Jeffrey R. Wolters

On Monday, February 17, 2025, the General Assembly publicly released proposed amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”).  The amendments, which we refer to as the “Balancing Amendments,” are intended to rebalance certain aspects of Delaware law relating to conflict transactions, controlling stockholder liability, and books and records demands. 

Jeff Wolters co-presents, “The Delaware Update: Key Insights and Controversial Laws Impacting VCGCs.”

The Best Lawyers in America has released its 2025 edition listing 39 attorneys from Morris Nichols. The results are based on peer-review evaluations from more than 160,000 eligible attorneys.

Morris Nichols earned a Tier 1 ranking among Delaware law firms, and 10 attorneys were selected for inclusion in IFLR1000 “The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial and Corporate Law Firms.”

In the 2024 edition, Morris Nichols again appears in two Legal 500 practice categories for M&A litigation defense and Delaware counsel. Nineteen Morris Nichols attorneys are mentioned in the editorial for their work in M&A litigation and Delaware corporate and commercial law.

Morris Nichols again secured a Band 1 ranking Chambers USA in four fundamental Delaware practice areas: Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Chancery, Corporate M&A & Alternative Entities, and Intellectual Property.

Jeff Wolters serves as faculty and co-presents the closing session, “Crisis Management, Tough Judgment Calls and Legal Ethics Considerations in Representing Emerging Growth Companies.”

On March 28, 2024, the Council of the Corporation Law Section of the Delaware State Bar Association released proposed amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law that, if adopted into law, would address recent caselaw regarding the facial validity of certain stockholder agreements, the ability of parties to a merger agreement to contract for certain pre-closing remedies and for the appointment of a stockholder representative to enforce post-closing remedies, and the process required to approve merger agreements.

Various Morris Nichols attorneys will serve as committee leaders and speakers.

The Best Lawyers in America has released its 2024 edition, listing 39 attorneys from Morris Nichols. The results are based on peer-review evaluations from more than 76,000 eligible attorneys.

IFLR United States 2023 ranks Morris Nichols in two Delaware tables ranking the top M&A law firms and the leading restructuring and insolvency law firms.

The Legal 500 US, a nationwide guide to the foremost law firms in the United States has again ranked Morris Nichols.

Chambers USA has again ranked Morris Nichols in Band 1 for Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Chancery, Corporate M&A & Alternative Entities, and Intellectual Property.

Jeff Wolters co-present the session, “Crisis Management, Tough Judgment Calls and Legal Ethics Considerations in Representing Emerging Growth Companies.”

IFLR United States 2022 recognized Morris Nichols in two Delaware tables ranking the top M&A law firms and the leading restructuring and insolvency law firms.

The Best Lawyers in America has released its 2023 edition, listing 35 attorneys from Morris Nichols. The results are based on peer-review evaluations from more than 71,000 eligible attorneys.

Morris Nichols was again ranked in The Legal 500 US, a nationwide guide to the foremost law firms in the United States.

Chambers USA has again ranked Morris Nichols in Band 1 for Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Chancery, Corporate M&A & Alternative Entities, and Intellectual Property.

Lawdragon 500 released its second annual list of Leading Dealmakers in America. Six Morris Nichols partners have been included in the list, accounting for one third of the Delaware honorees.

Jeff Wolters co-presents the session, “Crisis Management, Tough Judgment Calls and Legal Ethics Considerations in Representing Emerging Growth Companies.” 

Four Morris Nichols partners will attend the conference as committee leaders and speakers, sharing insights on Delaware corporate law and VC/PE developments.

IFLR United States 2021 - The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial and Corporate Law Firms again ranked Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP in two Delaware tables ranking the top M&A law firms and the leading restructuring and insolvency law firms.

The Best Lawyers in America has released its 2022 edition, listing thirty-two attorneys from Morris Nichols. The results are based on peer-review evaluations from more than 66,000 eligible attorneys.

Morris Nichols was ranked in The Legal 500 US, a nationwide guide to the foremost law firms in the United States.

The 2021 edition of Chambers USA has again ranked Morris Nichols in the top tier in four Delaware practice categories.

