In DNA Genotek Inc. v. Spectrum DNA, C.A. No. 15-661 (D. Del. Feb. 4, 2016), Judge Robinson denied a motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction filed by defendants Spectrum DNA, Spectrum Solutions LLC, and Spectrum Packaging LLC (collectively, “Spectrum”), with leave to renew following jurisdictional discovery. Plaintiff DNA Genotek Inc. (“Genotek”) initiated the patent…

In Helsinn Healthcare S.A. v. Hospira, Inc., C.A. No. 15-264-GMS (D. Del. Feb. 19, 2016), Judge Sleet granted plaintiffs Helsinn Healthcare S.A. and Roche Palo Alto’s motion to stay their second-filed Hatch Waxman case pending the outcome of a motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction in their first-filed action. Plaintiffs filed the second…

In Bradium Technologies, LLC v. Microsoft Corp., C.A. No. 15-31-RGA (D. Del. Feb. 2, 2016), Judge Andrews granted in part defendant Microsoft Corporation’s (“Microsoft”) motion to dismiss plaintiff Bradium Technologies, LLC’s (“Bradium”) indirect and willful infringement claims. Microsoft argued that the allegations of the complaint were conclusory, and failed to allege sufficient facts of pre-suit…

This update provides short updates on judicial decisions, trends, and notable events in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, traditionally one of the three busiest jurisdictions for intellectual property litigation.

In In re Vaalco Energy, Inc. Stockholder Litigation, C.A. No. 11775-VCL (Dec. 21, 2015) (TRANSCRIPT), the Court of Chancery granted the plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment and invalidated certain provisions of Vaalco’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws, which provided that members of its board of directors could only be removed for cause. The Court held that…

In RBC Capital Markets, LLC v. Jervis, __ A.3d ___, 2015 WL 7721882 (Del. Nov. 30, 2015), the Delaware Supreme Court affirmed a post-trial decision by the Court of Chancery holding that a financial advisor was liable for aiding and abetting breaches of fiduciary duty by directors of a corporation during a sale of control transaction.…

In In re El Paso Pipeline Partners, L.P. Deriv. Litig., 2015 WL 7758609 (Del. Ch. Dec. 2, 2015), the Court of Chancery denied a motion to dismiss a suit, in which the Court had already entered a $171 million damages award against the defendants, on the grounds that the plaintiff had lost standing as a result…

Two recent decisions by the Delaware Court of Chancery have helped to define the contours of the Court’s authority in proceedings under Section 205 (“Section 205”) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). In In re Genelux Corporation, 126 A.3d 644 (Del. Ch. 2015), the Court of Chancery held that a…

In In re Trulia, Inc. Stockholder Litigation, C.A. No. 10020-CB (Del. Ch. Jan. 22, 2016), the Delaware Court of Chancery refused to approve a class action settlement that called for marginal disclosures in exchange for a broad release of stockholder claims. In so doing, the Court announced that moving forward it would review such “disclosure…

In In re EZCorp Inc. Consulting Agreement Derivative Litigation, 2016 WL 301245 (Del. Ch. Jan. 25, 2016), the Court of Chancery denied a motion to dismiss derivative claims challenging a series of payments between a corporation and its controlling stockholder, even though those payments had been approved by the Audit Committee of the corporation’s board. After…