
Practice Areas
Education
- J.D., magna cum laude, 1973, University of Pennsylvania Law School
- Associate Editor, 1971-1972; Editor, 1972-1973, University of Pennsylvania Law Review
- B.A., magna cum laude, 1966, Yale University
Admissions to Practice
- Delaware, 1973
- U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, 1973
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 1982
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1984
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 1991
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
Gil is a member of both the Corporate and Business Litigation and the Delaware Corporate Law Counseling Groups. His practice is concentrated in litigation and counseling arising from mergers and acquisitions and disputes relating to the governance of Delaware corporations.
News
- A. Gilchrist Sparks III Selected As One Of The Most Influential Players in Corporate Governance
A. Gilchrist Sparks III has been selected as one of the most influential players in corporate governance in Directorship 100 in its September 2007 issue. - Eighteen Morris Nichols Attorneys Recognized In Best Lawyers In America 2008
According to Best Lawyers, Morris Nichols had the highest number of attorneys named in Delaware in the practice areas of commercial litigation (5) and corporate law (10). - Four Morris Nichols Attorneys Named To Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers In America
Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell LLP announced today that four of its attorneys were named to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, and that two additional attoneys were named as finalists. - Four Morris Nichols Partners Named To Lawdragon 500 "Leading Dealmakers" List
Frederick H. Alexander, Lewis S. Black, Jr., John F. Johnston and A. Gilchrist Sparks, III, have been named to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Dealmakers in America list. - Seventeen Partners and Five Practice Areas Recognized by Chambers & Partners USA
Morris Nichols Ranked First in Delaware for Chancery, Corporate/M&A, and Intellectual Property Law and Second in the State in Bankruptcy/Restructuring and Real Estate. - Twelve Morris Nichols Partners Selected For Inclusion in Delaware "Super Lawyers"
The Delaware "Super Lawyers” list represents the top attorneys throughout the state who have achieved high standards for their legal ability, and are recognized by their peers and in the business community for their legal prowess in their individual practice areas. - Five Partners Named to The 2007 International Who's Who of Business Lawyers
Frederick H. Alexander, Lewis S. Black , John F. Johnston, Kenneth J. Nachbar, and A. Gilchrist Sparks, III have been recognized in Who’s Who Legal – The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers, 2007 Edition. - Three Morris Nichols Attorneys Named to “Lawdragon 500” List
Lewis S. Black, Jr., Jack B. Blumenfeld and A. Gilchrist Sparks, III have been included in the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, a list of the top 500 U.S. lawyers based upon interviews with lawyers and independent research.
Publications
- S. Mark Hurd, Jay N. Moffitt, A. Gilchrist Sparks III, The Delaware Court of Chancery Concludes Directors' Action To Reschedule A Stockholder Vote Satisfies Blasius' Compelling Justification Standard
- A. Gilchrist Sparks III, A Comment Upon Unocal at 20, Delaware Journal of Corporate Law, Vol. 31, No. 3, p. 887-889, 2006
- S. Mark Hurd, A. Gilchrist Sparks III, The Walt Disney Company Derivative Litigation - Delaware Supreme Court Affirms Court of Chancery Decision
- A. Gilchrist Sparks III, Corporate Democracy - What It Is, What It Isn't, and What It Should Be, Presentation at Tulane University, 18th Annual Law Institute, New Orleans, LA (February 2006)
- David A. Drexler, Lewis S. Black Jr., A. Gilchrist Sparks III, Delaware Corporation Law and Practice, Matthew Bender (1987-2005)
- A. Gilchrist Sparks, III, Andrew H. Lippstone, Changes in the Corporate Law After Enron: Emerging Director Liability Issues, Presentation at Tulane University, 15th Corporate Law Institute, New Orleans, LA (March 13-14, 2003).
- Frederick H. Alexander, A. Gilchrist Sparks III, The Delaware Corporation:Legal Aspects of Organization and Operation, Corporate Practice Series, Bureau of National Affairs, Inc., 2002
- S. Mark Hurd, A. Gilchrist Sparks III, Special Committees of Directors – When Does the Business Judgment Rule Apply and To What Extent Are Committee Proceedings Confidential, Delaware Law Review, Vol. 2 (Delaware State Bar Association 1999)
- Lewis Black, Jr., A. Gilchrist Sparks, III, David A. Drexler, Delaware Corporation Law & Practice, (Matthew Bender & Co., Inc., 1996-98)
- A. Gilchrist Sparks III, Special Committees and the Role of Outside Directors, Presentation at the 15th Annual M & A Lawyer Conference, New York, NY (February 2, 1998)
- A. Gilchrist Sparks, III, Eric L. Schnabel, Stockholders v. Directors A Status Report on Defensive Measures, Presentation at University of Miami, Second Annual Institute on Mergers & Acquisitions, Miami, FL (February 5, 1998)
- A. Gilchrist Sparks III, A Step Beyond - Reflections on the Jurisprudence of Chancellor William T. Allen, 22 Del. J. Corp. L. 921-27 (1997)
- R. Judson Scaggs, Jr., A. Gilchrist Sparks III, Delaware Law Issues in Spin-Offs And Split-Offs, Presentation at the Twenty Fourth Annual Securities Regulation Institute, Coronado, CA (January 24, 1997)
- A. Gilchrist Sparks III, Merger Agreements Under Delaware Law - When Can Directors Change Their Minds, 3 U. Miami L. Rev. 815-21 (1997)
- S. Mark Hurd, A. Gilchrist Sparks III, Special Negotiating Committees, The Review of Securities & Commodities Regulation, Vol. 30, No. 8, 97-101 (McGraw-Hill Companies, 1997)
Professional and Community Activities
- Member, The American Law Institute
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation
- Member, Committee on Corporate Laws of ABA Business Law Section - Co-Chair, Director Voting Task Force
- Member, Board of Advisors, University of Pennsylvania Institute for Law and Economics
- Co-Chairman, Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance Advisory Board, University of Delaware
- Executive Editor, Delaware Law Review
- Former Chairman, Delaware State Board of Bar Examiners
- Member, Board of Trustees, University of Delaware
- Co-chair, Delaware Supreme Court's Permanent Advisory Committeee on the Delaware Uniform Rules of Evidence
- Member, Corporation Law Council, Delaware State Bar Association
