on Incumbent Board Enforcement of Advance Notice Bylaws

In late 2021 and early 2022, two decisions from the Court of Chancery addressing advance notice bylaws reiterated, consistent with long-standing Delaware law, that clear and unambiguous advance notice bylaws will be...more

Hendershot Cowart P.C.

Shareholder Actions: Direct Vs. Derivative Suits

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When it comes to protecting their interests – or the interests of the corporation – shareholders have unique rights to take legal action. They can file suit either on behalf of the corporation itself, known as a derivative...more

A&O Shearman

Keeping the Faith: English Court of Appeal Considers Contractual Good Faith Provision in Shareholder Agreement

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The English law concerning contractual duties of good faith (express and implied) has received considerable judicial attention in recent years. It will therefore be of interest to those who use English law contracts,...more

A&O Shearman

New York Appellate Court Dismisses Breach Of Fiduciary Duty Claims Under Foreign Law, Clarifying That The Internal Affairs...

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On October 13, 2022, a five-judge panel of the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court, First Department, unanimously reversed a trial court decision and dismissed a breach of fiduciary duty action brought by...more

Allen Matkins

The General Corporation Law's Filioque

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The Nicene Creed as approved by the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D. included the following: "τὸ ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκπορευόμενον (who proceeds from the father).  About 200 years later at the Third Council of Toledo, the...more

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

‘Mission Critical’ Issues and ‘Red Flags’: What It Means for a Board To Exercise Oversight

Takeaways - Delaware courts have become more willing to allow stockholders to pursue claims that directors breached their duty to oversee risk management and compliance. Directors are most vulnerable to suits where they have...more

Bennett Jones LLP

Court Decision Highlights "Nominee" Director Issues

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Key Highlights - - Centerra Judge found the breaches of fiduciary duties the most egregious he had ever seen. - Nominee director principles in Centerra are relevant to directors of corporations governed by the Canada...more

Allen Matkins

Nevada Supreme Court Affirms Choice Of New York Over Delaware

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Five years ago, I noted that the Nevada Supreme Court had adopted New York's more deferential approach for assessing special litigation qualifications in Auerbach v. Bennett, 393 N.E.2d 994 (N.Y. 1979) over that of the...more

A&O Shearman

Delaware Court Of Chancery Dismisses Caremark Claims Alleging Breaches Of Fiduciary Duty Following A Cyberattack

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On September 6, 2022, Vice Chancellor Sam Glasscock III of the Delaware Court of Chancery granted a motion to dismiss derivative claims for breach of fiduciary duty brought by stockholders of a software company (the...more

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Inside the Courts – An Update From Skadden Securities Litigators - September 2022

Derivative Litigation Eighth Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Derivative Securities Action - Carpenters’ Pension Fund of Ill. v. Neidorff, No. 20-3216 (8th Cir. 2022) - Following Centene Corporation’s merger with Health Net,...more

Allen Matkins

Alleged Corporate Murder Merits A Jury Trial

Allen Matkins on

The California Constitution declares that trial by jury is an "inviolate right" that "shall be secured to all".  Cal. Const. Art. I, §16.  Despite this expansive language, this right in the civil context is generally limited...more

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Delaware Court of Chancery Blesses MFW Process and Dismisses Challenge to Stockholder-Approved Charter Amendment Extending...

On July 29, the Delaware Court of Chancery issued a noteworthy decision confirming the broad application of the "MFW" framework—based on the Delaware Supreme Court's decision in Kahn v. M & F Worldwide Corp., 88 A.3d 635...more

Allen Matkins

A Preference For Minority Rule?

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Section 204(a)(9) of the California Corporations Code allows the articles of incorporation to include a provision requiring the approval of the shareholders (Section 153) or the approval of the outstanding shares (Section...more

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