The Delaware Business Court Insider again published this year’s Annual Review, reprinted below with the courtesy of The Delaware Business Court Insider. (c) 2020 ALM Media Properties, LLC. All rights reserved.

This is the 17th year that Francis Pileggi has published an annual list of key corporate and commercial decisions of the Delaware Supreme Court and the Delaware Court of Chancery, often with co-authors. This list does not attempt to include all important decisions of those two courts that were rendered in 2021. Instead, this list highlights notable decisions that should be of widespread interest to those who work in the corporate and commercial litigation field or who follow the latest developments in this area of Delaware law. Prior annual reviews are available here.

This year’s list focuses, with some exceptions, on the unsung heroes among the many decisions that have not already been widely discussed by the mainstream press or legal trade publications. Links are also provided below to the actual court decisions and longer summaries.

DELAWARE SUPREME COURT DECISIONS

Supreme Court Confirms Impact of Bankruptcy on LLC Membership

A recent Delaware Supreme Court ruling endorsed the reasoning of a Delaware Court of Chancery decision holding that federal bankruptcy law does not entirely preempt the Delaware LLC Act to the extent that the LLC Act provides for a member of an LLC to become an assignee only, with economic rights, upon the filing of bankruptcy by that member, in Zachman v. Realtime Cloud Services LLC, 228 A.3d 1065 (Del. April 20, 2021).

Delaware High Court Finds First State Charter Outweighs Other Factors in Dole Foods Choice-of-Law Ruling

The Delaware Supreme Court decided a consequential case in 2021 addressing choice-of-law and fraud-exclusion issues in connection with requiring D&O insurers to pay settlements with investors who claimed that the CEO of Dole Foods Company Inc. cheated them in a going-private buyout.  RUSI Indemnity Co. Inc. v. Murdock, et al., No. 154, 2020 (Del. March 3, 2021).  Among the reasons that this decision is noteworthy is because it established the applicability of Delaware law to the insurance policy of a company incorporated in Delaware, but which had many contacts elsewhere.  Also, importantly, the court determined that insurance coverage would not be defeated simply because it covered payment for the settlement of fraud allegations.  The high court added that Delaware does not have a public policy against the insurability of losses occasioned by fraud, reasoning that Delaware’s statutory indemnification provisions allow corporations to purchase D&O insurance against any liability whether or not the corporation has the power to indemnify against such liability.

Delaware Rules Shareholder Franchise Right Question Tops Entire Fairness Test

In Coster v. UIP Companies, Inc., et al., No. 29, 2020 (Del. June 28, 2021), the unanimous opinion of Delaware’s high court en banc required that on remand the Court of Chancery determine if a board acted for inequitable purposes or in good faith, but for the primary purpose of disenfranchisement without a “compelling justification,” in connection with a stock sale intended to shift the power balance between rival deadlocked stockholder fashions, even if the sale were fairly negotiated.  If the trial court found after remand that the transaction was intended for inequitable purposes without a compelling justification, the trial court could consider available remedies including cancelling the stock sale and considering the appointment of a custodian.  Chief Justice Seitz wrote for the Supreme Court that the sanctity of the shareholder franchise superseded entire fairness review based on the circumstances of this case.

Supreme Court Clarifies Test for Direct v. Derivative Stockholder Claims

Although this is a decision that has already received widespread commentary, the Supreme Court decision in Brookfield Asset Management, Inc. v. Rosson [TerraForm], No. 406, 2020 (Del. Sept. 20, 2021), is a seminal decision that every corporate litigator must be aware of because it redefines and clarifies the test in Delaware to distinguish between a direct stockholder claim and a derivative stockholder claim.

Supreme Court Clarifies Pre-Suit Demand Analysis

Another Supreme Court decision that has already been the subject of extensive analysis but is still required reading for all corporate litigators is United Food and Commercial Workers’ Union and Participating Food Industry Employers Tri-State Pension Fund v. Zuckerberg, No. 404, 2020 (Del. Sept. 23, 2021), because it clarifies and restates the law in Delaware for the analysis of pre-suit demand futility for purposes of pursuing a derivative stockholder claim.

Supreme Court Decides Important Contract Dispute in Sale of Business

The Supreme Court of Delaware affirmed an epic Delaware Court of Chancery decision that found a breach of an agreement of sale that permitted the buyer to avoid consummation of the purchase for failure to comply with the “ordinary course covenant” in connection with how the business was managed between the date the agreement of sale was signed and the date of closing.  See AB Stable VIII LLC v. MAPS Hotels and Resorts One LLC, Del. Supr., No. 71, 2021 (Dec. 8, 2021).  The Supreme Court explained that the seller was required to obtain the prior written consent of the buyer before making the changes that it made, and distinguished the separate reasoning that applied to the material adverse change clause.

DELAWARE COURT OF CHANCERY DECISIONS

Company’s Privileged Communications Must Be Provided to Board Members

The Court of Chancery decided an issue of first impression in Delaware by rejecting the argument that the management of a Delaware corporation has the authority to unilaterally preclude a director of the corporation from obtaining privileged information of the corporation.  See In re WeWork Litigation, No. 2020-0258-AGB (Del. Ch. Aug. 21, 2021).

Recent Chancery Decision Addresses Dissolution Based on LLC Deadlock

The Delaware Court of Chancery penned a seminal decision that explains the analysis necessary to determine when a deadlock in an LLC might be the basis for a dissolution.  In Mehra v. Teller, C.A. No. 2019-0812-KSJM (Del. Ch. Jan. 29, 2021), the court addressed whether there was a failure to achieve the votes necessary for board action and whether the board deadlock was genuine or merely manufactured to force the appearance of a deadlock.

Chancery Keeps Dissolution Case Despite Mandatory NY Forum Clause

Although the general rule in Delaware is that forum selection clauses will be upheld, even if they require litigation to be conducted in states outside of Delaware, an exception to the rule was applied to keep a dissolution case in Delaware notwithstanding a contrary mandatory forum selection clause, in Seokoh, Inc. v. Lard-PT, LLC, C.A. No. 2020-0613-JRS (Del. Ch. March 30, 2021).

Self-Sacrifice Not Required of Controlling Stockholder

A useful Chancery decision that is bound to be of widespread applicability is the ruling in RCS Creditor Trust v. Schorsch, C.A. No. 2017-0178-SG (Del. Ch. March 18, 2021), in which the court explained that the fiduciary duties of a majority or a controlling stockholder do not require self-sacrifice, nor do they mean that such a fiduciary forfeits her contractual rights.

