In this issue, we recap significant developments in the Delaware courts affecting corporations, their boards and managements.
Don’t Call It a Comeback: A Decade Later, the Corwin Doctrine Still Packs a Knockout Punch...more
7/23/2025
/ Acquisitions ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Board of Directors ,
Corporate Governance ,
Delaware ,
Dismissals ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Mergers ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Shareholders ,
Technology Sector
Almost overnight, generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has become ubiquitous in numerous aspects of life, both personal and work-related. Nearly all major law firms have begun to explore and, in many instances, have...more
7/23/2025
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Bylaws ,
Corporate Governance ,
Delaware ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Financial Institutions ,
Proxy Season ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Shareholder Litigation ,
Shareholders ,
Technology
On June 17, 2025, the Delaware Supreme Court reversed a post-trial finding of aiding and abetting liability against a third-party arm’s-length buyer. In doing so, the court built upon another recent decision and reaffirmed...more
6/20/2025
/ Acquisitions ,
Aiding and Abetting ,
Appeals ,
Business Litigation ,
Commercial Litigation ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Governance ,
Delaware ,
Delaware General Corporation Law ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Mergers ,
Shareholder Litigation
Key Points -
- The SEC’s Crypto Task Force acknowledges past hostility toward digital assets and aims to create more sensible regulations.
- Tokenized securities face complex regulatory challenges, including compliance...more
5/28/2025
/ Acquisitions ,
Blockchain ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Corporate Governance ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Energy Sector ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Healthcare ,
Investment Company Act of 1940 ,
Life Sciences ,
Mergers ,
Private Equity ,
Retail Market ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ,
Securities Fraud ,
Securities Litigation ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Tokens ,
Technology
In this issue of The Informed Board, we go behind all the talk about companies reincorporating in states other than Delaware. In our lead article and our podcast, we point out that few companies actually moved, and we explain...more
5/16/2025
/ Board of Directors ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Officers ,
Delaware ,
Delaware General Corporation Law ,
Incorporation ,
Institutional Investors ,
Private Equity ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Shareholder Litigation ,
Shareholders ,
Spinoffs
Key Points -
- While there have been some vocal critics of Delaware corporations law, few major companies have reincorporated in other states, and Delaware incorporation continues to offer substantial benefits to companies...more
On January 28, 2025, Skadden hosted a webinar on recent developments in Delaware corporate law. Skadden partners Howard Ellin (Mergers and Acquisitions/New York), Ed Micheletti (Litigation/Wilmington) and Jenness Parker...more
At what point has a director served too long? What about term limits? A mandatory retirement age? When do a director’s skills become stale? These issues are addressed in this issue of The Informed Board, as well as why proxy...more
11/25/2024
/ Acquisitions ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Board of Directors ,
Corporate Governance ,
Cyber Attacks ,
Cybersecurity ,
Cybersecurity Framework ,
Data Privacy ,
Data Protection ,
Investment ,
Investors ,
Machine Learning ,
Mergers ,
National Security ,
Proxy Season ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Shareholder Activism ,
Technology Sector
Cyber threats continue to grow as a result of increased digitization, widespread use of cloud computing, advanced connectivity and artificial intelligence (AI), requiring boards of directors across all sectors to focus more...more
11/22/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Board of Directors ,
Corporate Governance ,
Crisis Management ,
Cyber Attacks ,
Cybersecurity ,
Cybersecurity Framework ,
Data Privacy ,
Machine Learning ,
Privacy Laws ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Litigation ,
Third-Party
Ninth Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Insider Trading Claims Against Satellite Operator Investors Based on Stock Sales After FCC Chairman Vote -
In re Silver Lake Grp., LLC Sec. Litig. (9th Cir. July 24, 2024)
What to...more
10/2/2024
/ Acquisitions ,
Aerospace ,
Bylaws ,
Cannabis Products ,
Class Certification ,
Commercial Litigation ,
Corporate Governance ,
Delaware General Corporation Law ,
Disclosure ,
FCC ,
Fraud ,
Healthcare ,
Insider Trading ,
Life Sciences ,
Marijuana ,
Mergers ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
PSLRA ,
Safe Harbors ,
Scienter ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Litigation ,
Securities Regulation ,
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) ,
Startups ,
Technology Sector
On July 11, 2024, the Supreme Court of Delaware, en banc, issued an important decision in Kellner v. AIM Immunotech Inc.,1 which arose from a challenge in the Delaware Court of Chancery involving advance notice bylaws that...more
On May 31, 2024, the Delaware Court of Chancery issued its first opinion dismissing a “MultiPlan claim” at the pleadings stage.
