Alena Smith at Morris James LLP

Supreme Court Affirms Chancery Rulings in Derivative Litigation Challenging Oracle’s NetSuite Acquisition

In re Oracle Corp. Deriv. Litig., C.A. No. 2017-0337 (Del. Jan. 21, 2025) - The Supreme Court affirmed the Court of Chancery’s decision in favor of the defendants in a derivative suit challenging Oracle’s acquisition of...more

5/27/2025 / Acquisitions , Appeals , Board of Directors , Business Judgment Rule , Controlling Stockholders , Delaware General Corporation Law , Discovery , Fiduciary Duty , Shareholder Litigation

Chancery Allows a Claim for Contract Reformation to Proceed Based on Alleged Mutual Mistake

Kingfishers L.P. v. Finesse US, Inc., C.A. No. 2024-0344-SG (Del. Ch. Oct. 30, 2024) - In this decision, the Court of Chancery held that the plaintiffs failed to state claims for fraud and equitable fraud, but pled...more

5/2/2025 / Business Litigation , Contract Disputes , Contract Interpretation , Delaware , Equity , Motion to Dismiss

Chancery Finds Sufficiently Pled Fiduciary Duty Claims Relating to De-SPAC Transaction

Solak v. Mountain Crest Capital LLC, et al., C.A. No. 2023-0469-SG (Del. Ch. Oct. 18, 2024) - The Court of Chancery found that the plaintiff stated legally-sufficient claims in connection with a merger transaction against...more

4/11/2025 / Acquisitions , Breach of Duty , Delaware General Corporation Law , Disclosure Requirements , Fiduciary Duty , Mergers , Motion to Dismiss , Shareholder Litigation , Shareholders , Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs)

Chancery Removes an Assignee for Cause in an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors Proceeding

In re: Wack Jills, Inc., C.A. No. 2019-0650-PAF (Del. Ch. Aug. 29, 2024) - In this proceeding for the assignment for the benefit of creditors (“ABC proceeding”), the company assigned all of its property and assets to...more

2/27/2025 / Bankruptcy Code , Bankruptcy Court , Corporate Governance , Corporate Restructuring , Creditors , Debtors , Delaware , Enforcement Actions , Reporting Requirements

Chancery Finds that the Plaintiff Successfully Pled Breach of Contract for Milestone Payments

Medal v. Beckett Collectibles, LLC, C.A. No. 2023-0984-VLM (Del. Ch. Aug. 22, 2024). In denying a motion to dismiss, the Court of Chancery held that the plaintiff pled reasonably conceivable claims for breach of...more

2/19/2025 / Breach of Contract , Business Litigation , Contract Terms , Corporate Governance , Delaware , Motion to Dismiss , Shareholder Litigation , Shareholders

Chancery Finds that Former Employees were “Officers” Entitled to Advancement

Gilbert v. Unisys Corp., C.A. No. 2023-0513-PAF (Del. Ch. Aug. 13, 2024) - In this decision, the Court of Chancery held that the plaintiffs were entitled to advancement of legal fees and expenses from their former...more

1/22/2025 / Advancement , Board of Directors , Corporate Governance , Corporate Officers , Delaware General Corporation Law , Employment Litigation , Fiduciary Duty

Chancery Defaulted to Deal Price to Determine the Fair Value of a Privately-Held Corporation in an Appraisal Proceeding

Hyde Park Venture Partners Fund III, L.P. v. FairXchange, LLC, C.A. No. 2022-0344-JTL (Del. Ch. July 30, 2024) - In this post-trial appraisal decision, the Court of Chancery determined the fair value of a privately-held...more

12/19/2024 / Appraisal , Board of Directors , Corporate Governance , Merger Agreements , Mergers , Shareholders

Chancery Holds that Related Individual and Class Claims Will Not Proceed Together and Litigants Cannot Pursue Class or Derivative...