Chancery Addresses Forum Non Conveniens

Delaware law has evolved regarding the nuances of forum non conveniens, and those most recent iterations are explained in the Chancery decision styled Sweeny v. RPD Holdings Group, LLC, C.A. No. 2020-0813-SG (Del. Ch. May 27, 2021).

Chancery Recognizes Reverse Veil-Piercing

The Delaware Court of Chancery recently recognized “outside reverse veil-piercing,” as compared to “insider reverse veil-piercing.”  The former iteration was explained based on the unusual circumstances present in Manichaean Capital, LLC v. Exela Technologies, Inc., C.A. No. 2020-0601-JRS (Del. Ch. May 25, 2021).

Chancery Clarifies Standard to Shift Fees for Improper Litigation Conduct

The Court of Chancery’s pithy ruling in Pettry v. Gilead Sciences, Inc., C.A. No. 2020-0132-KSJM (Del. Ch. July 22, 2021), remains noteworthy for its guidance that provides litigators in general, and corporate litigators in particular, with a definition of “glaringly egregious,” and helps to clarify where the line is drawn for determining when fees will be shifted for inappropriate litigation conduct.  This decision gives greater instruction for what behavior will be sufficient to trigger the exception to the general American Rule that each party pays its own legal fees.

Can Fiduciary of a Debtor Assist a Creditor-Entity that Fiduciary Has Interest In?

The Court of Chancery addressed the titular topic in Skye Mineral Investors, LLC v. DXS Capital (U.S.) Limited, C.A. No. 2018-0059-JRS (Del. Ch. July 28, 2021).

Chancery: LLC Managers Breached Fiduciary Duties

The Chancery decision in Stone & Paper Investors, LLC v. Blanch, C.A. No. 2018-0394-PAF (Del. Ch. July 30, 2021), deserves attention for its treatment of well-established principles of fiduciary duty with widespread applicability in the LLC context, absent unambiguous waiver.  Also noteworthy, is the explanation about why the circumstances of this case allowed breach of contract claims to proceed to the extent that they did not overlap the fiduciary claims–and why both were permitted to be pursued through trial.

Chancery Explains Policy Limits to Contractual Restrictions on Fraud Claims

In connection with perennial post-closing claims related to the sale of a business, the Chancery decision in Online Healthnow, Inc. v. CIP OCL Investments, LLC, C.A. No. 2020-0654-JRS (Del. Ch. Aug. 12, 2021), explains the consequential nuances about what specific language in an agreement of sale will allow, or will bar, certain types of fraud claims.  The money quote from the decision provides the best insight into its holding: “Under Delaware law, a party cannot invoke provisions of a contract it knew to be an instrument of fraud as a means to avoid a claim grounded in that very same contractual fraud.”

Chancery Clarifies When Forum Selection Clause Binds Non-Signatory

While it may be surprising to some, quite a few Delaware decisions have bound non-signatories to forum selection clauses.  The Chancery decision in Florida Chemical Company, LLC v. Flotek Industries, Inc., C.A. No. 2021-0288-JTL (Del. Ch. Aug. 17, 2021), provides the most thorough analysis of the titular topic, with scholarly insights and copious citations that explain the theoretical and public policy underpinnings that support the decision to bind a non-signatory to a forum selection clause, and the prerequisites for doing so.

Chancery Does Deep Dive into Corporate Dissolution Details and Winding-up Process

Those interested in the not self-evident winding-up process in connection with the dissolution of a corporation under Delaware law need to read the Court of Chancery decision styled:  In re Altaba, Inc., C.A. No. 2020-0413-JTL (Del. Ch. Oct. 8, 2021), which provides an extensive analysis of the statutory provisions for the dissolution of corporations and a description of the corresponding winding-up process.

Chancery Declines to Follow First-Filed Rule in Advancement Case

A recent Chancery decision explained why the first-filed rule was not applied in an advancement case under Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.  See Lay v. Ram Telecom International, Inc., C.A. No. 2021-0631-SG (Del. Ch. Oct. 4, 2021).

Chancery Provides Guidelines for Non-Delaware Lawyers Issuing Formal Delaware Legal Opinion Letters

The Court of Chancery in Bandera Master Fund LP v. Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP, C.A. No. 2018-0372-JTL (Del. Ch. Nov. 12, 2021), provides comprehensive detail of the factual background of the issuance of a formal legal opinion letter in connection with a transaction, and provides a thorough analysis of problems with that letter in a 194-page decision which also offers guidance to lawyers around the country who are involved in issuing a formal opinion letter based on Delaware law.  The court found that the formal opinion letter given in the transaction at issue was not rendered in good faith, and explained what lawyers need to do in order to make sure the formal opinion letters that they grant do not suffer the same fate.

Chancery Clarifies Officer Consent Statute

Several years ago the Delaware Supreme Court expanded the prior interpretation of Delaware’s consent statute that imposes personal jurisdiction on directors and officers who agree to service in that capacity for Delaware corporations.  The contours of that expansion continue to be clarified and defined for those situations where there has been no breach of fiduciary duty.  See BAM International, LLC v. MSBA Group, Inc., C.A. No. 2021-0181-SG (Del. Ch. Dec. 14, 2021).

______________________________________________________________________________________________



SUPPLEMENT: Professor Stephen Bainbridge, one of Delaware’s favorite corporate law scholars, and one of the most prominent corporate law expert’s in the country, was kind enough to link to this article and described it as “essential reading”.



*Francis G.X. Pileggi is the managing partner of the Delaware office of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, and the primary author of the Delaware Corporate and Commercial Litigation Blog at www.delawarelitigation.com.

**Ciro C. Poppiti, III practices in the Delaware office of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP.

***Cheneise V. Wright is a corporate and commercial litigation associate in the Delaware office of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP.

A recent Delaware Court of Chancery opinion should have a place in the toolbox of litigators who need to be familiar with the latest iteration of Delaware law on the nuanced aspects of the consent statute as a potential basis to impose personal jurisdiction on officers and directors of Delaware corporations by virtue of their service in that capacity.  In BAM International, LLC v. The MSBA Group, Inc., C.A. No. 2021-0181-SG (Del. Ch. Dec. 14, 2021), the court engaged in a thorough analysis of the multi-faceted determinations that need to be made if jurisdiction by virtue of the consent statute can be used as the basis for personal jurisdiction–when there is no breach of the fiduciary duty that the director or officer owes to the corporation or its stockholders.

Issue Addressed:

The court specifically addressed the issue of whether officers of a Delaware entity can be haled into a Delaware court for a contract-related claim despite having no relationship with Delaware other than their status as officers of a Delaware entity?  This opinion remains noteworthy because Delaware law on this topic has evolved since the Delaware Supreme Court changed Delaware law on this issue not long ago, and the trial courts are still trying to clarify the contours of the jurisdictional issues involved with the consent statute at 10 Del. C. § 3114(a) and § 3114(b).

