Judge Wallace Grants in Part and Denies in Part Cross Motions to Dismiss
In The GWO Litigation Trust v. Sprint Solutions, Inc., C.A. No. N17C-06-356 PRW CCLD, Judge Wallace granted in part and denied in part defendant Sprint Solutions, Inc.’s (“Sprint”) motion to dismiss certain counts of the complaint and plaintiff General Wireless Organization Litigation Trust’s (“GWO Trust”) partial motion to dismiss Sprint’s counterclaims and third party Sprint e-Wireless’s…
Delaware Legislature Passes Equal Rights Amendment Bill
Recently, Delaware’s 150th General Assembly passed House Bill No. 1, amending Article I of the Delaware Constitution to provide equal rights on the basis of sex. This amendment provides that the Constitution shall state: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged on account of sex.” The bill also contains a statement…
In re PLX: Delaware Court Provides Guidance on Potential Conflicts Involving Activist Directors
In In re PLX Technology Inc. StockholdersLitigation, the Delaware Court of Chancery foundthat the directors of PLX Technology, Inc. (PLX), inapproving the company’s sale to Avago Technologies(Avago), breached their duty of disclosure as wellas their so-called Revlon duties to establish a processdesigned to seek the best transaction reasonablyavailable. Interestingly, the breach associated with thesales process…
USA Regional Employment – Delaware Law and Practice
Delaware Court of Chancery Strikes Federal Forum Selection Provisions
In Sciabacucchi v. Salzberg, the Delaware Courtof Chancery struck down provisions in the certificateof incorporation of three defendant corporationspurporting to require any claim under the SecuritiesAct of 1933 (1933 Act) to be filed in the federaldistrict courts of the United States of America. Theopinion is relevant not only for its key holding butalso for the Court’s…
Sciabacucchi v. Salzberg: Court of Chancery Declares Federal Forum Provisions Ineffective
The Delaware Court of Chancery, in Sciabacucchi v. Salzberg, C.A. No. 2017-0931-JTL (Del. Ch. Dec. 19, 2018), has declared “ineffective and invalid” provisions in three corporations’ certificates of incorporation that purported “to require any claim under the Securities Act of 1933 to be brought in federal court” (the “Federal Forum Provisions”). Ruling on cross-motions for summary…
Better Safe Than Sorry: Experts Should Apportion Damages in Trade Secret Cases
Trade secret claims commonly involve large-scale litigation with millions of dollars at stake. Heightened competition and increased employee mobility in certain industries have resulted in an explosion of trade secret litigation in recent years. See Bradford K. Newman, “Protecting Trade Secrets,” 17 Bus. L. Today, Nov./Dec. 2007. It is expected that trade secret cases will…
Investors Bancorp: Structuring and Approving Non-Executive Director Compensation to Avoid Judicial Review
In the recent Investors Bancorp case, the Delaware Supreme Court clarified that advance stockholder approval of a compensation plan may only “ratify” future grants if the plan is self-executing, i.e., it left the board with no discretion, and enumerated specific grants or a formula for calculating specific grants. The authors discuss the case and, in…
Delaware Court Finds Material Adverse Effect Allowing Buyer to Terminate Merger Agreement
The Delaware Court of Chancery’s opinion in Akorn, Inc.v. Fresenius Kabi AG constitutes what is believed to bethe first decision of a Delaware court permitting a buyerto terminate a merger agreement due to the occurrence ofa material adverse effect. While the headline holding issignificant in and of itself, the Court’s analysis is groundin existing Delaware…
Judge Davis Denies Motion to Dismiss on Grounds that Factual Record Needs Further Development
In two consolidated actions, Wilmington – 5190 Brandywine Parkway, LLC v. Acadia Brandywine Holdings, LLC, C.A. No.: N17C-04-60 EMD CCLD, and Wilmington – 5190 Brandywine Parkway, LLC v. Acadia Realty Limited Partnership, C.A. No.: N17C-04-061 EMD CCLD, Judge Davis denied a motion to dismiss after concluding that the record was in need of further development. Defendant…