Practice Areas
Education
- J.D., 1982, University of Virginia School of Law
- B.S., with high distinction, 1978, University of Virginia
Clerkships
- Law Clerk of the Delaware Court of Chancery
Admissions to Practice
- Delaware, 1982
Mike’s practice involves the representation of governmental entities, such as the Delaware River & Bay Authority and the Port of Wilmington, as well as representation of banks, trust companies, insurance companies and public utilities in commercial transactions and before regulatory authorities and state, county and local governments.
For the past 18 years, Mike has advised numerous entities, including Fortune 500 companies, on unclaimed property issues. He has represented various companies in connection with unclaimed property audits as well as voluntary compliance with the unclaimed property laws of Delaware and other jurisdictions. Mike has also helped draft the Delaware Division of Revenue regulations regarding unclaimed property and audit procedures and voluntary disclosure procedures for holders as well as revisions to Delaware’s unclaimed property statutes.
Mike has helped draft and enact numerous pieces of legislation in Delaware including Delaware’s Bank Insurance Powers Act, Limited Liability Partnership Act, Revised Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code and Delaware’s “Technology Court” legislation granting the Delaware Court of Chancery jurisdiction over complex business disputes involving technology and allowing the Court to mediate many types of complex business disputes. Mike served as a member of the Task Force which drafted a comprehensive revision of Delaware’s Captive Insurance Statute.
Mike is currently Chair of the Executive Committee of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (“ULC”) and is former Vice President of the ULC and former Chair of the ULC Scope and Program and Legislative Committees.
Mike is active in Democratic politics, is Co-State Finance Chair of John Carney for Congress and raises funds for the Delaware Democratic Party and for the campaigns of many Delaware Democratic legislators and elected officials.
Mike was selected to The Best Lawyers in America® 2011 in Administrative Law, Banking Law and Government Relations Law.
Professional and Community Activities
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Delaware State Bar Association
- Former Chair, Commercial Law Section of the Delaware Bar Association
- Chair, Executive Committee, National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (“NCCUSL”)
- Fundraising Committee, Delaware Democratic Party
Noteworthy
- Best Lawyers in America
News
- 25 Morris Nichols Attorneys Named to The Best Lawyers in America 2012
25 Morris Nichols attorneys have been named to The Best Lawyers in America 2012 in twenty practice areas. - Morris Nichols’ Michael Houghton Elected President of The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws
Michael Houghton has been elected President of The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. - Morris Nichols Receives President’s Award at 2011 UPPO Annual Conference
Morris Nichols’ Delaware Unclaimed Property Group received the Unclaimed Property Professionals Organization’s (UPPO) President’s Award for its work and contribution to the amicus brief filed by UPPO with the Third Circuit in NJ Retail Merchants v. Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff, et al. - BusinessWeek Quotes Michael Houghton: Delaware Among States Eyeing Unclaimed Property
Michael Houghton was quoted in The Associated Press article entitled Delaware Among States Eyeing Unclaimed Property published in Bloomberg’s BusinessWeek. - Michael Houghton Quoted in Delaware Law Weekly: Provides Perspective on Delaware’s Changes to Its Unclaimed Property Statute
Michael Houghton was quoted in the lead article Revamped Law on Unclaimed Property Seeks New Balance published in Delaware Law Weekly. - 26 Morris Nichols Attorneys Named to The Best Lawyers in America 2011; Firm is Top-Listed in Eight Categories in Delaware
26 Morris Nichols attorneys have been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2011. The firm was also “Top-Listed in Delaware” in eight practice areas. - Michael Houghton, Brenda Mayrack in Corporate Counsel Weekly on Delaware’s Changes to Its Unclaimed Property Statute
Michael Houghton and Brenda Mayrack authored Delaware Makes Significant Changes to Its Unclaimed Property Statute, published in the July 28, 2010 issue of BNA’s Corporate Counsel Weekly. - Michael Houghton, Brenda Mayrack in Corporate Counsel Weekly on Delaware’s Response to Lawsuit for Corporate Holders of Unclaimed Property
Michael Houghton and Brenda Mayrack authored ‘McKesson’ Part II – State’s Response Offers Insight, Guidance To Holders Facing Audit for Inventory and Other Property Types, published in BNA’s Corporate Counsel Weekly. - Michael Houghton, Brenda Mayrack in Corporate Counsel Weekly on Potentially Far-Reaching Implications of Lawsuit for Corporate Holders of Unclaimed Property
Michael Houghton and associate Brenda Mayrack authored McKesson Corporation Lawsuit Challenges Delaware’s Assessment of Unclaimed Property Liability For Inventory Mismatches published in the November 4, 2009 issue of BNA’s Corporate Counsel Weekly. - Michael Houghton Quoted in Corporate Counsel Weekly on Delaware Supreme Court Ruling: Corporate Liability for Escheated Securities
Michael Houghton was featured in the article, “Delaware Supreme Court Rules Corporations May Be Liable When They Escheat Securities” in the September 23, 2009 edition of Corporate Counsel Weekly. - Michael Houghton Elected Executive Committee Chair of The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws
Michael Houghton has been elected Chair of the Executive Committee of The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. - Ken Nachbar Quoted, Delaware Supreme Court Brief Featured, in LegalNewsline Article on NFL's Request to Block Sports Betting
Ken Nachbar on behalf of the National Football League were featured in a LegalNewsline article today about the NFL’s petition to block a pending sports betting bill awaiting signature by Delaware Governor Jack Markell. - A. Gilchrist Sparks III and Michael Houghton Named 2009 Lawyers of the Year by the Best Lawyers in America
Partners A. Gilchrist Sparks III and Michael Houghton have been named Delaware Lawyers of the Year by the Best Lawyers in America Guide. - Michael Houghton Quoted in Corporate Counsel Weekly on New York Federal Court's Request for Escheat Law Guidance from Delaware Supreme Court
Michael Houghton was featured in the article, “Delaware High Court’s Input Sought On State’s Escheatment Law” in Corporate Counsel Weekly. - Michael Houghton Elected to Board of Delaware State Chamber of Commerce
Michael Houghton has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce.
Notable Publications and Presentations
- Houghton, Michael, Walter Tuthill, Josiah Osibodu, Valerie Jundt, and Mark Paolillo, Unclaimed Property, BNA Corporate Practice Series No. 74-2nd (2006)
- Michael Houghton, William M. Lafferty, Andrew H. Lippstone, The Expansion of the Delaware Court of Chancery's Jurisdiction to Adjudicate or Mediate Certain "Technology Disputes" -- An Evolution, Not a Revolution, ABA Network: The Newsletter of the Business Law Section, Committee on Business and Corporate Litigation, Vol. 11, Issue 1 (Spring 2003)
- David Ley Hamilton, Michael Houghton, New Filings Under Revised Article 9– A Delaware Perspective, Business Law Today, March/April 2002, at 57