Litigation developments: core M&A and corporate governance doctrines
Compliance Perspectives: Due Diligence and Ultimate Beneficial Ownership (UBO)
Introduction - Companies thinking about, preparing for or going through the initial public offering (IPO) process have many things to do and many decisions to make (to put it mildly!). A relatively recent addition to this...more
The Delaware Supreme Court has accepted both questions certified by the Delaware Court of Chancery concerning constitutional challenges to the safe harbor provisions implemented by Senate Bill 21 (“SB21”), which became law on...more
On May 9, 2025, in Roofers Local 149 Pension Fund v. Fidelity National Financial, Inc. et al., the Delaware Court of Chancery granted a pre-trial motion to dismiss, even though the claims alleged a conflicted controller...more
Turnbull v. Klein, C.A. No. 2023-1125-BWD (Del. Ch. Jan. 31, 2025) - One way a plaintiff can rebut the business judgment rule is by pleading a conflicted controller transaction....more
In this episode, Mayer Brown partners Andrew Noreuil and Brian Massengill discuss this year’s amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law, which have fundamentally altered the landscape for conflicted transactions. Our...more
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
On April 10, 2025, the Delaware Court of Chancery granted a motion to dismiss in a breach of fiduciary duty action arising from BGC’s conversion from an Up-C corporation to a traditional full C corporation. While multiple...more
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
Amendments to Section 144 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL) broaden safe harbor protections for interested director and officer transactions and extend such protections to controlling stockholder transactions....more
Yesterday’s post concerned the recent decision by U.S. District Court Judge Charles R. Eskridge in Rowe v. Doris, 2025 WL 963590 (S.D. Tex. Mar. 31, 2025). The case involved claims arising from the merger of two Nevada...more
The Governor of Delaware has signed into law Senate Bill 21 (SB 21), which amends certain sections of the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL) governing controlling stockholder transactions under DGCL Section 144 and...more
Gentile v. Rossette, 906 A.2d 91, 100 (Del. 2006), held that dilution claims involving a controller can be both derivative and direct. In Gentile, the Delaware Supreme Court found that dilution claims, challenging a...more
On March 25, Delaware governor, Matt Meyer, signed into law Substitute 1 to Senate Bill 21 (SB 21), following its rapid approval by the Delaware state legislature. This legislative measure aims to counter the current trend of...more
Eckert v. Hightower, C.A. No. 2024-0569-MTZ (Del. Ch. Mar. 24, 2025) - A board of directors approved compensation packages for the company’s CEO, who also was its controlling stockholder. The CEO was a member of the...more
Delaware lawmakers recently enacted Senate Bill 21, a sweeping reform that significantly amends several sections of the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL). The law introduces significant revisions aimed at increasing...more
In our second edition of MoFo’s quarterly federal securities and Delaware corporate litigation newsletter, we provide a rundown of select developments from the first quarter of 2025. The Ninth Circuit Confirms That...more
In the last edition of the SPAC Notebook, we examined the current risks to SPACs incorporating in the Cayman Islands. In this edition, we turn our focus to Delaware and its new set of amendments to the Delaware General...more
On March 25, 2025, Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer signed amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL), introducing notable changes to Sections 144 and 220 of the DGCL. These amendments took immediate effect and may...more
Whether a party is a controlling stockholder in a conflicted transaction determines the standard of review. If a stockholder owns more than 50% of the voting shares and therefore can control the board, there is no question it...more
In perhaps one of the most significant revisions to the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL), on March 25, 2025, the governor signed into law amendments overhauling much of the state’s law relating to conflicted...more
The State of Delaware, home to a majority of the so-called “Fortune 500” corporations, has been the subject of a variety of criticisms relating to corporate governance, director and officer litigation risk, controlling...more
On March 25, Delaware Governor Matt Meyer enacted a sweeping reform of the state’s corporate law, signing Senate Bill 21 into effect. The bill, which received bipartisan support in the legislature, aims to attract and retain...more
Several recent decisions in Delaware courts have driven a variety of companies to publicly initiate actual or threatened reincorporation out of Delaware. After fallout from these cases and corporate actions, Delaware...more
On March 25, 2025, significant amendments to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the DGCL), intended to provide greater certainty to transaction planners in light of recent Delaware case law developments,...more
On March 25, 2025, the Delaware Governor, Matthew Meyer, signed into law Senate Bill 21 (“SB 21”) which amends Sections 144 and 220 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”). SB 21 codifies (a) the process to...more