Litigation developments: core M&A and corporate governance doctrines
Will COVID-19 Qualify as a ‘Material Adverse Effect’?
MAE Clauses: Troutman Sanders and Pepper Hamilton COVID-19 Litigation Podcast Series
Cases on Material Adverse Effect (“MAE”) clauses (also known as Material Adverse Change, or MAC, clauses) rarely come before the English courts, so there are limited English authorities on their construction. The High Court...more
As we begin 2025 and set our goals for the new year (realistic or unrealistic), we outline some of the significant English court rulings from 2024 and the key lessons they offer for the year ahead. In 2024, the courts...more
On March 1, 2022, the Delaware Court of Chancery delivered a memorandum opinion ordering a yoga franchisor to complete the acquisition of its franchisee’s chain of yoga studios. The case arose out of the parties’ pre-COVID...more
Bardy Diagnostics: Chancery confirms high bar for material adverse effect - The Delaware Court of Chancery was once again required to determine whether a potential buyer should be relieved of its obligation to acquire a...more
In a highly anticipated decision, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice – Commercial List held that Cineworld wrongly terminated its arrangement agreement to acquire Cineplex, which was awarded substantial damages....more
Market Trends: What You Need to Know - Over the past almost 15 years covered by the ABA studies, materiality scrapes have morphed from being a somewhat uncommon provision, seen in about 14% of transactions in 2005, to...more
The COVID-19 pandemic and the responses adopted by governments around the world to mitigate its human cost will have a considerable impact on economic activity. We are seeing the forced closures of businesses and restrictions...more
Acquisition agreements customarily address risk associated with significant downward changes to the target’s business prior to closing through a variety of provisions, including through the use of the “material adverse...more
The outbreak of coronavirus (also known as COVID-19) is reportedly impacting global manufacturing, transportation and cross-border supply chains underpinning many aspects of international trade and commerce. Some companies...more
When parties begin merger talks, it is with an eye toward getting the deal done, getting the sellers their consideration, and determining how the combined company can do a better job for customers, employees and shareholders....more
On December 7, 2018, the Delaware Supreme Court affirmed the Court of Chancery's decision in Akorn, Inc. v. Fresenius Kabi AG , C.A. No. 2018-0300-JTL, which upheld, for the first time under Delaware law, the ability of a...more
The Delaware Supreme Court upholds a lower court's decision to allow Fresenius to sever its merger agreement with Akorn. On December 7, 2018, the Delaware Supreme Court unanimously affirmed Vice Chancellor Travis Laster's...more
On October 1, in Akorn v. Fresenius Kabi, the Delaware Court of Chancery for the first time found that a material adverse effect — or MAE — had occurred in a merger transaction, which, combined with other breaches of the...more