Key Principles:

Section 3114(a) of Title 10 of the Delaware Code, applicable to directors, and Section 3114(b) applicable to officers of Delaware corporations, each impose personal jurisdiction on those who have consented to serve in those roles in two situations: (1) actions alleging breach of their duty to the corporation and its stockholders; or (2) where litigation is brought in Delaware involving the corporation, to which the officer or director is a “necessary” or “proper” party.  See Hazout (Delaware Supreme Court decision, and its progeny, highlighted on these pages).

The court in this recent decision determined that although Section 3114 was satisfied, due process was not satisfied given the nature of the action and the paucity of the contacts with the state.  The court observed that the plaintiffs in this case did not seek to rely on the long-arm statute, but instead relied only on the consent statute.

Jurisdiction by Contract:

By way of general reference, the court noted that parties can agree to personal jurisdiction by contract, in which case a minimum contacts analysis would not be required.  See Slip op. at 14.  The court described the 3-part test that Delaware employs to determine when a non-signatory is bound to a forum selection clause.  See footnote 68 and accompanying text.

Consent Statute:

The court provided the historical background of the consent statute which was originally enacted with respect to directors in 1977 and extended to officers in 2004.  The court described the constitutional due process issues that the consent statute raises as causing “Delaware courts some amount of headache.”  See footnote 79 and accompanying text.

Because the only substantive claim against the officers in their individual capacities in this case was for tortious interference, the claim did not arise out of their duties owed to the company for which they served as officers, but instead from torts allegedly committed against another entity.  Therefore, the court explained that in order to impose jurisdiction based on the consent statute, the officers must be “necessary or proper parties,” to the lawsuit against the company for whom they serve as officers.

Necessary or Proper Party:

The court provides a definition of what it means to be a “necessary party” in this context: “If her rights must be ascertained and settled before the rights of the parties to the lawsuit can be determined.”  See Slip op. at 21.  The court instructed that a “party is proper if she has a tangible legal interest in the matter separate from the corporation’s, and if the claims against her arise out of the same facts and occurrences as the claims against the corporation.”  Id.

Minimum Contacts:

Although the court found that the individual officers were proper parties for purposes of the consent statute, the court also reasoned that the necessary minimum contacts to satisfy due process were not present.  The court described the contract at issue in this case as a “guardian-variety commercial contract, rather than one necessarily implicating Delaware interests.”  The court cited Turf Nation v. UBU Sports, Inc., 2017 WL 4535970 (Del. Super. Oct. 11, 2017), as involving a similar fact pattern and applicable analysis.  As in the Turf case, the court explained that the simple commercial contract at issue does not involve Delaware corporate law nor does it involve a contract to be performed in Delaware.  Rather, the court emphasized that Delaware has “no real interest in this case other than the exercise of personal jurisdiction over officers and directors, which is, in my view, insufficient in light of the constitutional due process rights owed . . ..”  Slip op. at 25.  The court added that the actions allegedly giving rise to liability were not taken as officers of the company that they serve nor were the harms alleged to have been committed breaches of fiduciary duties.

Lastly, the court noted that the simple fact that Delaware law governs the contract and Delaware was selected as a forum for settling disputes, is not sufficient alone to satisfy constitutional due process without more—because, in part, the officers in this case are not signatories to  those agreements that called for Delaware as a forum.

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A recent Court of Chancery decision is noteworthy for its analysis of the interfacing between a forum selection clause requiring Delaware jurisdiction and the law of a foreign country ostensibly granting exclusive jurisdiction to the courts of that foreign country. In AlixPartners, LLP v. Mori, No. 2019-0392-KSJM (Del. Ch. Nov. 26, 2019), the court explained, relying on Delaware Supreme Court decisions, that in only very limited circumstances will the law of a foreign country that provides for exclusive jurisdiction in that foreign country, divest Delaware courts of subject matter jurisdiction–especially when a forum selection clause between the parties before it provided for exclusive Delaware jurisdiction. (A graphic of the Roman forum seemed appropriate for this case.)

Brief Overview:

The facts of this case involve an intricate web of connected and overlapping agreements and related Delaware and foreign entities. For purposes of this short overview, the key facts are that an employee of an Italian subsidiary of a Delaware entity, who had an employment contract governed by Italian law, also signed a partnership agreement with the Delaware entity that had a non-solicitation clause and a Delaware forum selection clause. The employee was accused of downloading confidential information and related activity in violation of the Delaware agreement. However, Italian law required the claims under the employment agreement governed by Italian law to be pursued exclusively in the courts of the country of Italy, even without a forum clause in that agreement.

This case features an unusual twist on the many cases highlighted on these pages over the last 15 years involving the enforceability of forum selection clauses.

Key Takeaways:

  • The court rejected defenses based on the applicable law of Italy and the law of the European Union–which required that certain claims be pursued in Italy–and explained that such foreign laws did not divest the Delaware court of subject matter jurisdiction, especially in light of an applicable forum selection clause providing for Delaware courts to address the majority of the disputes at issue.
  • The court relied on two Delaware Supreme Court cases that addressed the very limited circumstances where a foreign country’s exclusive jurisdictions statute will divest the Delaware courts of jurisdiction. See Slip op. at 14 and footnotes 44 and 45.
  • The court also explained, relying on prior Delaware court decisions, that even a non-signatory can be bound to a forum selection clause–which is also considered to constitute consent to personal jurisdiction that satisfies a due process analysis. See pages 25 to 29.
  • The court explained that a forum selection clause supersedes any defense based on forum non conveniens as well as an argument based on international comity.
  • Nonetheless, the court found that the employment agreement involved in this case, that had an Italian choice of law clause (but no forum selection clause), supported the entry of a stay of the claims related to that employment agreement based on forum non conveniens, and that result is also supported by the fact that Italy had the most substantial relationship to all the facts, the issues and the witnesses, who likely would not be subject to compulsory process in Delaware.
  • But see footnote 138, in which the court requires the parties to meet and confer to determine if there is a way to stay the proceedings “in Delaware or Italy to avoid having both courts determine overlapping issues.” The court reserved its right to reconsider its ruling on the stay depending on the outcome of the parties’ efforts to determine whether duplication of efforts can be avoided by the courts of Delaware and Italy.

