Delaware Corporate Law Bulletins
Chancery Court Applies M&F Framework to Transactions in Which Controlling Stockholders Allegedly Received “Unique Benefits”
May. 9, 2019—Robert S. Reder & Elizabeth F. Shore | 72 Vand. L. Rev. En Banc 221 | MFW Trio | Chancery Court Applies M&F Framework to Transactions in Which Controlling Stockholders Allegedly Received “Unique Benefits” | PDF Download Link | Three recent Chancery Court decisions focus on circumstances in which controlling stockholders, each alleged to have...
Chancery Court Finds that Adverse Directors Not Entitled to Privileged Board Communications Concerning a Potential Merger
May. 9, 2019—Robert S. Reder & Katie Clemmons | 72 Vand. L. Rev. En Banc 249 | CBS Litigation | Chancery Court Finds that Adverse Directors Not Entitled to Privileged Board Communications Concerning a Potential Merger | PDF Download Link | Chancellor Andre G. Bouchard’s letter ruling in CBS Litigation provides a useful analysis how a board...
Chancery Court Finds Corwin Applicable to Third-Party Buyout of a Company Controlled by a Large Stockholder
May. 9, 2019—Robert S. Reder | 72 Vand. L. Rev. En Banc 213 | English v. Narang | Chancery Court Finds Corwin Applicable to Third-Party Buyout of a Company Controlled by a Large Stockholder | PDF Download Link | The Chancery Court again considered the availability of a Corwin defense in connection with a third-party buyout of...
Delaware Supreme Court Explores Application of MFW’s “Ab Initio” Requirement in Controlling Stockholder-Related Litigation
May. 9, 2019—Robert S. Reder | 72 Vand. L. Rev. En Banc 237 | Synutra and Olenik Appeals | Refusing to draw a bright-line, the Court focuses on the point at which “substantive economic negotiations” begin in determining whether failure to include MFW’s dual procedural protections in the initial offer may not be fatal to pleading-stage dismissal...
Delaware Chancery Court Rejects Federal Forum Selection Clause for Securities Act Claims
May. 3, 2019—Robert S. Reder & Jóna N. Mays | 72 Vand. L. Rev. En Banc 183 | Sciabacucchi | Citing Boilermakers ruling, court distinguishes between internal and external claims | PDF Download Link | Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster granted summary judgment to a plaintiff who attacked three such forum selection clauses, opinion that “[t]he constitutive...
Dell Appraisal: Delaware Supreme Court Rejects Chancery Court Valuation Giving No Weight to Deal Price in Connection with Management-Led LBO
Apr. 29, 2019—Robert S. Reder & Micah N. Bradley | 72 Vand. L. Rev. En Banc 201 | Dell MBO | Reverses Chancery Court valuation that relied exclusively on a discounted cash flow analysis while giving no weight to deal price or stock market trading values | PDF Download Link | Delaware General Corporation Law §262 (“DGCL...
Chancery Court Analyzes MFW’s “Ab Initio” Requirement in Controlling Stockholder Litigation
Feb. 15, 2019—Robert S. Reder & Ashleigh C. Bennett | 72 Vand. L. Rev. En Banc 117 | Olenik v. Lodzinski | Chancery Court Analyzes MFW’s “Ab Initio” Requirement in Controlling Stockholder Litigation | PDF Download Link | Distinguishes exploratory “discussions” from “negotiations” in determining that MFW’s “ab initio” requirement was satisfied.
Chancery Court Declares Corwin is not a “Massive Eraser” for all Fiduciary Wrongdoing
Nov. 2, 2018—Robert S. Reder | 72 Vand. L. Rev. En Banc, 93 | In Re Massey Energy Co. | Chancery Court Declares Corwin is not a “Massive Eraser” for all Fiduciary Wrongdoing | PDF Download Link | Delaware court demands “a far more proximate relationship” between the transaction approved by stockholders and the claims sought to be...
