In Musk-Twitter Sideshow, Stockholder Standing To Sue for “Lost Premium” Damages Makes Appearance
The on-then-off-then-on-again acquisition of Twitter, Inc. by Elon Musk has generated an unusual amount of attention for corporate litigation. Much of that has focused on the “main show” – the litigation commenced by Twitter seeking to compel Musk to close the transaction. Recently, however, the Delaware Court of Chancery issued a decision in a companion case, brought against Musk directly on behalf of a class of Twitter stockholders. (more…)
Delaware Courts Closely Examine Indemnification Claims for Attorneys’ Fees, “Whether or Not” the Parties Intend
In Samuel J. Heyman 1981 Continuing Tr. v. Ashland LLC (Sep. 12, 2022), the Delaware Supreme Court recently resolved a contractual dispute over potentially massive liability for cleaning up the Arthur Kill waterway in New Jersey. The contract at issue was a stock purchase agreement (SPA) in which Ashland LLC purchased 100% of the stock of an entity owned by a set of trusts affiliated with the Heyman family, but then immediately transferred back a particular property in Linden, New Jersey, to another entity affiliated with the Heyman parties. (more…)
Holly Gregory Breaks Down Succession Business Deals
Holly J. Gregory, co-chair of Sidley’s global Corporate Governance practice, sat down with WIRED to look at the business deals featured on HBO’s hit show “Succession.” In this video interview, she breaks down the deals and gives the inside scoop on everything from loan covenants to corporate mergers.
Sidley Perspectives on M&A and Corporate Governance
Sidley is pleased to share the June 2022 issue of Sidley Perspectives on M&A and Corporate Governance, a quarterly newsletter designed to keep you current on what we consider to be the most important legal developments involving M&A and corporate governance matters. (more…)
More Pushback to Disclosure-Only Settlements
A recent decision from the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York represents a significant further development in extending into federal court the Delaware Chancery Court’s resistance to disclosure-only settlements in the M&A litigation context. Plaintiff stockholders in a M&A target company often file lawsuits challenging disclosures made to them in proxy statements soliciting support for the M&A transaction. Such suits have served as a vehicle for plaintiff lawyers to collect fees when they are “mooted” by the target company making additional disclosures in response to the lawsuit. The cases are very rarely litigated, allowing plaintiff lawyers to collect fees for limited effort and little risk. (more…)
Expansive New SEC Rule Proposals Seek to Rewrite the SPAC Playbook
On March 30, 2022, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued proposed rules and amendments relating to special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), shell companies and the use of projections in SEC filings that, if adopted, would significantly rewrite the playbook for SPAC initial public offerings (IPOs) and acquisitions of private operating companies by SPACs (or “de-SPAC” transactions).1 In particular, the proposed rules (i) would require enhanced disclosures and increase potential liability under the federal securities laws for shell companies (including SPACs), target companies and investment banks participating in de-SPAC transactions, (ii) provide updated guidance regarding the use of projections in all SEC filings and (iii) propose a new safe harbor for SPACs under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
Corwin Cleanse Clarified: Key Lessons for Interested Directors
Since Corwin v. KKR Financial Holdings LLC, Delaware courts have adhered to the proposition that “when a transaction not subject to the entire fairness standard is approved by a fully informed, uncoerced vote of the disinterested stockholders, the business judgment rule applies.” However, The Delaware Court of Chancery recently issued an opinion (available here) clarifying the application of Corwin to the fiduciary duties of interested directors. The Court declined to dismiss a complaint alleging that the defendant directors’ approval of a merger was a breach of the directors’ duty of loyalty and constituted unjust enrichment. Specifically, the Court rejected the defendant directors’ contention that Corwin “cleansed” the transaction, and, as a consequence, explained that a duty of loyalty analysis was still appropriate. In what follows, we describe this case and offer some important takeaways concerning interested directors. (more…)
Intent Matters: Delaware Court Limits Discovery in Appraisal Action Where Petitioners’ Sole Intent Was to Investigate Potential Breach of Fiduciary Claim
The Delaware Court of Chancery recently issued an opinion making a narrow but key distinction in appraisal proceedings: the petitioners’ underlying intent in filing a Section 262 action matters. The court held that petitioners should not be allowed to obtain full discovery where the sole purpose in bringing the appraisal proceeding is to investigate potential wrongdoing. In this case, such intent was determined from Petitioners’ de minimis financial stake in the company. (more…)
Litigation Trends in Delaware and How Businesses and Boards Can Mitigate Risk
New structures, new rules? Delaware’s Chancery Court provides guidance on disclosure, conflicts, and risk allocation. We take a look at the latest Delaware rulings and what they say about SPAC directors’ fiduciary duty, as well as COVID’s effect on M&A deals, and how corporations and boards can mitigate their liability. Join host and Sidley partner, Sam Gandhi, as he speaks with two of the firm’s thought leaders on these subjects — Jim Ducayet and Charlotte Newell.
(more…)
Extraordinary Times May Still Call for Ordinary Measures: Delaware Supreme Court Affirms Buyer’s Termination of $5.8 Billion Transaction
The Delaware Supreme Court recently affirmed Vice Chancellor Laster’s much talked of AB Stable post-trial decision, holding that the buyer of a $5.8 billion hotel portfolio could terminate the transaction due to, among other things, the seller’s breach of an ordinary course covenant by making operational changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Supreme Court’s affirmance provides critical guidance for the interpretation and navigation of such provisions, particularly in extraordinary times. (more…)