A recent Delaware Court of Chancery opinion should be read by all lawyers who seek to avoid the risk of a fully executed contract being ruled unenforceable due to a court later finding, perhaps suprisingly, that the agreement did not accurately express the understanding of the parties.  In Kotler v. Shipman Associates, LLC, C.A. No. 2017-0457-JRS (Del. Ch. Aug. 21, 2019, corrected (typo on page four) Aug. 27, 2019), the court reviewed in extensive detail the multi-year history of negotiations and exchanges of draft agreements, with little contemporary evidence of the circumstances surrounding the fully-executed document–which one of the parties sought to enforce, and found the agreement, a warrant for stock, to be unenforceable.

In this short blog post, the most effective way to express the most important takeaways from this 47-page opinion (40-pages of which was a thorough recitation of the detailed facts), is to highlight what at least this reader considers the “lessons learned” from the misfortunes of the parties involved in this case, after a quick factual overview.Brief Factual Overview of Case:

This case involves a claim for equity in a cosmetics company that was formed in the founder’s kitchen in 1999. About 18 years later, the company was valued at about $500 million.  During the early years of the company, a commission-only sales consultant worked for the company and was, by all accounts, a very successful salesperson.  During the approximately 5 years that she worked at the company, she was promised a right to purchase equity in the company by means of a warrant.  Although the company continually promised her that it would formalize that right, they strung her along for many years without formalizing her right to equity.

During the lengthy negotiations and the exchange of many draft warrant agreements, one of the terms that the parties could not reach agreement on was the scope of a non-competition provision. Naturally, the company wanted to restrict any competition after the salesperson left the company, but the salesperson wanted the right to compete after she left.

The court, in its extensive review of the factual background, determined that notwithstanding a fully executed agreement, the former salesperson who was seeking to enforce the fully executed warrant agreement, was not credible and could not explain the absence of the non-competition provision that the company always insisted on as a deal-breaker in the negotiations. A key factual issue at trial was whether or not the sole signature page was attached to a version of the agreement that the company did not agree to–or whether the signature page was attached to a version of the warrant agreement that expressed the intent of all the parties.  The court held that despite the fully executed document, the signature page was attached to a version of the agreement that the overwhelming evidence indicated was not the version that expressed the intent of the company.

Key Takeaways:

·     Careful practitioners should consider the risk (in light of this case) inherent in allowing a client to sign an “orphan” signature-page as a separate page by itself–and then later attaching that page (only) to a document that the signature-page is not indubitably a part of. Rather, a lawyer should be able to prove that the signatory has read and agrees to all the terms of the agreement that the signature-page is attached to. That may seem obvious, but the contract at issue in this case was ruled to be unenforceable because the signature-page was formatted in such a way that it could be–and was–attached to a version of the contract other than the one that the signatory thought it belonged to. This risk also applies to the common practice of allowing “counterpart signatures” that may not be attached to the agreement at the time it is signed.

·     Kotler, the employee or independent contractor at the center of this case, was “strung along” by the company’s president, and repeatedly told that she would be given equity in the company, or a warrant for equity in the company, over many years, but formal documentation was never finalized in an enforceable agreement.  The lessons in that “not unusual” situation should be self-explanatory.

·     A fully executed agreement is not necessarily enforceable if there is overwhelming evidence to support the argument that notwithstanding one’s signature “attached to” an agreement, the signature was not intended to express consent for the terms of the contract that the signature was attached to.  See Slip op. at 44.

·     The Court explained that:

“[The] ‘fully executed’ version of the warrant agreement does not overcome the credible and convincing evidence that these parties were not operating from the same page, or more precisely the same agreement, as they negotiated its material terms.  The circumstances surrounding  the execution of the warrant agreement, cloudy as they are, reflect it is just as (if not more) likely Marissa [the CEO] believed she was signing a version with a perpetual non-compete as one with Kotler’s [consultant-employee] diluted covenants.  This is particularly so since Kotler could recall nothing of importance regarding the negotiations or circumstances surrounding the execution of the warrant agreement.  Incredibly, she could not even recall who she engaged as counsel to represent her during the negotiations, thereby cutting off a likely source of contemporaneous evidence.” 

Slip op. at 44.

·     The court also explained earlier drafts had a “deal-breaker” provision that the company always insisted on–but Kotler could not explain why the company would abruptly agree to waive that key term.  This severely undermined Kotler’s credibility.

·     In addition, the court reasoned that other contemporaneous and after-the-fact circumstantial evidence explained the “disconnect” between the long history of the parties’ positions during negotiations and the final document, such as the court’s following post-trial findings of fact: (i) counsel for the company prepared a subsequent draft that post-dated the version that Kotler sought to enforce; (ii) that later draft had a signature-page that the CEO signed and sent by itself–with no agreement attached; and (iii) that signature-page was likely attached to something other than the version that the company thought was the “final” version of the agreement that reflected its position.  Id. at 45.  See footnote 197 (citing Eagle Force Hldgs., LLC v. Campbell, 187 A.3d 1209, 1230 (Del. 2018) (allowing courts to resolve issues of fact by considering evidence of the parties’ prior or contemporaneous agreement and negotiations in evaluating whether the parties intended to be bound by an agreement)). See also footnote 200 (citing to case law indicating that the actions of the parties after the deal are informative regarding their intent). 

·     Reciting basic contract formation principles, the court ultimately found that despite the agreement being fully executed, the terms of the agreement did not express the consent of the parties to material terms, and that a contract cannot be enforceable if the parties did not manifest an intent to be bound to essential terms as “determined objectively based upon their expressed words and deeds as manifested at the time, rather than by their after-the-fact professed subjective intent.”  Slip op. at 42-43.  (Although the court refers to the absence of a “meeting of the minds,” the standard for contract interpretation is an objective one.)

·     In sum, this opinion should be read as a cautionary tale that underscores the risk for any lawyer or client who prefers to sign a signature-page separately–instead of keeping the signature-page and the corresponding agreement “together” at all times.

For the 14th year, we provide a list of key Delaware corporate and commercial decisions from the prior year. This year, our list is co-authored by Chauna Abner in addition to yours truly, and appeared in the following article published in the Delaware Business Court Insider on January 2, 2019:

For the 14th year, we have created an annual list of important corporate and commercial decisions of the Delaware Supreme Court and the Delaware Court of Chancery. This list is not by any means a complete list of important decisions of the two courts that were rendered this year. Instead, this list includes notable decisions that should be of widespread relevance to those who work in the corporate and commercial litigation field or follow the latest developments in this area of Delaware law. Prior annual reviews are available at this hyperlink. This list focuses on the unsung heroes among the many decisions that have not already been widely discussed by the mainstream press or legal trade publications.

