Litigation developments: core M&A and corporate governance doctrines
Compliance Perspectives: Due Diligence and Ultimate Beneficial Ownership (UBO)
The State of Delaware, home to a majority of the so-called “Fortune 500” corporations, has been the subject of a variety of criticisms relating to corporate governance, director and officer litigation risk, controlling...more
As discussed in Foley’s Corporate Governance Update last month, SB 21: Delaware Responds In The DExit Battle, the Delaware legislature has been moving quickly to ensure that Delaware remains the preeminent home of choice for...more
On March 2025, a sweeping reform of the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL) took effect. SB 21 codifies safe harbors for conflicted transactions, clarifies director independence standards, and significantly tightens...more
Our Securities Litigation and Securities Groups discuss the final version of Delaware’s SB 21 that brings the most impactful changes to Delaware corporate law in decades....more
On March 25, 2025, the Governor of Delaware signed into law Senate Bill 21 (SB 21) which amends Sections 144 and 220 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL) to codify and clarify safe harbors for transactions involving...more
On March 25, 2025, Delaware Governor Matt Meyer signed into law amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law (Amendments). In a February 28, 2025, client alert, we addressed the initial iteration of the Amendments, and...more
Last week, as noted in this detailed blog by Cooley’s Cydney Posner, the sweeping – and somewhat controversial – changes to the Delaware General Corporation Law were signed into law. Now, the new “safe harbor” provisions...more
On March 25, 2025, Delaware Governor Matt Meyer signed into law Senate Bill 21, amending Sections 144 and 220 of Title 8 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL). The legislation responds to recent concerns over...more
In an effort to maintain its status as the leading state for incorporation, Delaware has made historic and significant changes to its General Corporation Law (DGCL) that make it more difficult for shareholders to challenge...more
On Tuesday evening, following two hours of debate and five failed amendments, bipartisan Senate Bill 21 (“SB 21”) passed the Delaware House and was quickly signed by Delaware Governor Matt Meyer. SB 21, which, in part, was a...more
On March 25, 2025, Delaware enacted Senate Bill 21, which introduces significant changes to the Delaware General Corporation Law. The amendments put in place a statutory structure that provides guidance on the considerations,...more
Controversial Delaware SB 21 was signed into law last evening after passage yesterday by the legislature. According to this Statement from the office of Delaware Governor Matt Meyer, the Governor has “signed Senate Bill 21...more
On March 25, 2025, the Delaware legislature and Governor enacted landmark amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law that will have significant impacts for Delaware corporations and transaction planning. The...more
The annual DGCL amendments this year carry a little more urgency than before. SB21 was rushed through to the Delaware Senate in mid-February, bypassing the normal process that involves recommendation by the Council of the...more
Recent decisions in the Delaware courts have prompted many corporate groups to re-evaluate if Delaware is the best domicile for their operations. Delaware has been the first choice US jurisdiction for incorporating corporate...more
On February 17, 2025, Delaware’s legislative leaders and Governor announced landmark legislation and initiatives that would, if enacted into law, result in welcome and much-needed amendments to Delaware corporate law to...more
Controlling stockholders owe fiduciary duties to other stockholders that minority stockholders do not. A holder of over 50% of a corporation’s voting power is clearly a controlling stockholder. As a consequence, transactions...more
Yesterday's post concerned the Delaware Supreme Court's decision that the business judgment rule applied to TripAdvisor's decision to reincorporate in Nevada. Maffei v. Palkon, 2025 WL 384054 (Del. Feb. 4, 2025). This...more
In this issue, we explore ongoing corporate law issues involving controlling stockholders, with significant decisions anticipated from the Delaware Supreme Court in 2025; the rise in litigation over earnout provisions in...more
In 2024, Delaware courts continued to address important areas of corporate law, particularly regarding controlling stockholders. Several of those high-profile decisions were decided at the trial level and are now on appeal....more
The Case: A Tesla stockholder sued Tesla's board of directors to rescind a performance-based stock option grant awarded to Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO. The option award was worth a total of $56 billion and offered the opportunity...more
On March 15, 2022, Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick of the Delaware Court of Chancery ruled that the founder and former CEO of Mindbody Inc. (the “Company”) breached his fiduciary duties to stockholders in connection with the...more
MultiPlan: Chancery court assesses fiduciary duties in the context of de-SPAC transactions - The Delaware Court of Chancery declined to dismiss, at the pleading stage, breach of fiduciary duty claims made against a SPAC's...more
In Tola v. Bryant, No. 16150, 2022 Cal. App. LEXIS 241 (Cal. App. Mar. 24, 2022), the First Appellate District of the California Court of Appeal applied Delaware’s new formulation of the test for determining whether a...more
The United States District Court for the District of Delaware, applying Delaware law, has held that, because coverage was not available under a directors and officers liability policy for a claim against a director and...more