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
Key Points -
- In 2024, securities litigation remained consistent with historical averages, with a slight increase in core filings and cases related to COVID-19 and artificial intelligence.
- The U.S. Supreme Court had an...more
2/27/2025
/ Acquisitions ,
Automotive Industry ,
Class Action ,
Class Certification ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Digital Assets ,
Filing Requirements ,
Item 303 ,
Macquarie Infrastructure Corp v Moab Partners LP ,
Mergers ,
Popular ,
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 ,
PSLRA ,
Real Estate Market ,
Rule 10b-5 ,
SEC v Jarkesy ,
Securities Fraud ,
Securities Litigation ,
Securities Regulation ,
Technology Sector
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
Key Points -
- During its 2024 term, the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to provide important guidance on the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act’s (PSLRA’s) particularity requirement in NVIDIA Corp. v. E. Ohman J:or...more
12/6/2024
/ Acquisitions ,
Automotive Industry ,
Class Action ,
Cybersecurity ,
Data Privacy ,
Digital Assets ,
E-Commerce ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Energy Sector ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Healthcare ,
Investment Adviser ,
Life Sciences ,
Mergers ,
NVIDIA ,
Nvidia Corp v E Ohman J or Fonder AB ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
PSLRA ,
SCOTUS ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Litigation ,
Securities Regulation ,
Technology Sector ,
Trading Platforms
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
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
Spotlight -
Macquarie Ruling Raises the Bar for Securities Fraud Claims -
Key Points -
- On April 12, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously reversed and vacated the Second Circuit’s decision in Macquarie...more
5/23/2024
/ Acquisitions ,
Commercial Litigation ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Entertainment Industry ,
Financial Institutions ,
Healthcare ,
Life Sciences ,
Macquarie Infrastructure Corp v Moab Partners LP ,
Media ,
Mergers ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Real Estate Market ,
Retail Market ,
SCOTUS ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Litigation ,
Securities Regulation
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 U.S. Supreme Court will likely decide before the end of its current term whether the failure to make a disclosure pursuant to Item 303 of Regulation S-K can serve as the basis for a securities fraud claim under Section...more
12/5/2023
/ Acquisitions ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Data Security ,
Dismissals ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Healthcare ,
Initial Public Offering (IPO) ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Life Sciences ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
Mergers ,
Putative Class Actions ,
Regulation S-K ,
Scams ,
Scienter ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act ,
Securities Fraud ,
Securities Litigation ,
Shareholders ,
Token Sales
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
Two Sides of the Same Coin: Analyzing the Recent Ripple and Terraform Decisions -
Key Points -
- In July 2023, Judges Torres and Rakoff in the Southern District of New York issued rulings on whether digital asset sales...more
9/15/2023
/ Acquisitions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Entertainment Industry ,
Financial Institutions ,
Healthcare ,
Life Sciences ,
Media ,
Mergers ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Litigation ,
Technology Sector
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
Circuits Split Over Whether Targeting Is Necessary for Seller Liability -
Key Points -
- While courts have long held that solicitations must be tailored to a particular audience to precipitate statutory seller liability,...more
3/16/2023
/ Acquisitions ,
Bitcoin ,
Business Model ,
Cannabis Products ,
Class Action ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Cybersecurity ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Disclosure ,
Dismissals ,
Entertainment Industry ,
Failure To Disclose ,
FinTech ,
Gambling ,
Healthcare ,
Investigations ,
Investors ,
Life Sciences ,
Media ,
Mergers ,
Online Platforms ,
Popular ,
Section 12 ,
Securities Act of 1933 ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Litigation ,
Sellers ,
Social Media ,
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) ,
Telecommunications ,
Unregistered Securities ,
Whistleblower Protection Policies ,
Whistleblowers
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 the purposes of a statutory appraisal under Delaware law, a corporation’s fair value is determined “on the date of the merger” ― in other words, at closing, not signing. However, deal terms, including price, are typically...more
This quarter’s issue includes summaries and associated court opinions of selected cases principally decided between February and April 2022. Cryptocurrency Derivative Litigation Fiduciary Duties – Bylaws Material...more
5/24/2022
/ Acquisitions ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Material Misstatements ,
Mergers ,
Pleading Standards ,
PSLRA ,
Scienter ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act ,
Securities Fraud ,
Securities Litigation
This quarter’s issue of Inside the Courts — An Update From Skadden Securities Litigators includes summaries and associated court opinions of selected cases principally decided in May-August 2021....more
10/22/2021
/ Breach of Duty ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Derivative Suit ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Initial Public Offering (IPO) ,
Loss Causation ,
Mergers ,
Pleading Standards ,
PSLRA ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Fraud ,
Securities Litigation ,
SLUSA ,
Statute of Limitations ,
Statute of Repose
To stay ahead of the feds, companies need to monitor their own data for possible compliance problems. Congress may soon give companies better visibility into their shareholder bases, including derivatives positions.
In this...more
10/8/2021
/ 10b5-1 Plans ,
Biden Administration ,
Board of Directors ,
Books & Records ,
Competition ,
Corporate Governance ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Horizontal Merger Guidelines ,
Mergers ,
Section 220 Request ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
This quarter’s issue includes summaries and associated court opinions of selected cases principally decided between November 2020 and January 2021.
Derivative Litigation -
Second Circuit Reverses Summary Judgment...more
3/8/2021
/ Acquisitions ,
Board of Directors ,
Books & Records ,
Breach of Duty ,
Caremark claim ,
DE Supreme Court ,
Delaware General Corporation Law ,
Derivative Suit ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Loss Causation ,
Mergers ,
Pleading Standards ,
Ponzi Scheme ,
Proxy Statements ,
PSLRA ,
Shareholder Litigation
The Delaware Court of Chancery’s docket exploded with expedited “broken” deal litigation in 2020, driven by the impact of COVID-19. Beyond pandemic-related merger litigation, stockholder plaintiffs remained focused on claims...more