Delaware Supreme Court Decisions

  • Aranda v. Phillip Morris USA, 183 A.3d 1245 (Del. 2018).

This Supreme Court decision should be required reading for anyone who has a forum non conveniens issue in Delaware. The opinion provides an overview of the Delaware law on forum non conveniens and clarifies that even if it is a minority view among the 50 states, Delaware only requires that the trial court “consider” whether an alternative forum is available as part of its analysis, and whether an alternative forum is available is not a deciding factor. In its analysis, the court explores three general categories of forum non conveniens cases. A synopsis of the decision and a link to the full opinion is available at this hyperlink.

  • Eagle Force Holdings v. Campbell, 187 A.3d 1209 (Del. 2018).

For the first time, the Delaware Supreme Court clarifies the test to determine whether a contract’s terms are sufficiently definite to create an enforceable contract. Before setting forth the test, this opinion discusses the intent necessary for parties to be bound. This opinion also explains the three basic requirements for a valid contract and addresses the ancillary issue of whether the Court of Chancery could impose sanctions for violation of a court order prior to establishing that it had personal jurisdiction over the person who violated the order. A synopsis of the decision and a link to the full opinion is available at this hyperlink.

  • Morrison v. Berry, 191 A.3d 268 (Del. 2018).

In this opinion, Delaware’s highest court limits the application of the Corwin doctrine and prohibits the cleansing effect of stockholder approval, in part due to inadequate disclosures. The opinion also explains the various nuances of the board’s duty of disclosure to stockholders, describes the duty of candor owed by directors to each other, and provides a definition of materiality as well as an explanation of when an omitted fact is material. A synopsis of the decision and a link to the full opinion are available at this hyperlink.

  • Flood v. Synutra International, 2018 Del. LEXIS 460 (Del. Oct. 9, 2018).

In this opinion with a vigorous dissent, the Supreme Court clarifies the MFW standard that was announced in Kahn v. M&F Worldwide, 88 A.3d 635 (Del. 2014). The court explains whether the prerequisites that must be satisfied for the MFW standard to apply must be imposed as a condition of the deal at the absolute beginning of negotiations. The opinion also discusses whether due care violations were pleaded in the complaint. A synopsis of the decision and a link to the full opinion are available at this hyperlink.

Delaware Court of Chancery Decisions

  • KT4 Partners v. Palantir Technologies, 2018 Del. Ch. LEXIS 59 (Del. Ch. Feb. 22, 2018).

The Court of Chancery determined that a stockholder satisfied the prerequisites of Section 220 in this case to obtain certain corporate records. This 50-page decision can serve as a primer for the requirements of Section 220, to which judicial opinions have added prerequisites that are not found in the text of the statute. A synopsis of the decision and a link to the full opinion are available at this hyperlink.

  • Feldman v. YIDL Trust, 2018 Del. Ch. LEXIS 75 (Del. Ch. Mar. 5, 2018).

In this opinion, the Court of Chancery adds to the relatively modest body of case law interpreting Section 273 of the DGCL. The court applies Section 273 to dissolve a joint venture with two 50/50 stockholders that was deadlocked. This is analogous to a “no fault business divorce” but the remedy is discretionary and the court will not always grant dissolution. A synopsis of the decision and a link to the full opinion are available at this hyperlink. Shortly after the court issued its decision, the respondent moved for relief from the court’s entry of judgment and the court denied the motion. See Feldman v. YIDL Trust, 2018 Del. Ch. LEXIS 148 (Del. Ch. May 4, 2018).

  • PR Acquisitions v. Midland Funding, 2018 Del. Ch. LEXIS 137 (Del. Ch. Apr. 30, 2018).

This Chancery decision is notable for enforcing the provisions in an agreement that provided a procedure and a comparatively short deadline for making claims for funds held in escrow. This decision was in the context of notice being mistakenly sent to the escrow agent when the agreement required that notice be sent to the seller. A synopsis of the decision and a link to the full opinion are available at this hyperlink.

  • CBS v. National Amusements, 2018 Del. Ch. LEXIS 157 (Del. Ch. May 17, 2018).

In this high profile case, the Court of Chancery denies the request of CBS, a minority shareholder, for a TRO that sought to prevent the efforts of the Redstone family from exercising its voting control regarding a potential deal with Viacom. A synopsis of the decision and a link to the full opinion is available at this hyperlink.

  • Basho Technologies Holdco B v. Georgetown Basho Investors, 2018 Del. Ch. LEXIS 222 (Del. Ch. July 6, 2018).

This 126-page Court of Chancery opinion is a mini-treatise on the capacious capacity of the court to fashion creative and customized remedies when a breach of fiduciary duty is found. The opinion includes many key principles of Delaware corporate law and a description of different types of available remedies. A synopsis of the decision and a link to the full opinion is available at this hyperlink.

  • In Re Oxbow Carbon Unitholder Litigation, C.A. No. 12447-VCL (Del. Ch. Aug. 1, 2018).

In this opinion, the Court of Chancery provides the most comprehensive description of the broad and flexible authority of the Court of Chancery to fashion an appropriate customized equitable remedy in several decades. This decision should be treated as an indispensable reference for those involved in corporate or commercial litigation who might need to quote authoritative sources for the voluminous scope of the Court of Chancery’s flexible and customized equitable remedial powers. A synopsis of the decision and a link to the full opinion is available at this hyperlink.

  • Applied Energetics v. Farley, 2018 Del. Ch. LEXIS 277 (Del. Ch. Aug. 14, 2018).

This Court of Chancery opinion is a must read for litigators who need to know the finer points of how the amount for a requisite bond is determined for purposes of obtaining an injunction. The court found problems with both parties’ estimates and essentially engaged in an abbreviated analysis of the appropriate measure of potential damages based on the claims in the case. A synopsis of the decision and a link to the full opinion is available at this hyperlink.

  • Godden v. Franco, 2018 Del. Ch. LEXIS 283 (Del. Ch. Aug. 21, 2018).

In this opinion, the Court of Chancery explains several important principles that Delaware courts use to analyze issues in the LLC context, and interpretive rules involving LLC agreements. In doing so, the court provides a helpful analysis of the equitable powers of the court to fashion remedies in the context of an LLC—notwithstanding the often exaggerated explanation of LLCs as creatures of contract. In this vein, the court cites several exceptions to the concept of LLCs being purely a product of contract. A synopsis of the decision and a link to the full opinion are available at this hyperlink.

  • Akorn v. Fresenius Kabi AG, 2018 Del. Ch. LEXIS 325 (Oct. 1, 2018), aff’d, 2018 Del. LEXIS 548 (Del. Dec. 7, 2018).