Lawdragon 500 recently released its inaugural list of Leading Dealmakers in America. Six Morris Nichols partners were selected for inclusion, comprising one third of the Delaware honorees.

The Practising Law Institute presents its annual day-long program on Venture Capital 2021: Nuts and Bolts. Morris Nichols partner Jeff Wolters serves as faculty and will speak in the closing session, “Crisis Management, Tough Judgment Calls and Legal Ethics Considerations in Representing Emerging Growth Companies.”

Thirty-one Morris Nichols attorneys were recognized in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. The results are based on peer-review evaluations from more than 67,000 eligible attorneys.

The Legal 500 United States today released its 2020 edition, ranking Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP in its nationwide guide to the foremost law firms in the United States.

The first quarter of 2020 has brought interesting Delaware law developments for private, venture-backed companies. As is often the case, arising issues for companies in the venture capital and private equity space have had a different emphasis from the public company area. While public companies may be considering issues such as “virtual” stockholder meetings, delayed dividends and MACs in merger agreements, we have identified five main Delaware law highlights below in the VC/PE space.

For many years Delaware corporate law was mainly public company law. But now there is a critical mass of case law relevant to private and venture-backed companies, with 2017 adding to that law perhaps more than any prior year.

Litigation in Delaware in 2017 has somewhat turned on its head the long-held expectation that “every public deal draws a lawsuit” but “private company stockholders rarely sue.”

The 2016 amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) were recently enacted.

A periodic “heads-up” of legal developments in Delaware relevant to venture and private equity funds.

The 2015 amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”)  address important policy topics and make certain technical improvements that should interest practitioners, including changes to the board approvals required to issue stock and changes to Delaware’s statute on ratification of corporate defects.

In several notable decisions, Delaware courts have allowed claims against officers to proceed and, in those decisions, discussed the potential liability that officers may face and offered certain practical suggestions for limiting the risk of liability faced by officers.

The recent Delaware Court of Chancery decision in In re Nine Systems Corporation Shareholders Litigation is especially instructive for private company directors, investors, and the law­yers who advise them.

The 2014 amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law (the DGCL) implement relatively minor, but important, improvements to existing provisions.

Jeff Wolters authored “Breacher Beware: Contract Damages in Delaware M&A Decisions” appearing in the Delaware Insider section of the April 2013 issue of the ABA’s Business Law Today.

Jeff Wolters, Morris Nichols Corporate Law Counseling Group partner, and Mike Houghton, Morris Nichols Unclaimed Property Law Counseling Group partner, co-authored Liability Exposure for Delaware Incorporated Companies - The Risk of an Escheat Audit and Delaware’s New Voluntary Disclosure Program to Avoid Penalties  appearing in the April 2013 issue of TerraLex Connections.

James D. Honaker, Jeffrey R. Wolters, “Analysis of 2013 Amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law,” Aspen Publishers, Inc.

Jeffrey Wolters authored “Decisions in Delaware Offer Important Guidance for U.S. and Foreign Companies,” appearing in the December 2012 issue of TerraLex Connections.

Jeff Wolters  authored “Running a Proper Interdependent Committee Process: Practice Tips from Recent Delaware Cases” appearing in the Delaware Insider section of the March 2012 issue of the ABA’s Business Law Today.

Jeffrey R. Wolters, Tom Kellerman, “Corporate Governance for Venture-Backed Companies,” The Review of Securities & Commodities Regulation (March 2012)

Morris Nichols attorneys Jeffrey R. Wolters, Patricia O. Vella, and Eric S. Klinger-Wilensky contributed three chapters to the 2012 edition of Corporate Attorney’s Practice Guide, published by Lexis Nexis.

Jeffrey Wolters, Morris Nichols Corporate Law Counseling Group partner, and associate Amy Simmerman, authored “Innovations in Poison Pill Drafting” - appearing in the November 2011 issue of Practical Law The Journal.

James D. Honaker, Jeffrey R. Wolters, “Analysis of the 2009 Amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law,” Delaware, Aspen Publishers, Inc. (2009)

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