Pope v. Hycroft Mining Holding Corp., C.A. No. 2022-0957-LWW (Del. Ch. July 9, 2024) - In this decision, the Court of Chancery found the plaintiffs could not press class claims if they also pursue related individual...more

12/10/2024 / Breach of Contract , Breach of Duty , Class Action , Derivative Suit , Fiduciary Duty

Chancery Awards Attorneys’ Fees to the Prevailing Party

Malkani v. Cunningham, C.A. 2020-1004-SG (Del. Ch. Feb. 28, 2024) - In this decision involving a contractual fee-shifting provision, both parties argued that they were entitled to fee-shifting as the prevailing parties....more

6/21/2024 / Attorney's Fees , Breach of Contract , Breach of Duty , Fiduciary Duty

Chancery Upholds Challenge to TripAdvisor’s Conversion from a Delaware Corporation into a Nevada Entity

Palkon v. Maffei, C.A. 2023-0449-JTL (Del. Ch. Feb. 20, 2024) - This decision arose out of TripAdivor’s conversion from a Delaware corporation into a Nevada corporation. The company’s CEO and Chair had voting control and...more

4/26/2024 / Board of Directors , Breach of Duty , Derivative Suit , Fiduciary Duty , Shareholder Litigation , Shareholders

Chancery Addresses Pleading-Stage Arguments for Dismissal in LLC Dispute

Principal Growth Strategies LLC v. AGH Parent LLC, C.A. 2019-0431-JTL (Del. Ch. January 25, 2023) - This decision provides helpful guidance to practitioners to address pleading-stage arguments for dismissal. The plaintiff...more

4/8/2024 / Breach of Duty , Derivative Suit , Fiduciary Duty , Limited Liability Company (LLC) , Shareholder Litigation

Applying New Rule 23.1, Chancery Establishes Leadership Structure in Fox Derivative Litigation

In re Fox Corp. Deriv. Litig., C.A. 2023-0418-JTL (Del. Ch. Dec. 29, 2023). The newly amended Court of Chancery Rule 23.1 identifies factors for a court to consider when resolving a litigation leadership dispute. In this...more

3/5/2024 / Board of Directors , Breach of Duty , Derivative Suit , Fiduciary Duty , Shareholder Litigation

Chancery Evaluates Supplemental Disclosures to Determine the Corporate Benefit and Awards Plaintiffs a Proportional Fee

Allen v. Harvey, C.A. No. 2022-0248-MTZ (Del. Ch. Oct. 30, 2023) - Delaware cases provide guidance on the standard for evaluating the “corporate benefit” from supplemental disclosures in advance of a stockholder vote – and...more

2/23/2024 / Board of Directors , Breach of Duty , Fiduciary Duty , Mergers , Shareholder Litigation , Shareholders

Chancery Denies Request for Mandatory Preliminary Injunction to Waive Advance Notice Bylaw and Permit Director Nominees to Stand...

Paragon Tech., Inc. v. Cryan, C.A. 2023-1013-LWW (Del. Ch. Nov. 30, 2023). In Delaware, a preliminary injunction is granted “sparingly and only upon a persuasive showing that it is urgently necessary, that it will result...more

2/23/2024 / Board of Directors , Breach of Duty , Fiduciary Duty , Shareholder Litigation , Shareholders

Chancery Finds That Books and Records Incorporated by Reference in Complaint Demonstrate the Lack of a Valid Caremark Claim

Joel Newman v. KKR Phorm Investors, L.P., et al. C.A. No. 2022-0310-NAC (Del. Ch. Aug. 31, 2023). At the motion to dismiss stage, Delaware courts will consider the facts alleged in the complaint as well as the documents...more

1/5/2024 / Books & Records , Breach of Duty , Demand Futility , Derivative Suit , Fiduciary Duty , Section 220 Request , Shareholder Litigation

Chancery Declines to Defer to the Deal Price in Appraisal Proceeding Involving a Controller Squeeze-Out Subject to MFW Protections

HBK Master Fund L.P. v. Pivotal Software Inc., C.A. No. 2020-0165-KSJM (Del. Ch. Aug. 14, 2023) - The Delaware Court of Chancery engages in an independent valuation process when determining the fair value of petitioners'...more

1/4/2024 / Board of Directors , Breach of Duty , Fiduciary Duty , Mergers , Shareholder Litigation , Shareholders

Chancery Orders Company to Produce Books and Records in Response to Section 220 Demand and Grants Stockholder Leave to Seek Fees...