This epic 246-page Court of Chancery opinion serves as a mini-treatise on several topics of importance to corporate and commercial litigators, including: interpretation of material adverse change clauses or material adverse effect clauses in merger agreements; and the meaning and application of the phrase “commercially reasonable efforts” or “reasonable best efforts” often found in merger agreements. A synopsis of the decision and a link to the full opinion are available at this hyperlink. Notably, the Supreme Court affirmed the decision in a three-page order in December.

  • Lexington Services v. U.S. Patent No. 8019807 Delegate, 2018 Del. Ch. LEXIS 509 (Del. Ch. Oct. 26, 2018).

In this opinion, the Court of Chancery recognizes that a non-signatory to an agreement may enforce the provisions of a forum-selection clause under certain conditions. In doing so, the court discusses two principles of well-established Delaware law: the general enforceability of forum-selection clauses in Delaware; and the ability of officers and directors of an entity subject to a forum-selection clause to invoke its benefits when they were closely involved in the creation of the entity and were being sued as a result of acts that directly implicated the negotiation of the agreement that led to the entity’s creation. A synopsis of the decision and a link to the full opinion are available at this hyperlink.

  • Decco U.S. Post-Harvest v. MirTech, 2018 Del. Ch. LEXIS 545 (Del. Ch. Nov. 28, 2018).

This Court of Chancery opinion adds to the modest body of Delaware case law that addresses whether an LLC should be dissolved based on the statutory standard that it is “not reasonably practicable” to carry on the LLC. The court explains that in determining the purpose for which an LLC was formed, it may not only look at the purpose-clause in the LLC’s operating agreement, but also to “other evidence … as long as the court is not asked to engage in speculation.” A synopsis of the decision and a link to the full opinion are available at this hyperlink.

  • Sciabacucchi v. Salzberg, C.A. No. 2017-0931-JTL (Del. Ch. Dec. 19, 2018).

This recent seminal decision of the Court of Chancery must be included in the lexicon of every lawyer who wants to understand the boundaries of Delaware law on forum-selection clauses in corporate documents. The court determined that a forum-selection clause in a certificate of incorporation was invalid and ineffective to the extent that it purported to “require any claim under the Securities Act of 1933 to be brought in federal court” (the “Federal-Forum Provisions”). A synopsis of this decision and a link to the full opinion are available at this hyperlink.

Francis G.X. Pileggi is a litigation partner and vice-chair of the commercial litigation practice group at Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott. Contact him at fpileggi@eckertseamans.com. He comments on key corporate and commercial decisions and legal ethics rulings at www.delawarelitigation.com.

Chauna A. Abner is an associate in the firm’s commercial litigation practice group.

Supplement: Prof. Stephen Bainbridge, a nationally-prominent corporate law scholar, kindly linked to this post and described it as: “a must read for anybody working in corporate law.”


The above post originally was published as an article, and is reprinted with permission from the Jan. 2, 2019 edition of the Delaware Business Court Insider(c). 2019 ALM Media Properties, LLC. All rights reserved.

This is the twelfth year that I am providing an annual list of key Delaware corporate and commercial decisions. In one of my past annual reviews, I listed only three key cases, and in other years I listed a few dozen. This year I am taking the middle ground and selecting eleven cases that should be of widespread interest to those who engage in corporate and commercial litigation in Delaware, or to those who follow the latest developments in this area of law. In preparing this list, I eschewed some widely-reported 2016 cases that have already been the subject of extensive commentary in other legal publications. Thus, the list this year may omit one or more blockbuster cases that readers likely have already read about elsewhere. This list is an admittedly subjective exercise, and I invite readers to contact me with suggestions for cases that they believe should be added to–or deleted from–this list. (Unlike last year, this year I don’t have the benefit of adopting the list of cases that a member of the Delaware Court of Chancery publicly described as the 2015 opinions that he thought were especially noteworthy.)

Delaware Supreme Court Decisions

Hazout v. Tsang. This opinion changed the law that prevailed for the last 30 years regarding the basis for imposing personal jurisdiction in Delaware over corporate directors and officers. The accepted case law for the last three decades limited jurisdiction over directors and officers of Delaware corporations, if that position was the only basis for imposing jurisdiction, to claims such as breaches of their fiduciary duties. Now, however, Delaware courts can impose personal jurisdiction over directors and officers if they are “necessary or proper parties” to a lawsuit even if there are no fiduciary duty claims or violations of the DGCL. This opinion from Delaware’s high court features a new interpretation of Section 3114 of Title 10 of the Delaware Code, which provides that when a party agrees to serve as a director or officer of a Delaware entity, she thereby consents to personal jurisdiction in Delaware. This opinion also provided a new application of the registration statutes found at Section 371 and 376 of Title 8. A more detailed discussion of the case appeared previously on these pages.

Genuine Parts Co. v. Cepec. In contrast to the foregoing Hazout case, which made it easier to impose personal jurisdiction in Delaware over certain parties to a lawsuit, this opinion did the opposite. Again departing from thirty years of prior Delaware case law, in connection with Delaware’s long-arm statute found at Section 3104 of Title 10 of the Delaware Code, this ruling reasoned that: “In most situations where the foreign corporation does not have its principal place of business in Delaware, that will mean that Delaware cannot exercise general jurisdiction over the foreign corporation.” A prior overview of this case appeared on these pages.

OptimisCorp v. Waite. This ruling provides indispensable insights from Delaware’s high court on the duties and limitations imposed on directors who are appointed by particular stockholders. These board members, sometimes referred to as “blockholder directors,” are often torn between their allegiance to the corporation and their ties to the stockholder that appointed them–often by written agreement as a condition to an investment in the company. Although it reads like an opinion, the format of this ruling is an Order of the court. (The name of the plaintiff is not a typo; it’s a conjoined name with no space, but with a capital in the middle.) Most readers know that transcript rulings and Orders can be cited in briefs as authority in Delaware, and this Order contains many eminently quotable gems. The decision affirmed a 213-page opinion by the Court of Chancery, but provided slightly different reasoning and more authoritative insights. Specifically, the Court expressed displeasure with a “Pearl Harbor-like . . . ambush” of a stockholder board member when that stockholder had the ability to remove the directors that ambushed him if he had known of their insurgent intentions prior to the meeting. Highlights of this ruling previously appeared on these pages.

