DE Court Rules on Deficiencies in Proxy Materials
November 24, 2008
The Court of Chancery of Delaware recently granted summary judgment to Transkaryotic directors alleged to have breached their fiduciary duties of disclosure (also sometimes referred to as the duty of "candor") and loyalty in connection with Shire Pharmaceuticals' acquisition of Transkaryotic. This article discusses the ground-breaking ruling.
McNulty Revisited
November 24, 2008
This article briefly reviews the history of the DOJ's corporate charging guidelines, discusses the policy changes from the DOJ's earlier charging guidelines, and analyzes the Filip Memo's impact on corporate investigations and prosecutions.
The Revised Americans with Disabilities Amendment Act
November 24, 2008
The ADAAA, which takes effect in January 2009, took aim at two United States Supreme Court decisions rendered during the last decade that were viewed as substantially limiting the scope of covered disabilities under the ADA. This article explains what it means to your practice.
Mandatory Wellness Programs
October 29, 2008
While often a healthy asset for organizations, the increasing use of mandatory wellness programs can also present liability risks for companies, including potential violations of employee privacy rights, the federal anti-discrimination laws, such as the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and state legislation regarding the regulation of an employee's lawful off-duty conduct.
Delaware Chancery Court Allows Board to Abandon Sales Process
October 29, 2008
Earlier this year, the Delaware Chancery Court dismissed a claim by shareholders of First Niles Financial, Inc., alleging that the directors breached their fiduciary duty by abandoning a sales process, despite receiving offers that its financial adviser found to be "within a range supported by its financial models.
The Supreme Court and Business
October 29, 2008
Recently, we witnessed the annual ritual of the United States Supreme Court releasing its most monumental decisions in the waning days of its term. The front pages were consumed with new landmarks on, among others, the Second Amendment and the death penalty. The general public and the media rightly gave greater import to these constitutional decisions, but does that mean that American business was ignored by the Justices this year?
When Delaware Companies Are Required to Advance Fees
October 29, 2008
A recent Delaware Chancery Court case may send Delaware companies scrambling to review their bylaws to determine if they are required to advance fees in more instances than first thought. A review of this and two other pivotal cases.
When Your Witness Is a Former Employee
October 29, 2008
In an era when employees change jobs frequently, your most important witness is often a former employee. At best, a former employee may be ambivalent toward your company. At worst, he or she may be downright hostile. What should you do?
Antitrust Limits on Pre-Closing Conduct in Mergers and Acquisitions
September 26, 2008
In track, a runner "jumps the gun" when he or she begins running before the gun has sounded. A similar concept occurs when two competing firms that have agreed to merge begin coordinating their activities or combining their distribution networks before the merger closes. Here is what merging firms can and cannot do before the gun sounds.