Myers v Academy Securities, Inc. C.A. No. 2023-0241-BWD (Del. Ch. July 24, 2023). Under Section 220 of the Delaware General Corporation Law ("DGCL"), stockholders are entitled to corporate books and records if they make a...more

12/11/2023 / Attorney's Fees , Books & Records , Delaware General Corporation Law , Section 220 Request

Supreme Court Affirms Court of Chancery’s Decision Directing “Long Dark” Company to Produce Books and Records to a Stockholder...

Hauppauge Digital, Inc. v. Rivest, C.A. No. 2019-0848 (Del. July 10, 2023). Under Delaware law, once a stockholder has established a proper purpose to inspect a corporation's books and records, the Court of Chancery has...more

11/10/2023 / Books & Records , Section 220 Request , Shareholder Litigation , Shareholders

Chancery Finds that Buyer Breached Purchase Agreement by Denying Sellers’ Rights to Participate in a Defense

LPPAS Representative, LLC v. ATH Holding Co. LLC, C.A. 2020-0241-KSJM / Shareholder Representative Services LLC v. ATH Holding Co. LLC, C.A. No. 2020-0443-KSJM (Del. Ch. May 2, 2023) - Delaware law recognizes parties’...more

9/26/2023 / Breach of Contract , Motion for Summary Judgment , Shareholder Litigation , Shareholders

Chancery Denies Sellers’ Claim Against Buyers for Failure to Close, Finds That Sellers’ Award of “Phantom Equity” to Former...

HControl Holdings LLC vs. Antin Infrastructure Partners S.A.S., C.A. 2023-0283-KSJM (Del. Ch. May 29, 2023) - In Delaware, buyers bear the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence their claims for breach of a...more

9/12/2023 / Breach of Contract , Contract Terms , Merger Agreements , Mergers

Chancery Orders Defendant to Pay Simple Prejudgment Interest and Reduces the Amount Because of Plaintiffs’ Delays

Ainslie v. Cantor Fitzgerald LP, C.A. No. 9436-VCZ (Del. Ch. Apr. 5, 2023) - Delaware law provides for the interest to be awarded under 6 Del. C. § 2301 in actions seeking compensatory damages, and the rate is fixed by the...more

8/2/2023 / Breach of Contract , Damages , Declaratory Judgments

Chancery Holds Stockholders Can Assert Disclosure Claims on Behalf of Other Stockholders but Must Do So Through a Derivative...

New Enterprise Associates 14, L.P. vs. Rich, C.A. No. 2022-0406-JTL (Del. Ch. March 9, 2023) - Delaware law establishes that directors owe a duty of disclosure which arises as "the application in a specific context of the...more

6/13/2023 / Board of Directors , Breach of Duty , Derivative Suit , Fiduciary Duty

Chancery Grants Injunction Under the Delaware Deceptive Trade Practices Act

Next Level Ventures, LLC v. AVID USA Technologies LLC, C.A. No. 2022-0699-MTZ (Del. Ch. March 16, 2023) - The Delaware Deceptive Trade Practices Act (the "DDTPA”), 6 Del. C. § 2531, et seq., prohibits confusing or creating...more

6/13/2023 / Injunctions , Sales & Distribution Agreements , Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices

Chancery Finds Delaware’s Officer Consent Statute Extends Beyond “Formal Officers” to De Facto or Acting Officers

Harris v Harris, C.A. No. 2019-0736-JTL (Del. Ch. January 19, 2023) - Delaware's Officer Consent Statute provides for service of process on anyone who "accepts election or appointment as an officer of a corporation…or who...more

5/4/2023 / Board of Directors , Breach of Duty , Derivative Suit , Fiduciary Duty , Shareholder Litigation , Shareholders

Chancery Finds SPAC’s Sponsor and Board Potentially Violated Fiduciary Duties by Depriving Public Stockholders of the Information...

Delman v. GigAcquisitions3 LLC, C.A. No. 2021-0679-LWW (Del. Ch. January 4, 2023) - Delaware law establishes that fiduciaries of a corporation cannot be exempted from "their loyalty obligation and the attendant equitable...more

4/25/2023 / Breach of Duty , Controlling Stockholders , Entire Fairness Standard , Fiduciary Duty , Mergers , Share Price , Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) , Stock Redemption

Alena Smith

Morris James LLP

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