El Paso Pipeline GP Co., LLC v. Brinckerhoff. This decision features a relatively rare reversal of a Court of Chancery decision on the perplexing issue of whether a stockholder claim is derivative or direct–or both. It should be encouraging, even for those who follow this area of the law, that this issue can be so nuanced and difficult to understand that even the Chancellor could be mistaken, though his friends on the Supreme Court called his reversed decision “thoughtful.” In sum, this ruling rejected the Chancery Court’s conclusion that a merger occurring after trial but before the decision of the court had been issued, did not extinguish the plaintiff’s derivative claims. Because the claims were only derivative, the claims were extinguished.

In a concurrence, the Chief Justice argued that the Delaware Supreme Court’s 2006 decision in Gentile v. Rossette should be overruled because it “cannot be reconciled with the strong weight of our precedent.” He argues that Gentile is wrong “to the extent that it allows for a direct claim in the dilution context when the issuance of stock does not involve subjecting an entity whose voting power was held by a diversified group of public equity holders to the control of a particular interest….”

Court of Chancery Decisions

Marino v. Patriot Rail Company LLC. This Court of Chancery opinion is noteworthy for providing the most detailed historical analysis, doctrinal underpinning and legislative exegesis of the statutory scheme that requires corporations under certain circumstances to provide advancement to former directors and officers that has come along in many years. The decision also explains why companies are barred from terminating such advancement for former directors and officers unless certain prerequisites are satisfied. An overview of this decision previously appeared on these pages.

In Re Trulia Inc. Stockholder Litigation.  This Court of Chancery decision has been the subject of such extensive commentary that virtually every reader of this blog has already read about it. This decision sharply curtailed (but did not entirely eliminate) the viability of stockholder class actions based on claims that insufficient disclosures were made in the context of a challenged merger. This decision was issued in January 2016. The Chancery Daily reports that the number of lawsuits filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery during the year 2016 subsequently declined substantially. Of course, some of these disclosure suits might have been filed in other states during 2016. Extensive expert commentary is available at this link, including from Professor Stephen Bainbridge, a good friend of this blog and a nationally prominent corporate law scholar often cited in Delaware court opinions addressing corporate law issues.

Amalgamated Bank v. Yahoo! Inc. This opinion provides a treasure trove of corporate law jewels. Those who need to keep abreast of this area of the law should read this scholarly 74-page gem. This decision will likely be cited often, and it belongs in the pantheon of seminal Delaware decisions because it is the first opinion to directly and comprehensively discuss directors’ obligations to produce electronically stored information (ESI) in connection with a stockholder’s request for corporate books and records pursuant to DGCL Section 220. The court also required the production of relevant personal emails of directors and officers from personal email accounts. Additionally, the court provided exemplary guidance in how to fulfill fiduciary duties when considering and approving executive compensation proposals. A synopsis of the case appeared on these pages.

Though not related in any way to my recommendation that this opinion is a must-read, as an added bonus, at page 20, the court’s opinion cited to a law review article recently co-authored by yours truly in which it was argued that ESI should be included within the scope of DGCL Section 220.

Obeid v. Hogan. This Court of Chancery opinion will be cited often for fundamental principles of Delaware corporate and LLC law, including the following: (1) even in derivative litigation when a stockholder has survived a motion to dismiss under Rule 23.1, for example where demand futility pursuant to DGCL Section 141 is in issue, the board still retains authority over the “litigation assets” of the corporation, and if truly independent board members exist or can be appointed to create a special litigation committee (SLC), it is possible for the SLC to seek to have the litigation dismissed under certain circumstances; (2) if an LLC Operating Agreement adopts a form of management and governance that mirrors the corporate form, one should expect the court to use the cases and reasoning that apply in the corporate context; (3) even though most readers will be familiar with the cliché that LLCs are creatures of contract, the Court of Chancery underscores the truism that it may still apply equitable principles to LLC disputes; (4) a bedrock principle that always applies to corporate actions is that they will be “twice-tested,” based not only on compliance with the law, such as a statute, but also based on equitable principles. This opinion is also noteworthy because it provides a roadmap for how a board should appoint an SLC with full authority to seek dismissal of a derivative action against a corporation. Additional highlights about this decision were previously noted on these pages.

Medicalgorithmics S.A. v. AMI Monitoring, Inc. This opinion earns a place among my annual list of noteworthy cases for its counterintuitive finding that a non-signatory was bound by the agreement at issue. Although other Delaware opinions have found that non-signatories were bound by the terms of an agreement, in this decision, the non-signatory was an affiliate of the signatory, and was controlled by the signatory; moreover, the agreement applied to affiliates. Additionally, the non-signatory also accepted the benefits of the agreement. See generally provisions of the Delaware LLC Act that bind non-signatory members of an LLC Operating Agreement to the terms of that agreement, and amendments by a majority of members that do not include the non-signatory. A prior overview of this case appeared on these pages.

Bizzarri v. Suburban Waste Services, Inc. This decision should be read by all those who advise directors or their corporations on what corporate records a director is entitled to–or not. This opinion provides an excellent recitation of the many nuanced prerequisites for demanding corporate books and records and when the otherwise unfettered right of directors to corporate records can be circumscribed and restricted. In addition to being noteworthy for providing corporations with defenses to demands for corporate records from directors and stockholders, this ruling explores the types of data that one can demand in connection with asserting the proper purpose of valuation of an interest in a closely-held company. A fuller discussion of this case appeared previously on these pages.

Larkin v. Shah. This Court of Chancery decision should be read by those interested in one of the most pithy restatements in any recent opinion of basic corporate governance principles such as the: (1) articulation of the fiduciary duties of directors; (2) presumption of the BJR as a standard of review; (3) when the BJR applies; and (4) how the BJR is rebutted. This opinion also provides an eminently clear articulation and application of the various permutations of one-sided or both-sided controlling stockholder transactions, and what standard of review applies in those circumstances, as well as the standard that applies in this case, where there is no controlling stockholder, but there is stockholder approval. An overview of the opinion appeared previously on these pages.

Supplemental Bonus: For the last twenty years, I have published a bimonthly column on legal ethics for the American Inns of Court. Because of the importance of legal ethics, which of course apply generally to the corporate and commercial litigation focus of this blog, and in particular in light of a controversial proposal by the ABA to amend the Model Rules to make it unethical to oppose, notwithstanding good faith religious reasons, certain behavior that until a few months ago was completely legal, I include a link to my recent article that quotes the views of nationally prominent legal scholars on a new ABA rule of professional conduct.

In addition, in honor of the passing in 2016 of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, I include a link to highlights that appeared on these pages of a concurrence by Justice Alito and Justice Thomas in the recent Caetano case that emphasizes the importance of the natural right of self-defense and in which those members of this country’s highest court rebuke Massachusetts’ highest court for flagrantly ignoring the clear authority expressed in the U.S. Supreme Court decisions in Heller and in McDonald regarding each person’s natural right to self-defense.

