Preserving a Seller’s Attorney-Client Privilege After Great Hill

In Great Hill Equity Partners IV v. SIG Growth Equity Fund I, a lawsuit arising from a private-company merger, the buyer discovered certain of the seller's privileged communications, including privileged communications concerning the merger negotiation, in computer files that had been delivered to the buyer in the merger.

Delaware Bankruptcy Court and Second Circuit Take Different Views of Whether a Debtor with No Assets Located in the United States Is Eligible for Chapter 15 Relief

Within one week, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals issued an opinion on an issue of first impression (at the Circuit level) in chapter 15 cases, and the Delaware Bankruptcy Court issued an oral ruling, disagreeing with the Second Circuit’s opinion.  The issue is whether a debtor must have assets located in the United States to qualify for chapter 15 relief.

Klaassen v. Allegro: Implementing the Stockholders’ Agreement

In Klaassen v. Allegro Development, the Delaware Court of Chancery indicated that governance provisions included in stockholders' agreements may be enforceable against the parties to those agreements, even if the provisions conflict with the certificate of incorporation or the DGCL.

Boilermakers Local 154 Retirement Fund, et al. v. Chevron Corp., et al. and IClub Inv. P’ship v. FedEx Corp., et al.: Appeal of Forum Selection Bylaw Decision Voluntarily Dismissed

In June 2013, the Court of Chancery held in Boilermakers Local 154 Retirement Fund, et al. v. Chevron Corp., et al., and IClub Inv. P’ship v. FedEx Corp., et al., 73 A.3d 934 (Del. Ch. 2013), that a board of directors, if granted authority by the certificate of incorporation to adopt bylaws, has the power under…

In re BioClinica: Court of Chancery Dismisses Claims that Well-Shopped Transaction Supported by Allegedly “Weak” Fairness Opinion Constituted Breach of Fiduciary Duty

In In re BioClinica, Inc. Shareholder Litigation, Vice Chancellor Glasscock of the Delaware Court of Chancery held that plaintiffs’ amended complaint failed to state a claim against the directors of BioClinica, Inc. for breaches of fiduciary duty, and against JLL Partners, Inc., BioCore Holdings, Inc. and BC Acquisition Corp. for aiding and abetting.

Klaassen v. Allegro Development Corp.: Court of Chancery Upholds Removal of CEO and Determines Composition of Board of Directors

In Klaassen v. Allegro Development Corporation, Eldon Klaassen, the former CEO of Allegro Development Corporation, brought an action under Section 225 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, requesting that the Court of Chancery declare that he: (1) was still the CEO of Allegro, (2) had validly removed two of Allegro’s directors and appointed their replacements, and (3) had validly filled a preexisting director vacancy.

Delaware Coalition for Open Government, Inc. v. Strine, et al.: Third Circuit Holds Court of Chancery’s Confidential Arbitration Program Unconstitutional

In Delaware Coalition for Open Government v. Strine, et al., the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit considered whether the District Court for the District of Delaware correctly ruled that confidential arbitration proceedings conducted by members of the Delaware Court of Chancery under 10 Del. C. § 349 must be open to the public under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Activision Blizzard, Inc. v. Hayes: Delaware Supreme Court Holds that Corporation’s Purchase of its Own Stock Is Not a “Business Combination” Requiring Stockholder Approval Under Certificate of Incorporation

In Activision Blizzard, Inc. v. Hayes, the Delaware Supreme Court addressed the question of whether the purchase by Activision Blizzard, Inc. of shares of its own stock, as well as net operating loss carryforwards, from Vivendi, S.A. constituted a "merger, business combination or similar transaction" under Activision amended certificate of incorporation.