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Shareholders Corporations Code Shareholder Litigation

Allen Matkins

So You Want To Sue "The Board", Is That Even Possible?

Allen Matkins on

A little more than eight years ago, I wrote about U.S. District Court Judge Ronald M. Whyte's ruling that a corporate board of directors lacks the capacity of being sued.  Theta Chi Fraternity, Inc. v. Leland Stanford Junior...more

Allen Matkins

Does Guzman Supply An Answer To Moelis?

Allen Matkins on

I always enjoy hearing from readers of this blog.  Recently, I wrote: Reading these statutes together, it is relatively clear that Nevada, like Delaware, permits the articles of incorporation to vary the mandate that...more

Allen Matkins

Judge Finds Demand Futility Is A "Live" Issue

Allen Matkins on

A recent ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Anthony J. Battaglia addresses whether demand futility is an affirmative defense that must be asserted in an answer or raised in a motion to dismiss.  In re Franklin Wireless, 2024...more

Allen Matkins

Can A Member Bring A Derivative Action On Behalf Of A California Nonprofit Corporation?

Allen Matkins on

Like many questions in the law, the answer to the question of whether a member of a California nonprofit corporation may maintain a derivative action is "it depends"....more

Paul Hastings LLP

Delaware Chancery Court Invalidates Moelis Shareholder Agreement

Paul Hastings LLP on

On February 23, 2024, a decision by Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster in the Delaware Chancery Court invalidated parts of a shareholder agreement between Moelis & Company and its Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and founder,...more

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

Delaware Chancery’s Moelis II Decision Provides Cautionary Tale for Boards and Activists

On February 23, 2024, Vice Chancellor Travis Laster of the Delaware Court of Chancery issued his 131-page decision in West Palm Beach Firefighters’ Pension Fund v. Moelis & Co., No. 2023-0309-JTL. The case involved a...more

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Delaware Court of Chancery Addresses Validity of Stockholder Agreement-Based Restrictions over Corporate Governance Matters

On February 23, 2024, Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster of the Delaware Court of Chancery issued a decision concluding that some provisions of a stockholder agreement purporting to give a large stockholder various governance...more

Allen Matkins

Can "New Wave" Stockholder Agreements Catch A Wave In California?

Allen Matkins on

Professor Stephen Bainbridge recently commented on a decision by Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster finding that Section 141(a) of the Delaware General Corporation Law trumps most of the provisions of a so-called "new wave"...more

Allen Matkins

Is The Right To Sue Officers A Power, Preference Or Special Right?

Allen Matkins on

Earlier this month the Electrical Workers Pension Fund, Local 103, I.B.E.W. filed a verified class action complaint in the Delaware Court of Chancery against Fox Corporation.  (Case No. 2022-1007-MTZ (filed Nov. 4, 2022)). ...more

Allen Matkins

The General Corporation Law's Filioque

Allen Matkins on

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

Allen Matkins

A Preference For Minority Rule?

Allen Matkins on

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

Allen Matkins

Some Information That You Won't Find On The Secretary Of State's Website

Allen Matkins on

The California Secretary of State's website provides certain information with respect to a wide range of domestic and foreign entities registered to transact intrastate business, including corporations, limited liability...more

Allen Matkins

Can A Corporation Change Its Board Size In Proprio Motu?

Allen Matkins on

As noted in yesterday's post, Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber is asking U.S. District Court Judge R. Gary Klausner to dismiss a challenge to California's board quota statutes.   In her motion to dismiss, the Secretary of...more

Allen Matkins

Why California Requires Notice Of Rights That Shareholders May Not Have

Allen Matkins on

Dissenters' rights under California's General Corporation Law do not exist unless there are "dissenting shares", a term defined in Section 1300(b) of the California Corporations Code.  In order to qualify as "dissenting...more

Allen Matkins

Court Finds No Cause Of Action Against Officer For Interfering With Shareholder Inspection

Allen Matkins on

William Romanowski is a former NFL linebacker who later became the majority shareholder, director, and "public face" of Nutrition 53, Inc.  When the company's second largest shareholder was allegedly denied inspection of the...more

Allen Matkins

Section 1800 And The Case Of The Little Shareholder That Could

Allen Matkins on

Section 1800 of the California Corporations Code provides a procedure for the involuntary dissolution of a corporation. The process begins with the filing of a verified complaint, but only those persons listed in the statute...more

Allen Matkins

Nevada Favors New York Over Delaware Precedent For SLC Review

Allen Matkins on

Nevada law endows a board of directors “full control over the affairs of the corporation”. NRS 78.120(1). This control is subject only to such limitations as may be provided by NRS chapter 7, or the articles of...more

Allen Matkins

Suing The CEO For Social Activism Is Likely To Be Challenging Under Nevada Law

Allen Matkins on

Yesterday’s post concerned asked the question whether shareholders can sue CEOs for social activism. The answer is of course, yes. The more interesting question is whether shareholders will win the suit. To answer that...more

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

California and Delaware Courts Agree: Amendments to Corporate Bylaws Do Not Apply Retroactively to Impair Pursuit Previously...

Two recent decisions, one from the Delaware Court of Chancery and one from the California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, refused to apply bylaws that impaired a shareholder/member plaintiff’s ability to pursue...more

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