Delaware Supreme Court Once Again Reverses Dismissal of Fiduciary Breach Claims Brought Against Target Company Directors
Oct. 10, 2018—Robert S. Reder | 72 Vand. L. Rev. En Banc 71 | Morrison v. Berry | Delaware Supreme Court Once Again Reverses Dismissal of Fiduciary Breach Claims Brought Against Target Company Directors | PDF Download Link | Corwin defense defeated due to tendering stockholders not being “fully informed” as to founder’s side deal with winning bidder.
Chancery Court Determines That 22.1% Stockholder Controls Corporation, Rendering Corwin Inapplicable
Sep. 20, 2018—Robert S. Reder | 72 Vand. L. Rev. En Banc 61 | Tesla Motors, Inc. Stockholder Litigation | Chancery Court Determines That 22.1% Stockholder Controls Corporation, Rendering Corwin Inapplicable | PDF Download Link | Determines on a “close call” that minority blockholder exhibited sufficient indicia of control to create “inherent coercion”
Chancery Court Finds Corwin Applicable to Merger Transaction Negotiated with 33.5% Stockholder
Sep. 10, 2018—Robert S. Reder | 72 Vand. L. Rev. En Banc 51 | In Re Rouse Properties, Inc. | Chancery Court Finds Corwin Applicable to Merger Transaction Negotiated with 33.5% Stockholder | PDF Link Download | Chancery Court Determines that large “minority blockholder” did not exhibit sufficient indicia of control to defeat application of Corwin.
Chancery Court Holds that Defendant Directors’ Failure to Disclose Material Facts Defeated Application of Corwin, but Nevertheless Dismisses Claims Against Directors Due to Plaintiff’s Failure to Adequately Plead Directorial Breach of Their Duty of Loyalty
Aug. 16, 2018—Robert S. Reder & Elizabeth F. Shore | 72 Vand. L. Rev. En Banc 41 | Van Der Fluit v. Yates | Chancery Court Holds that Defendant Directors’ Failure to Disclose Material Facts Defeated Application of Corwin, but Nevertheless Dismisses Claims Against Directors Due to Plaintiff’s Failure to Adequately Plead Directorial Breach of Their Duty...
Delaware Supreme Court Clarifies Pleading Standard in Post-Closing Damages Action Alleging Breach of “Revlon Duties”
Jul. 31, 2018—Robert S. Reder & Victoria L. Romvary | 72 Vand. L. Rev. En Banc 29 | Kahn v. Stern | Delaware Supreme Court Clarifies Pleading Standard in Post-Closing Damages Action Alleging Breach of “Revlon Duties” | PDF Download Link | But affirms Chancery Court finding that “side deals” for corporate insiders in connection with a...
Chancery Court Again Grants Early Dismissal of Litigation Challenging Control Stockholder-Led Buyout
Jul. 31, 2018—Robert S. Reder | 72 Vand. L. Rev. En Banc 11 | Synutra | Chancery Court Again Grants Early Dismissal of Litigation Challenging Control Stockholder-Led Buyout | PDF Download Link | Chancery Court determines buyout followed “M&F Framework” even though initial offer failed to condition transaction on board committee and disinterested stockholder approval.
Delaware Supreme Court Bars Buyer From Using Narrowly-“Cabined” Working Capital Adjustment To Attack Seller’s Alleged Non-Compliance With GAAP
Jul. 29, 2018—Robert S. Reder & William Pugh | 72 Vand. L. Rev. En Banc 19 | Chicago Bridge v. Westinghouse | Delaware Supreme Court Bars Buyer From Using Narrowly-“Cabined” Working Capital Adjustment To Attack Seller’s Alleged Non- Compliance With GAAP | PDF Download Link | When sellers and buyers successfully negotiate the terms for the sale...
Chancery Court Declines to Apply Corwin to Forclose a Books and Records Inspection Under DGCL Section 220
Jul. 8, 2018—Robert S. Reder & Dylan M. Keegan | 72 Vand. L. Rev. En Banc 1 | Lavin v. West Corp. | Chancery Court Declines to Apply Corwin to Foreclose a Books and Records Inspection Under DGCL §220 | Download Link | Determines, as a matter of law, that Corwin should not preclude a stockholder’s “use...