In a post-trial Memorandum Opinion issued on March 16, 2026, Vice Chancellor Paul A. Fioravanti, Jr. addressed one of the more consequential questions in LLC governance disputes: when a founder holds a voting agreement with his co-managers, does that agreement authorize him to execute a written removal consent on their behalf? The court’s answer in
Delaware Supreme Court Revives Non-Compete Claims Tied to Equity Incentive Awards in Payscale v. Norman
The Delaware Supreme Court’s decision in Payscale Inc. v. Erin Norman and BetterComp, Inc., No. 297, 2025 (Del. Mar. 19, 2026), is an important course correction for employers seeking to enforce restrictive covenants tied to equity incentive plans. In a reversal of the Court of Chancery, the Supreme Court held that Vice Chancellor
Delaware Supreme Court Revives Ex-Partner’s Compensation Claims Against Centerview Partners, Limits Collateral Estoppel
The long-running dispute between investment banker David Handler and M&A advisory boutique Centerview Partners has taken another turn. In David A. Handler v. Centerview Partners Holdings LP, et al., No. 269, 2025 (Del. Mar. 18, 2026), the Delaware Supreme Court reversed the Court of Chancery’s dismissal of Handler’s compensation-related counterclaims, holding that the
Chancery Grants Advancement to Corporation Co-Founder Amid Federal Cryptocurrency Investigation
In a thorough 52-page report issued on March 6, 2026, Magistrate Wright of the Court of Chancery resolved cross-motions for summary judgment in Manche v. MVMT Labs, Inc., C.A. No. 2025-1407-CDW, granting advancement to a corporation’s co-founder who incurred legal fees in connection with a federal investigation into the corporation’s cryptocurrency activities. The
What Makes Business Dispute Mediations Succeed in Delaware
I have spent the better part of my career litigating business disputes in the Delaware Court of Chancery, the Delaware Superior Court, and the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Over the course of that work, one of the things I have come to appreciate most is the mediation process.
As a
Delaware Courts Reject Novel Attempt to Avoid Reasonableness Review of Restrictive Covenants
In a pair of decisions from the Delaware Court of Chancery and the Delaware Supreme Court, Vice Chancellor Morgan T. Zurn and the Supreme Court en banc rejected a creative but ultimately unsuccessful attempt to circumvent the reasonableness requirement for restrictive covenants.
What struck me most about Vice Chancellor Zurn’s opinion is how it applies
Delaware Courts in 2025: A Year of Course Correction
Major Decisions and Legislative Reforms Shape Corporate Governance
If 2024 was the year Delaware’s corporate law establishment got nervous, 2025 was the year it fought back. And fought back hard.
For those of us who follow Delaware corporate law closely, the past year has been nothing short of remarkable. What began with hand-wringing over the
Delaware’s New DGCL Section 220 Amendments: Transforming Books and Records Access
The recent amendments to Section 220 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL) are, in a word, significant. These amendments fundamentally shift how stockholders can access corporate books and records. The changes, which came through Senate Bill 21 enacted on March 25, 2025, attempt to strike a balance between stockholder rights and corporate efficiency—but
Delaware Court Blocks Stockholder’s Attempt to Use Appraisal Rights as a Section 220 Workaround
In a noteworthy decision from the Delaware Court of Chancery, Vice Chancellor Morgan T. Zurn dismissed a stockholder’s attempt to use an appraisal petition as an alternative method to obtain corporate books and records.
What struck me most about this opinion is the court’s thorough analysis of the statutory distinctions between Sections 220 and 262.
Valuation Victory for Insurance Broker: Delaware Court Awards $416K in Partnership Dispute
I just read an interesting Delaware Court of Chancery decision in Walker v. FRP Investors GP. This is a post-trial opinion from Vice Chancellor Zurn that offers some interesting insights into Delaware partnership agreements and valuation disputes.
The case involves Cornelius “Cory” Walker, who helped build an insurance brokerage company that entered a lucrative