I’m happy to report that I am now the Managing Partner of the new Delaware office of the Lewis Brisbois firm, which has over 1,500 lawyers, in over 40 practice areas of the law, in over 50 offices. I’m very excited to share this exciting next chapter in my professional career. The Delaware Law
Candor to the Court
In my recent ethics column for The Bencher, the publication of the American Inn of Courts (that I have been writing for over 20 years), I discuss the duty of candor to the court that lawyers have, and how that interfaces with the duty of confidentiality owed to clients.
Motion to Disqualify Granted Under Rule 1.9
A recent decision of the Delaware Superior Court featured an unusual ruling in Delaware: A motion to disqualify counsel was granted based on a conflict of interest under Rule of Professional Conduct 1.9, relating to prior representation of a client.
Why the Decision is Notable:
Although the facts in the 21-page decision styled Sun
15th Annual Review of Key Delaware Corporate and Commercial Decisions
The following article is reprinted with permission from the Jan. 15, 2020 edition of “The Delaware Business Court Insider”, (c) 2020 ALM Media Properties, LLC. All rights reserved.
By: Francis G.X. Pileggi and Chauna A. Abner
This is the 15th year that Francis Pileggi and various co-authors have created an annual list of important
Delaware Supreme Court Instructs on Standards of Deposition Conduct
A recent Delaware Supreme Court opinion provides a tutorial on the standards imposed on Delaware lawyers when a deponent, who is the lawyer’s client, engages in inappropriate conduct during a deposition. See Shorenstein Hays-Nederland Theaters LLC Appeals, Nos. 596, 2018 and 620, 2018 (Del. Supr. June 20, 2019). My overview of the decision was
Chancery Denies Motion to Disqualify Firm
A recent Order by the Delaware Court of Chancery restated the well-established case law that a motion to disqualify counsel that is based an alleged violation of the Delaware Lawyers’ Rules of Professional Conduct will not be granted unless it is shown by clear and convincing evidence that there is not only a violation of
Delaware Courts and Legal Ethics
A recent decision by the Delaware Court of Chancery provides an example of those rare instances where the court refers a violation of legal ethics to the Office of Disciplinary Counsel for investigation, as compared to the court itself determining the appropriate penalty. See Charter Communications Operating LLC v. Optymyze, LLC, et al., C.A. No.
Delaware Choice-of-Law Provision Upheld
Delaware case law is replete with decisions upholding provisions in contracts that choose Delaware as the governing law for any disputes related to an agreement. A recent Delaware decision adds to the large body of Delaware jurisprudence on this topic. See, e.g., selected decisions on choice-of-law enforceability from the Delaware Supreme Court and Delaware Court
Delaware Court of Chancery Recites Standards Applicable to Non-Delaware Attorneys Admitted Pro Hac Vice
The Sequoia Presidential Yacht Group LLC v. FE Partners LLC, C.A. No. 8270-VCG (Del. Ch. July 5, 2013).
Issue Addressed: In this short letter opinion, the Delaware Court of Chancery reiterated the standard of conduct that will be applied to non-Delaware attorneys who apply for admission pro hac vice to practice in Delaware