Delaware Supreme Court on Rule 11 Violations

Posted on March 3rd, 2013 by Francis Pileggi

In my most recent ethics column for The Bencher, I reviewed a recent Delaware Supreme Court decision that announced a new standard that will be followed in Delaware when a trial judge believes that Rule 11, or a rule of … Continue reading →

Civility in the Legal Profession

Posted on January 28th, 2013 by Francis Pileggi

The Wall Street Journal has a front page article today about programs designed to promote civility in the legal profession. Much has been written on these pages and elsewhere about this perennial lament about lawyers behaving badly. Many states, including Delaware, … Continue reading →

New Articles of Interest to Delaware Corporate Lawyers and Litigators

Posted on January 15th, 2013 by Francis Pileggi

Two law review articles of interest to Delaware corporate lawyers and litigators arrived in the U.S. mail today and are linked below. Both articles are authored by luminaries familiar to all who follow developments in corporate law: The Delaware Journal … Continue reading →

Improper Notarization of Signature for Complaint Results in Dismissal

Posted on November 20th, 2012 by Francis Pileggi

Bessenyei v. Vermillion, Inc., C.A. No. 7572-VCN (Del. Ch. Nov. 16, 2012). Issues Addressed: (1)  Whether a notarized signature signed in the absence of a notary results in an invalid verification; and (2)  Whether knowingly presenting an improperly notarized verification is a … Continue reading →

Delaware Supreme Court Clarifies Standards for Enforcement of Legal Ethics and Attorney Conduct

Posted on October 22nd, 2012 by Francis Pileggi

Crumplar v. The Superior Court of the State of Delaware, No. 643 & 644, 2011 (Del. Supr., Oct. 22, 2012). Why this case is noteworthy: This Delaware Supreme Court opinion establishes new rules and standards that will govern when trial … Continue reading →

District Court Disqualifies Firm Due to Client Representation of Over 15 Years Ago

Posted on October 15th, 2012 by Francis Pileggi

We have written frequently on these pages about decisions that have addressed potential conflicts of interest in the litigation context, both real and imagined, in the state and federal courts. See, e.g., cases and articles on these pages here. The U.S. … Continue reading →

Resources for Legal Ethics and Analysis

Posted on July 9th, 2012 by Francis Pileggi

My regular ethics column for the The Bencher, the national publication of the American Inns of Court, appears in the current issue and compiles an array of resources that are available to shed light on issues of legal ethics. Unlike typical … Continue reading →

Chancery Rules on Motion to Disqualify and Motion to Revoke Pro Hac Vice Admission; Addresses Legal Ethics Violations; Requires Disclosure of Potential Conflicts in Future Pro Hac Vice Motions

Posted on March 31st, 2012 by Francis Pileggi

Manning v. Vellardita, C.A. No. 6812-VCG (Del. Ch. March 28, 2012), is an important decision of the Delaware Court of Chancery on legal ethics as applied to non-Delaware attorneys who appear before the Court pro hac vice. Issues Addressed: Whether … Continue reading →

Corporate Lawyers as Gatekeepers

Posted on January 7th, 2012 by Francis Pileggi

Professor Stephen Bainbridge, a corporate law scholar often cited in Delaware decisions, has written an article entitled: “Corporate Lawyers as Gatekeeper”, which was excerpted from his book titled: Corporate Governance After the Financial Crisis (Oxford University Press 2012). The article is … Continue reading →

Abe Lincoln: A Source of Professional and Personal Guidance

Posted on October 29th, 2011 by Francis Pileggi

Courtesy of Kevin O’Keefe is a listing of old-fashioned but still applicable, time-honored advice from my favorite U.S. President, Abraham Lincoln, for professional and personal guidance: Abe Lincoln Jason Baudendistel has a wonderful post today entitled ‘Why Your Business Should Be … Continue reading →