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Corporate Governance Board of Directors Fiduciary Duty

Allen Matkins

Is Your Directors And Officers Liability Coverage Illusory?

Allen Matkins on

Many corporations pay significant amounts for directors and officers liability policies.  Commonly referred to as D&O policies, these policies usually involve three sides.  Directors and officers are likely to have the most...more

ArentFox Schiff

How Can Our Board Work Better? A Brief, Practical Guide to Legal Considerations for Trade Association Board Governance

ArentFox Schiff on

Trade association boards, like the boards of other private companies, often consist of stakeholders who are personally and professionally invested in the organization. Board members typically also possess significant business...more

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP

Delaware Chancery Court Finds a ~27% Founding Stockholder Is Not a Controller

On July 2, 2024, the Delaware Chancery Court in Sciannella v. AstraZeneca dismissed stockholder claims in connection with the $3 billion merger of Viela Bio and Horizon Therapeutics in 2021. The merger was approved by Viela’s...more

Allen Matkins

Court Holds Internal Affairs Doctrine Typically Covers Breach Of Fiduciary Claims Despite No Averment Of Fiduciary Duty

Allen Matkins on

California's Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act provides "The law of the state . . . under which a foreign limited liability company is formed governs all of the following: The organization of the limited liability...more

Woodruff Sawyer

Corporate Barbarians at the Gates: The Attack on Delaware

Woodruff Sawyer on

All empires eventually decline. For decades, Delaware has held the crown as the premier state of incorporation for domestic companies (and many foreign companies seeking a foothold in the United States capital markets). But...more

Foley Hoag LLP

Massachusetts Business Litigation Session Decides Issues of First Impression in Appraisal Rights Action

Foley Hoag LLP on

The Court held that a modification of an existing stock restriction that has a material adverse effect on a shareholder’s ability to transfer their shares automatically triggers the shareholder’s appraisal rights and ability...more

Allen Matkins

Nevada Supreme Court Rejects The "Uncontrollable Child" Theory Of Parent-Subsidiary Relationships

Allen Matkins on

Nevada famously limits directors and officers from personal liability.  However, it would be an overstatement to say that Nevada is a "liability free" jurisdiction.  For example, the Nevada Supreme Court recently held that...more

Jenner & Block

The Duty of Directors and Officers to Respond to Red Flags

Jenner & Block on

The duty of oversight requires directors to (1) make a good faith effort to ensure that their corporations have proper reporting systems in place, and (2) take action to address red flags that indicate potential corporate...more

Alston & Bird

Seventh Circuit Deals Another Blow to M&A Disclosure Claims

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Our Securities Litigation Group reviews a recent ruling from the Seventh Circuit that could make it more difficult for shareholders to bring M&A disclosure claims....more

A&O Shearman

Delaware Court Of Chancery Invalidates Stockholder Agreement Provisions That Deprive Board Of Key Decision-Making Powers

A&O Shearman on

On February 23, 2024, Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster of the Delaware Court of Chancery invalidated a number of significant provisions in a stockholder agreement between a financial institution (the “Company”) and its...more

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Closing the Circle: A Stockholder That Nominates a Board Member Is Not Within the Company’s Circle of Confidentiality or Entitled...

Icahn Partners, LP, et al. v. Francis deSouza, et al. and Illumina, Inc., C.A. No. 2023-1045-PAF, order (Del. Ch. Feb. 19, 2024) - Under Delaware law, corporate directors, who bear responsibility for managing the company...more

Lowenstein Sandler LLP

Corporate Governance Takeaways Following Rescission of Elon Musk’s $55.8 Billion Equity Compensation Package

“Was the richest person in the world overpaid?” That’s how the Delaware Court of Chancery (the Court) began the 200-page opinion in Tornetta v. Musk to rescind Elon Musk’s entire $55.8 billion 10-year equity compensation...more

Hogan Lovells

Q4 2023 Quarterly Corporate / M&A decisions updates

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This quarter, Delaware courts issued several notable opinions in unique contexts. For example, in a rare reversal, the Delaware Supreme Court rejected the Court of Chancery’s use of “judicial notice” of another court’s ruling...more

Venable LLP

Fiduciary Liability Limitations Under Nevada Law Trigger Entire Fairness Review of Conversion from Delaware Due to Controlling...

Venable LLP on

The Delaware Court of Chancery, in Palkon v. Maffei, et al., C.A. No. 2023-0449-JTL (Del. Ch. Feb. 20, 2024), determined that a reduction in the liability exposure of a fiduciary due to the conversion of a Delaware...more

Carlton Fields

Best Practices for Officers, Directors, and Advisers Navigating Fiduciary Challenges Amid Economic Uncertainty

Carlton Fields on

Amid heightened inquiries from boards and board advisers within the private sector, a prevalent concern arises concerning fiduciary duties that may surface when debt covenants are triggered, when expenses are projected to...more

Fishman Haygood LLP

How to Ask the Tough Questions in the Boardroom: 9 Tips for Directors

Fishman Haygood LLP on

Public company directors are under more pressure than ever to oversee enterprise risk, even risk from day-to-day operations, which is normally addressed by management. Egregious failures of upper management to react to red...more

A&O Shearman

Court Of Chancery Rescinds CEO Compensation Package Under Entire Fairness Review

A&O Shearman on

In a January 30, 2024, post-trial ruling, Vice Chancellor Kathaleen St. J. McCormick of the Delaware Court of Chancery rescinded a compensation package valued at $55.8 billion awarded by Tesla, Inc. to its CEO,...more

Morris James LLP

2023 Delaware Corporate and Commercial Case Law Year in Review

Morris James LLP on

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

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Delaware Court of Chancery Addresses Fiduciary Duty Claims in the Direct Listing Context

On February 1, 2024, Chancellor Kathaleen St. J. McCormick of the Delaware Court of Chancery issued a decision refusing to dismiss stockholder claims against directors and officers of Coinbase Global, Inc. over their sales of...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

Jenner & Block

Fiduciary Duties of Former Directors of Delaware Corporations

Jenner & Block on

It is well understood that directors of Delaware corporations are subject to the fiduciary duties of care and loyalty. In general, the duty of care requires directors to base their decisions on all material information...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 Claims Related To The Acquisition Of An Alleged Controller’s Portfolio Company For Failure To...

A&O Shearman on

On December 28, 2023, Vice Chancellor Morgan T. Zurn of the Delaware Court of Chancery dismissed derivative breach of fiduciary duty and other claims asserted by a plaintiff shareholder after nCino, Inc. (the “Corporation”)...more

Venable LLP

Court of Chancery Provides Further Guidance on Advance Notice Bylaw Amendments Amidst a Proxy Contest

Venable LLP on

Hi In “a tale of wins and losses on both sides,” the Delaware Court of Chancery reiterated that advance notice bylaws adopted amid an approaching proxy contest are reviewed through the lens of enhanced judicial scrutiny to...more

Allen Matkins

Are The Harvard Corporation Members Answerable Only To G-D?

Allen Matkins on

On December 12, 2023, the Harvard Corporation  unanimously reaffirmed its support for President Claudine Gay's continued leadership despite her controversial testimony before the U.S. Congress and allegations of plagiarism. ...more

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