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Fiduciary Duty Independent Directors

Jones Day

Chapter 11 Filing Without Consent of Independent Director Dismissed as Unauthorized

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Courts disagree over whether provisions in a borrower's organizational documents or loan agreements designed to restrict or prevent the borrower from filing for bankruptcy are enforceable as a matter of federal public policy...more

Conyers

“Fair Value” In Appraisal Actions Under The Companies Act 1981 S 106(6)

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On 4 February 2025, Martin J handed down judgment in Glendina Pty Limited & Ors v NKWE Platinum Ltd (2025) SC (Bda) 15 Civ. It is the first “fair value” appraisal claim on a merger or amalgamation under the Companies Act 1981...more

Cole Schotz

Proposed Amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law

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On February 17, 2025, significant amendments to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the DGCL) were proposed directly by the Delaware General Assembly via Senate Bill No. 21, signaling important updates for...more

Morris James LLP

Delaware LLCs, Independent Managers, and Bankruptcy Remote Structures: Lessons from 301 W North Avenue

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Overview Limited liability companies (LLCs)—curious creatures of state law—often file bankruptcy. Bankruptcy courts have, therefore, developed a dynamic body of law to evaluate the “bankruptcy remoteness” of LLCs, assessing...more

Carlton Fields

The Mysterious Boundary Beyond Which “Personal” Relationships Jeopardize a Director’s Independence

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In a recent enforcement action, the SEC concluded that the relationship between James Craigie and an officer of Church & Dwight Co. fatally undermined Craigie’s status as an “independent director” of the company under New...more

A&O Shearman

Delaware Court of Chancery finds that stockholder ratification following adverse judgment does not absolve findings of breach of...

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Subsequent to the post-trial opinion by Chancellor McCormick in January 2024, Tesla appointed a new independent director to serve on a newly created independent committee, which issued a report recommending that stockholders...more

Lowenstein Sandler LLP

Corporate Governance Takeaways Following Rescission of Elon Musk’s $55.8 Billion Equity Compensation Package

“Was the richest person in the world overpaid?” That’s how the Delaware Court of Chancery (the Court) began the 200-page opinion in Tornetta v. Musk to rescind Elon Musk’s entire $55.8 billion 10-year equity compensation...more

Fishman Haygood LLP

How to Ask the Tough Questions in the Boardroom: 9 Tips for Directors

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Public company directors are under more pressure than ever to oversee enterprise risk, even risk from day-to-day operations, which is normally addressed by management. Egregious failures of upper management to react to red...more

Goodwin

Delaware Court of Chancery Rescinds Elon Musk’s $55.8 Billion Compensation Package in Cautionary Tale About Director Independence...

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On January 30, 2024, the Chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery struck down the $55.8 billion compensation plan that Tesla, Inc.’s board of directors had granted to Tesla’s well-known CEO, Elon Musk, finding that the...more

Morris James LLP

Chancery Finds Plaintiff Failed To State A Non-Exculpated Claim Against Special Committee Defendants In Complaint Challenging A...

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Ligos v. Tsuff, C.A. No. 2020-0435-SG (Del. Ch. Dec. 1, 2022) - The Delaware Supreme Court’s Cornerstone Therapeutics decision established that, although a transaction involving a controller must satisfy entire fairness...more

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

What Exactly Is an Independent Director? (Hint: It’s More Complicated Than You Think)

Takeaways - Independence is neither a fixed condition nor a universal status for all purposes. Events and relationships can disqualify an otherwise independent director from participating in decisions.. No matter how pure a...more

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

The Corporate Guide: Keeping Board Actions Conflict-Free

Why is director independence important? A court’s conclusion of whether the majority of a company’s board is independent could affect...more

Hogan Lovells

In re Kraft Heinz Company Derivative Litigation: Plaintiffs fail to plead demand futility - Quarterly Corporate / M&A Decisions...

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In re Kraft Heinz Company Derivative Litigation addresses demand futility in a case involving an insider stock sale. 3G Capital, Inc., a 24.2 percent shareholder in Kraft Heinz, sold 7 percent of its stake in August 2018...more

Morris James LLP

Chancery Finds No Transaction-Specific Control Where Plaintiffs Failed to Allege that a Majority of the Members of a Special...

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In re GGP Inc. Stockholder Litig., C.A. No. 2018-0267-JRS (Del. Ch. May 25, 2021). Under MFW and its progeny, if there is a conflicted controlling stockholder, then in order to receive the benefits of the business...more

Morris James LLP

Chancery Denies Claim Arising Out of Controller’s Announced Intention to Oppose a Transaction Unfavorable to His Interests

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RCS Creditor Trust v. Schorsch et al., C.A. No: 2017-0178-SG (Del. Ch. Mar. 18, 2021) - Controlling shareholders of a Delaware corporation owe fiduciaries duties, but those duties do not require controllers to sacrifice...more

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Insights: The Delaware Edition - December 2020

This issue covers important, developing areas of Delaware corporation law and deal litigation, including an increased focus on officer-related actions in merger litigation, the treatment of Caremark claims after Marchand and...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

Ab Initio 2.0: Even Without a Controller, Special Committees Must Be Formed Before Economic Negotiations Begin

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On February 27, the Delaware Court of Chancery issued important guidance to boards of directors seeking to utilize special committees of disinterested and independent directors to insulate themselves from fiduciary liability...more

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Directors’ Fiduciary Duties: Back to Delaware Law Basics

The dawn of a new decade brings with it the certainty of ongoing challenges to the conduct of public company directors based on alleged breaches of fiduciary duty. This note is a brief reminder for directors of Delaware...more

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Key Developments in Delaware Corporation Law

Consistent with trends in recent years, in 2019 Delaware corporation law largely was shaped by post-closing suits for money damages against directors who had approved mergers and acquisitions. Two Delaware Supreme Court...more

A&O Shearman

Reversing A Dismissal, The Delaware Supreme Court Finds The Absence Of Board-Level Monitoring Of "Central Compliance Risks"...

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On June 18, 2019, in a decision authored by Chief Justice Leo E. Strine Jr., the Delaware Supreme Court en banc reversed the dismissal of a stockholder derivative suit against the directors and officers of Blue Bell...more

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Director Independence and Oversight Obligation in Marchand v. Barnhill

On June 18, 2019, in Marchand v. Barnhill, the Delaware Supreme Court, in an opinion written by Chief Justice Leo E. Strine, Jr. on behalf of a unanimous court, issued a decision reversing the Court of Chancery’s dismissal of...more

McDermott Will & Emery

Corporate Law & Governance Update - April 2019

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DIRECTORS AS VENDORS - A new controversy at a large health system highlights the legal and reputational challenges that can arise when directors sell services to the organizations they serve as fiduciaries. According to...more

Morris James LLP

Court Of Chancery Explains Corwin Limits

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This is an important decision if only because it explains a further limitation on the Corwin rule that an informed uncoerced stockholder vote insulates a corporate transaction from attack. First, the decision explains when a...more

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

"Delaware Supreme Court Examines Director Disinterestedness, Independence"

Delaware law provides important tools for directors to maintain control of derivative lawsuits.1 One such tool is the “demand requirement” embodied in Court of Chancery Rule 23.1, which requires that before a stockholder acts...more

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

"Q&A With Delaware Litigation Partner Ed Micheletti"

What is the most significant recent development in Delaware, from a litigation standpoint? The most significant recent development impacting deal litigation in Delaware is the continuing evolution of the Corwin doctrine,...more

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