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Fiduciary Duty Corporate Governance Corporate Officers

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

The Potential Double Whammy: Will the Company Have to Pay the Legal Fees of Disloyal Former Insiders If the Company Sues Them?

In a real-life case of adding insult to financial injury, companies harmed by the disloyal actions of their former partners, officers, managers or employees (the “former insiders”) may also have to pay their legal fees when...more

Woodruff Sawyer

Officer Exculpation in 2025: What the Latest Vote Results Tell Us

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With Delaware’s officer exculpation law now in its third proxy season, how are companies faring at the ballot box? In this week’s blog, my colleague Lenin Lopez offers insight into what’s working, what’s not, and how...more

BCLP

So, You Want To Join A Public Company Board

BCLP on

Retired senior executives often receive, or seek out, public company directorships as the next step in their journeys. Before accepting, they should carefully evaluate key areas to make sure they are prepared for the...more

PilieroMazza PLLC

Managing Litigation Risk During the Business Lifecycle, Part 5: Fiduciary Duties

PilieroMazza PLLC on

Litigation risk is an unavoidable aspect of running a business, but with thoughtful planning, exposure can be significantly reduced. From contractual disputes to employment disputes, potential legal challenges can arise at...more

Tarter Krinsky & Drogin LLP

Significant DGCL Amendments Expand Protections for Corporate Insiders

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

Fenwick & West LLP

Delaware Amends General Corporation Law to Stanch Company Exodus

Fenwick & West LLP on

On March 25, Delaware adopted significant amendments to §§ 144 and 220 of the Delaware General Corporation Law which aim to provide greater clarity and predictability to corporate fiduciaries in light of certain recent...more

Venable LLP

Delaware Enacts Corporate Law Amendments Establishing Safe Harbor Protections for Conflicted Transactions and Clarifying...

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In late March 2025, the Delaware General Assembly enacted, and Governor Matt Meyer signed, bipartisan legislation making significant amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL)....more

Allen Matkins

Unreasonableness Or Carelessness Is Insufficient To Prove Liability In Nevada

Allen Matkins on

Nevada's exculpatory statute, NRS 78.138(7), requires a plaintiff to both rebut a statutory presumption of good faith and prove a breach of fiduciary duty involving intentional misconduct, fraud, or a knowing violation of the...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

2025 DGCL Amendments Take Effect, Introducing Sweeping Safe Harbor Provisions for Conflict Transactions

Troutman Pepper Locke on

On March 25, 2025, sweeping changes to the Delaware General Corporation Law (the DGCL) took effect (the amendments). The amendments introduce new “safe harbor” provisions designed to cleanse conflict transactions involving...more

Holland & Knight LLP

Delaware Supreme Court: Permissive Business Judgment Rule Applies to Corporate Conversions

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everal 2024 decisions by the Delaware Court of Chancery led some prominent corporate leaders to express frustration over perceived increased liability standards for corporate officers and directors, even publicly advising new...more

Goodwin

What to Do When Faced With a Potential Claim Under Your D&O Insurance Policy

Goodwin on

Making a claim under your directors and officers (D&O) insurance policy should be straightforward, right? Not quite. We suggest you consider the following approaches to help you navigate the claim process and maximize the...more

Morris James LLP

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

Morris James LLP on

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

Allen Matkins

FDIC Plans To Sue Silicon Valley Bank And Holding Company Directors And Managers

Allen Matkins on

Last week Kevin M. LaCroix reported that the Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation had voted unanimously to approve the staff’s request for authorization to file a suit against six former officers...more

Allen Matkins

Court Rules That When Profits Are Hypothetical There Can Be No Civil Theft

Allen Matkins on

Under California Penal Code Section 496(a) a person who buys or receives any property that has been stolen or that has been obtained in any manner constituting theft or extortion, knowing the property to be so stolen or...more

Allen Matkins

When Dismissing A Case Violates Due Process

Allen Matkins on

When a shareholder sues derivatively, the shareholder is seeking relief not for itself, but for the corporation.  Therefore, it should be expected that the shareholder is not free to compromise or dismiss the suit absent...more

K&L Gates LLP

The Continued Evolution of Caremark Oversight Liability

K&L Gates LLP on

In the last year, Delaware courts have issued several notable opinions that further define—and in some cases expand—the scope of liability for failures of oversight at a corporation. Claims by shareholders that one or more...more

Allen Matkins

Just What Are The Duties Of A Controlling Shareholder And How Should Claims Of Breach Be Brought?

Allen Matkins on

In a recent post, Professor Stephen Bainbridge discusses the question of when a controlling shareholder owes fiduciary duties to minority shareholders.  Knowing when controlling shareholder owes fiduciary duties is one thing,...more

Allen Matkins

Is Your Directors And Officers Liability Coverage Illusory?

Allen Matkins on

Many corporations pay significant amounts for directors and officers liability policies.  Commonly referred to as D&O policies, these policies usually involve three sides.  Directors and officers are likely to have the most...more

Allen Matkins

Nevada Supreme Court Rejects The "Uncontrollable Child" Theory Of Parent-Subsidiary Relationships

Allen Matkins on

Nevada famously limits directors and officers from personal liability.  However, it would be an overstatement to say that Nevada is a "liability free" jurisdiction.  For example, the Nevada Supreme Court recently held that...more

Jenner & Block

The Duty of Directors and Officers to Respond to Red Flags

Jenner & Block on

The duty of oversight requires directors to (1) make a good faith effort to ensure that their corporations have proper reporting systems in place, and (2) take action to address red flags that indicate potential corporate...more

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

2023 Delaware Corporate Law and Litigation Year in Review

Wilson Sonsini is pleased to present the 2023 Delaware Corporate Law and Litigation Year In Review. In 2023, the Delaware courts issued many decisions addressing an array of important topics, including director and officer...more

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Insights: The Delaware Edition - December 2023

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

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Court of Chancery Finds Officer Liable for Competing With Corporation and Misappropriating Trade Secrets

On September 1, 2023, Vice Chancellor Paul A. Fioravanti, Jr. of the Court of Chancery delivered a decision finding that the president of a plaintiff company and a second business the president had formed and served...more

Bowditch & Dewey

Solving the Puzzle to Improve Corporate Governance

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An often overlooked and critical function of operating a successful business is sound corporate governance. But what is corporate governance? Generally stated, corporate governance encompasses the rules, mechanisms and...more

Allen Matkins

If Harvard Is A Corporation, Does Its Board Owe Fiduciary Duties?

Allen Matkins on

Of late, Harvard has garnered an abundance of attention regarding the continued incumbency of its President.  Despite widely criticized testimony before Congress and the publication of allegations of plagiarism, the Harvard...more

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