3850 & 3860 Colonial Blvd., LLC v. Griffin, C.A. No. 9575-VCN (Feb. 26, 2015). Despite the odd caption, this Delaware Chancery decision’s usefulness for the toolbox of a litigator is derived from its analysis of a few perennial issues in commercial litigation: (i) when related contracts between the same or affiliated parties have conflicting provisions, which provisions control? (ii) when one contract has an arbitration provision but another does not, is the dispute subject to arbitration? (iii) one of my favorites: when can a non-signatory be bound by the terms of a contract? Of course, many of my readers know that under some circumstances, the Court of Chancery has bound non-signatories to the terms of an agreement.

James v. National Financial LLC, C.A. No. 8931-VCL (Del. Ch. Dec. 5, 2014).

Why This Decision is Noteworthy: This Delaware Court of Chancery opinion reiterates the important practice guideline that the Court of Chancery does not recognize the concept of “local counsel”.  That is, Chancery will require Delaware counsel serving with out-of-state counsel to have full responsibility for any filings with the court, and also to take an active role in all aspects of discovery.  This is the polar opposite of the view that some have of using local counsel as a mere mail drop or to use local counsel to merely sign whatever out-of-state counsel would like to file.  See, e.g., summary of related standards in an article that we published on this blog. See also Practice Guidelines for Chancery promulgated by the Court.

This decision also features other notable observations about Delaware discovery practice in general.

Background:

This case is a class action filed by a person who obtained a payday loan and was charged an interest rate of over 800%.  The initial loan was for $200 and the cost of the credit was $1,420.  This opinion focuses on discovery issues and failure to comply with discovery orders resulting in the grant of a motion for sanctions.

After an exhaustive description of the multiple failures to comply with prior orders of the court granting motions to compel, as well as inconsistent answers to the same questions and conflicting explanations for failure to comply, the court reviewed the basis for the award of sanctions for discovery abuses pursuant to Court of Chancery Rule 37, including the types of sanctions that a court can impose for violating a discovery order under Rule 37(b)(2).

Highlights of Key Principles:

The court recited several basic discovery “first principles” as announced in Delaware decisions over the years.  For example, a fundamental first principle recited by the court was that:  “Candor and fair-dealing are, or should be, the hallmark of litigation and required attributes of those who resort to the judicial process.  The rules of discovery demand no less.”  (citation omitted.)  See generally, Rule 1 of the Delaware Rules of Professional Conduct.

Among the problems with the discovery responses by the defendant in this case, was the admission that a notarization was provided even though the signatory did not personally appear before the notary.  The court explained that the failure to appear in person before a notary when a signature is notarized makes the notarization invalid.  It also exposes the persons involved to various penalties.  See Slip op. at 24 and footnotes 3 and 4.

Also noteworthy is that the court referred to the recent amendment to Rule 1.1 of the Delaware Rules of Professional Conduct, and Comment 8 thereto, which address the requirement that attorneys maintain familiarity with technological developments in order to maintain technological competence in connection with the practice of law.  The court confirmed that:  “Technological incompetence is not an excuse for discovery misconduct.”

Role of Local Counsel Not Recognized in Court of Chancery:

The court also explained that when forwarding (out-of-state) counsel has been admitted pro hac vice and is taking a lead role in the case, “the Court of Chancery does not recognize the role of purely ‘local counsel.’” See State Line Ventures, LLC v. RBS Citizens, 2009 WL 4723372, at *1 (Del. Ch. Dec. 2, 2009).  Relying on Rule 170 of the Delaware Court of Chancery Rules, the court also emphasized that:  “The admission of an attorney pro hac vice shall not relieve the moving attorney from responsibility to comply with any Rule or order of the Court.”

The court also made clear that Delaware lawyers are “ultimately responsible for the documents they file with the court and serve on the opposing party” and that “our Rules make clear that the Delaware lawyer who appears in an action always remains responsible to the Court for the case and its presentation.  (citing State Line Ventures.)

The court also explained that Delaware counsel “are expected to police the behavior of their out-of-state colleagues and insure that that out-of-state counsel understand the standards expected by Delaware courts.  (This standard is in full recognition of the large number of out-of-state counsel who routinely engage in corporate litigation in Chancery.) See generally recent Delaware Supreme Court decision publicly reprimanding an attorney admitted pro hac vice for failing to comply with a court order.

Delaware Counsel Must Be Involved in Discovery:

Moreover, the court explained that:

the court expects Delaware counsel to play an active role in the discovery process, including in the collection, review and production of documents.  If Delaware counsel does not directly participate in the collection, review and production of documents, then at a minimum Delaware counsel should discuss with co-counsel the court’s expectations.”

Slip op. at 27.

Conclusion:

In granting the motion for sanctions the court ruled that it will be deemed established for purposes of trial that the interest rates charged on the loans were outside of the tolerances set forth in the Federal Truth in Lending Act.  In addition, the court awarded attorneys’ fees for Defendant’s failure to comply with prior court orders.

Israel Discount Bank of New York v. First State Depository Co., C.A. 7237-VCP (Del. Ch. Sept. 27, 2012).

This case addresses the economic loss doctrine as well as the often discussed issue of arbitrability.

The court describes the economic loss doctrine as one “which prohibits a party from recovering in tort for economic losses, the entitlement to which flows only from a contract.” Slip op. at 35 and n. 91-96 (also noting exceptions to the doctrine for fraud and intentional torts.) The doctrine has been expanded to apply to commercial transactions where there is no harm to persons or property other than what was the subject of the contract between the parties.

The most noteworthy aspect of the court’s arbitrability discussion is how the court distinguishes an earlier decision that found an affiliated party bound by an arbitration agreement even though it was not a signatory. In that case, all the parties were affiliated, and all the documents were inter-related, and all were designed as part of a Master Transaction Agreement (MTA). See BAYPO Ltd. P’ship . Tech JV, LP, 940 A.2d 20-21-22 (Del. Ch. 2007). Thus, the court reasoned in BAYPO, unlike the instant case, that a non-signatory would be bound by the arbitration clause in the MTA because all the various agreements “served no other independent purpose than their function in the framework of the MTA.” Slip op. at 20 and n. 54.

Supplement: More recent transcript rulings denied a motion to withdraw by defense counsel, and denied a motion for protective order to stay a deposition based on an assertion of Fifth Amendment privilege. Rather, the court explained that a Fifth Amendment privilege must be asserted on a question by question basis. Moreover, a company cannot generally assert such a privilege but due to the closely held nature of the entity involved here the court was willing to revisit that issue at a later time.