Delaware

Delaware Chancery Judge Dumps Class Counsel, Cites ‘Nonexistent’ Advocacy

The newest judge on Delaware’s Court of Chancery has taken the unusual action of removing lead plaintiffs counsel from a class action case, citing their “nonexistent” advocacy in the shareholder case against Revlon Inc., reports Reuters. “When forced to defend their conduct and leadership role, original plaintiffs’ counsel approached the…

Mar 17, 2010 11:13 PM CDT

Court OKs Cravath Role in Takeover Bid re Ex-Client; Proof of ‘Extreme’ Ethics Misstep Lacking

In a teleconference ruling today in a hard-fought case over a pending $5.1 billion corporate takeover bid, the Delaware Court of Chancery has OK’d the continuing representation of Air Products and Chemicals Inc. by Cravath Swaine & Moore. Ex-client Airgas Inc. failed to prove by clear and convincing evidence the…

Mar 5, 2010 9:42 PM CST

Federal Judge Steps Aside, Allows Del. Court to Decide Claimed Cravath Conflict Issue

A federal judge in Philadelphia has stepped aside from a lawsuit seeking to disqualify Cravath Swaine & Moore from serving as counsel to a company seeking to take over a former client of the law firm. Because Delaware Chancery Court is to address the same conflict issue on an expedited…

Feb 24, 2010 12:17 AM CST

Cravath Fires Back in Conflict Case, Says Ex-Client is Doing Battle in Wrong Court

Responding to a former client’s claims of a conflict of interest that could potentially derail Cravath Swaine & Moore’s representation of a current client in a hard-fought $5.1 billion corporate takeover battle, the law firm says in a reply brief that ex-client Airgas Inc. is pursuing the issue in the…

Feb 22, 2010 2:00 PM CST

Ex-Client of Cravath Battles Firm’s Current Client in Conflict Case Venue War

Updated: Today was the day that a Pennsylvania state-court judge was supposed to conduct a hearing on a former client’s claim that Cravath Swaine & Moore is conflicted out of representing a competing company in a $5.1 billion takeover bid. But that didn’t happen, because Cravath and its current client,…

Feb 16, 2010 11:28 PM CST

Ex-Client Loses TRO Bid to Ban Cravath in $5.1B Deal, But Could Win Next Round Next Week

Caught in the crossfire between current and former clients, Cravath Swaine & Moore can continue representing Air Products & Chemicals Inc.—at least until next week—in a $5.1 billion takeover bid for Airgas Inc., a Pennsylvania judge ruled today. While Judge Albert Sheppard Jr. rejected a request by Airgas for a…

Feb 9, 2010 8:40 PM CST

Debevoise Sues to Collect $6M Bill; Client Cites 50 Lawyers, ‘Subpar’ Work

Engaged by a timber company in 2005 to follow up on another law firm’s work and prepare a corporate litigation matter for trial, Debevoise & Plimpton promised in a representation letter to work “as cost-effectively as possible.” But then the firm went ahead with a great deal of duplicative and…

Dec 9, 2009 8:43 PM CST

Delaware PD Notes Puzzling Trend: Fewer Cases

Delaware public defender Brendan O’Neill noted a puzzling trend during a budget hearing on Thursday: a lower caseload. O’Neill noted “a very slight downward trend” in the number of indigent defendants requesting public defenders, the News Journal reports. “At this point, it looks like we’re not in a growth industry,…

Nov 6, 2009 3:17 PM CST

Nokia Sues Apple Over iPhone Technology, Seeks Unspecified Royalties

Nokia Oyj has sued Apple Inc.over the technology used in the company’s iPhone, contending that it infringes on 10 patents held by the world’s largest phone manufacturer. The suit, which was filed in federal court in Delaware, seeks royalties from Apple dating back to the iPhone’s introduction in 2007 but…

Oct 22, 2009 4:51 PM CDT

Cub Scout, 6, Broke Weapons Rule With Camping Tool, School Says

Excited about becoming a Cub Scout, 6-year-old Zachary Christie couldn’t wait to use his new camping tool. But when he brought out the utensil—which can be used as a knife, a fork and a spoon at lunch at Downes Elementary School in the suburbs of Wilmington, Del., officials concluded it…

Oct 13, 2009 8:51 PM CDT

Philly Lawyer Sues Former Law Firm for Alleged Same-Sex Harassment

A lawyer has sued her former Delaware law firm, alleging that the lawyer who supervised her made inappropriate sexual comments, including observations that she was “sexy” and “dirty hot.” Lawyer Jennifer Braude filed the suit against Maron Marvel Bradley & Anderson, the Legal Intelligencer reports. The supervisor, Meredith Sossman, is…

Oct 8, 2009 4:35 PM CDT

Delaware Chancery Judge Joins Paul Weiss

A judge on Delaware’s chancery court is joining Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. Stephen Lamb ended his 12-year term on Tuesday; Paul Weiss announced that Lamb will join its corporate and litigation departments “at the stroke of midnight,” according to the Am Law Litigation Daily. Lamb told the Wall…

Jul 29, 2009 2:57 PM CDT

Seven Buchanan Ingersoll Lawyers in Delaware Jump to Saul Ewing

Saul Ewing has snagged seven lawyers from the Wilmington, Del., office of Buchanan Ingersoll. The lateral acquisition gives Saul Ewing a total of 19 lawyers in Wilmington and leaves Buchanan Ingersoll with only four lawyers there, the Pittsburgh Business Times reports. The lateral group includes three partners: office head William…

Jun 2, 2009 12:36 PM CDT

Delaware Chief Justice Defends Racy E-Mail Video

Delaware Supreme Court Chief Justice Myron Steele is apologizing to anyone who was offended by a racy video he sent to 38 male acquaintances using his state e-mail account. The video shows two women competing for a man’s attentions by simulating oral sex with a wine bottle, according to the…

May 1, 2009 7:39 PM CDT

Lawyers Retool for Bankruptcy Practice, Due to Dismal Economy

Back when the economy was robust, attorney Brett King worked on mergers and acquisitions in Asia. Now he and other lawyers there bill themselves as “restructuring” experts—sometimes concerneing the same failed deals they helped put together, reports the Wall Street Journal. And they’re far from the only attorneys seeking a…

Apr 15, 2009 6:39 PM CDT