As a reminder, a MultiPlan claim is a breach of fiduciary duty claim against directors,...more
On May 31, 2024, the Delaware Court of Chancery issued an important decision addressing several key areas of Delaware law related to merger litigation. The opinion indicates that the court will continue to closely scrutinize...more
Artificial intelligence is not just about chatbots. Increasingly, it is used by government for enforcement, and boards need to prepare for that, just as they need to get ready for upcoming climate disclosure requirements....more
5/21/2024
/ Acquisitions ,
Antitrust Provisions ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Capital Markets ,
Climate Change ,
Competition ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Machine Learning ,
Mergers ,
New Rules ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Shareholders ,
Spinoffs ,
Tax-Free Spin-Offs ,
Taxation ,
Technology ,
White Collar Crimes
The US Government Is Using AI To Detect Potential Wrongdoing, and Companies Should Too With agencies such as the SEC and DOJ using AI and other data analytics tools extensively to detect wrongdoing, companies need to adopt...more
4/1/2024
/ Analytics ,
Antitrust Division ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Board of Directors ,
Climate Change ,
Competition ,
Compliance ,
Corporate Communications ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Data Management ,
Data Protection ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Diversity ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Hong Kong ,
International Data Transfers ,
Machine Learning ,
Popular ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Race Discrimination ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Technology Sector
Over the past decade, environmental, social and governance (ESG) topics have featured heavily in social and political discourse. ESG has also become prominent in the boardroom as directors navigate how best to address...more
3/29/2024
/ Board of Directors ,
Books & Records ,
Climate Change ,
Commercial Litigation ,
Controlling Stockholders ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
New Rules ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Shareholder Activism ,
Shareholder Proposals
Securities Class Actions Show No Signs of Slowing in 2024 -
Key Points -
While the volume of securities class actions filings has remained consistently elevated over the past several years, the composition of the class...more
3/5/2024
/ Class Action ,
Corporate Governance ,
Digital Assets ,
Educational Institutions ,
Energy Sector ,
Entertainment Industry ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Healthcare ,
Life Sciences ,
Macquarie Infrastructure Corp v Moab Partners LP ,
Media ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Retailers ,
SCOTUS ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act ,
Securities Litigation ,
Securities Regulation
In this issue, we discuss recent Delaware court developments regarding officer liability, who can recover “lost-premium” damages, and trends in books and records actions, among other topics....more
12/27/2023
/ Board of Directors ,
Books & Records ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Misconduct ,
Corporate Officers ,
Delaware General Corporation Law ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Misappropriation ,
Section 220 Request ,
Shareholder Litigation ,
Shareholders ,
Trade Secrets
Boards routinely confront an array of difficult issues. In this issue of The Informed Board, we tackle four of the thorniest and most topical:
- How to preserve the integrity of a deal process where a key fiduciary (say,...more
11/9/2023
/ Acquisitions ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Board of Directors ,
Corporate Governance ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Information Sharing ,
Internal Investigations ,
Investment ,
Investors ,
IRS ,
Merger Controls ,
Mergers ,
Partnerships ,
Shareholders ,
Wealth Tax
Supreme Court Hears Argument on Traceability Requirement in Circuit-Split Slack v. Pirani -
Key Points -
- Before the end of June, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue a decision in a high-profile securities case...more
6/1/2023
/ Acquisitions ,
Appeals ,
Biopharmaceutical ,
Class Action ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Misconduct ,
Corporate Officers ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Dismissals ,
Healthcare ,
Initial Public Offering (IPO) ,
Insurance Claims ,
Life Sciences ,
Mergers ,
Misleading Statements ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
NYSE ,
Oral Argument ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Popular ,
SCOTUS ,
Section 11 ,
Section 12 ,
Securities ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act ,
Securities Litigation ,
Securities Violations ,
Slack Technologies Inc v Pirani ,
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) ,
Stock Exchange
Changing CEOs is one of the most critical decisions any board faces. In this issue of The Informed Board, we offer tips on how to avoid the mistakes we most often see. We also explain the problems companies could face if the...more
5/25/2023
/ Acquisitions ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Banking Sector ,
Board of Directors ,
CEOs ,
China ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Emerging Technology Companies ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
EU ,
Executive Orders ,
Export Controls ,
Exports ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Filing Requirements ,
Financial Institutions ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Mergers ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Notice Requirements ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Restrictive Covenants ,
Technology ,
Technology Sector
Board minutes are an essential part of a company’s internal record keeping. But they are more than a routine, formal exercise. They also play a pivotal role in stockholder litigation. As a contemporaneous record, plaintiff...more
For decades, Delaware courts have encouraged stockholders to use the “tools at hand” — before initiating lawsuits — by obtaining corporations’ books and records through 8 Del. C. § 220 (Section 220). As described in prior...more
12/22/2022
/ Board of Directors ,
Books & Records ,
Bylaws ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Governance ,
DE Supreme Court ,
Delaware ,
Delaware General Corporation Law ,
Enforcement ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Section 220 Request ,
Shareholders ,
Standard of Review
In this issue, we discuss recent Delaware court decisions further developing the bounds around books and records demands. Other articles focus on recent developments concerning advance notice bylaws and the standards used by...more
12/21/2022
/ Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) ,
Board of Directors ,
Books & Records ,
Bylaws ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Governance ,
DE Supreme Court ,
Delaware ,
Delaware General Corporation Law ,
Enforcement ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Shareholders ,
Standard of Review
The proliferation of U.S. sanctions and other regulations affecting cross-border transactions has implications for directors, who may be personally liable for violations in some cases. Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange...more
12/9/2022
/ Anti-Monopoly ,
Board Meetings ,
Board of Directors ,
China ,
Competition ,
Compliance ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Entities ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Minutes ,
Corporate Officers ,
Cybersecurity ,
Disclosure ,
Documentation ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Exports ,
Financial Fraud ,
Financial Reporting ,
Foreign Policy ,
Joint Venture ,
Market Abuse ,
Merger Controls ,
Money Laundering ,
Non-GAAP Financial Measures ,
Revenue ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) ,
US Trade Policies