Founding a successful company is enormously difficult. An oft-cited statistic is that 75% of venture-backed start-ups fail, a percentage that is probably both understated and fails to consider all the companies that never...more
On July 17, 2024, Delaware Governor John Carney signed into law amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL) from Senate Bill 313 that had sparked considerable controversy within the corporate law and governance...more
The latest amendments (the “Amendments”) to the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) went into effect today, August 1, 2024, to address, among other things, (i) stockholder agreements related to corporate governance;...more
Key Takeaways - The Delaware Court of Chancery held that stockholder governance rights that restrict the ability of the board of directors to manage or direct the business and affairs of a corporation are facially invalid...more
In West Palm Beach Firefighters’ Pension Fund v. Moelis & Company, the Delaware Court of Chancery invalidated a set of approval rights contained in a stockholder agreement as facially in conflict with Section 141(a) of the...more
On February 23, 2024, a decision by Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster in the Delaware Chancery Court invalidated parts of a shareholder agreement between Moelis & Company and its Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and founder,...more
On February 23, 2024, Vice Chancellor Travis Laster of the Delaware Court of Chancery issued his 131-page decision in West Palm Beach Firefighters’ Pension Fund v. Moelis & Co., No. 2023-0309-JTL. The case involved a...more
On February 23, 2024, Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster of the Delaware Court of Chancery issued a decision concluding that some provisions of a stockholder agreement purporting to give a large stockholder various governance...more
Professor Stephen Bainbridge recently commented on a decision by Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster finding that Section 141(a) of the Delaware General Corporation Law trumps most of the provisions of a so-called "new wave"...more
Northern District of California Dismisses Traders’ Suit Against Bitmex Crypto Exchange with Prejudice; Delaware Supreme Court Upholds Chancery Court Ruling That Stockholder Appraisal Rights Can Be Waived by Contract;...more
Manti Holdings, LLC, et al. v. Authentix Acquisition Company, Inc. considered whether a “loser pays” fee-shifting provision in a stockholders’ agreement violated Delaware law. In 2008, the Petitioners had all held stock in a...more
As discussed in our March 2014 and April 2015 newsletters, in the last few years, there have been numerous developments in the law and practice surrounding appraisal rights under Delaware law. That trend has continued with...more
To obtain appraisal rights following a merger a stockholder needs to continuously hold her stock through the merger date. But as this decision holds (and is almost certain to be appealed as the Court has itself invited),...more