- Commercial Law Counseling
- Alternative Entities
- Banking and Financial Services
- Governmental Affairs
- Real Estate
Partners
- Todd A. Flubacher
- David Ley Hamilton
- David A. Harris
- Louis G. Hering
- Michael Houghton
- Donald Nelson Isken
- Walter C. Tuthill
Associates
Commercial Law Counseling
Chambers USA Ranked Morris Nichols First Among Delaware Law Firms in Corporate / Mergers and Acquisitions
"This prestigious practice sustains its position at the top of the market and impresses clients by consistently hitting the mark without wasting a single breath. With an impressive armory of resources, it is responsive and accessible, and is a favorite of clients for structurally complex international projects and joint ventures."
The Commercial Law Counseling Group provides a complete range of commercial law services to Morris Nichols’ local, national and international clients. The Group handles a variety of complex transactions, including mergers, asset acquisitions and sales, joint ventures, leasing transactions and financing, bankruptcy related transactions, and business startups, as well as the preparation of contracts of all types. In addition, because Delaware law is often selected as the governing law for major national and international transactions, the Group works with both in-house and regular outside counsel in the structuring and documenting of such transactions and provides legal opinions required at closing.
Alternative Entities. Delaware has the most advanced statutes governing the formation and operation of limited liability companies, general and limited partnerships, and statutory business trusts. These alternative entities are often required in complex transactions for structural flexibility and optimal tax treatment. Typical applications for alternative entities include investment funds, joint ventures, holding companies, securitization vehicles, collateral trusts and mutual funds. The Commercial Law Counseling Group provides specialized advice and legal opinion services for all types of alternative entity transactions.
Banking and Financial Services. The Commercial Law Counseling Group represents lenders, borrowers, issuers, and investors in all forms of financing transactions. Morris Nichols’ institutional financing clients include banks, S&Ls, insurance companies, finance companies and credit corporations. The Commercial Law Counseling Group provides bank and insurance regulatory counseling and represents clients before the Office of the State Bank Commissioner and the Department of Insurance.
Governmental Affairs. The Commercial Law Counseling Group represents clients before legislative bodies and city, state and federal agencies on diverse topics including bank, insurance, environmental and utility regulation as well as unclaimed property issues. The Group drafts legislation and regulations that affect client businesses and provides ongoing review of legislative and regulatory developments. The Group also advises public sector clients on matters such as labor and employment law, financing, construction, bidding procedures and general contract law.
Real Estate. The Commercial Law Counseling Group provides a complete range of real estate law services to corporate, institutional and other clients, including institutional lenders, institutional and entrepreneurial developers, local business interests, charitable foundations, families and individuals. The Group provides legal advice with respect to planning, zoning, subdivision and development of real property, environmental matters and contracts for purchase and sale of residential and commercial property. The Group represents lenders and borrowers in the financing, acquisition and development of residential, commercial and industrial property, and landlords and tenants in the leasing of property of all types.
News
- 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. - Lou Hering and Angela Priest Author BNA Article: 2009 Amendments to Delaware’s General Corporation Law and Alternative Entities Statutes
Lou Hering and Associate Angela Priest authored “2009 Amendments to Delaware’s General Corporation Law and Alternative Entities Statutes” featured in the August 5 edition of BNA’s Corporate Counsel Weekly. - Lou Hering Speaks at ABA Annual Meeting: LLCs – Important Case Law Developments 2009
Lou Hering served as a Program speaker for LLCs - Important Case Law Developments 2009 at the American Bar Association(ABA) Annual Meeting in Chicago. - 26 Morris Nichols Attorneys Named to The Best Lawyers in America 2010: Firm Earns Seven #1 Rankings in Delaware
The Best Lawyers in America 2010 has ranked Morris Nichols #1 in Delaware in seven practice areas and has named 26 Morris Nichols attorneys to its The Best Lawyers in America 2010 list. - 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. - Tarik J. Haskins Elected Chair of the Multicultural Judges and Lawyers Section of the Delaware State Bar Association
Tarik J. Haskins has been elected Chair of the Multicultural Judges and Lawyers Section of the Delaware State Bar Association (DSBA). - 18 Morris Nichols Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in Super Lawyers – Delaware Edition 2009
Super Lawyers® magazine has named 18 Morris Nichols attorneys as top legal counsel in Delaware for 2009, three more than were listed in 2008. - 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. - 22 Morris Nichols Attorneys Named to The Best Lawyers in America 2009: Firm Earns Seven #1 Rankings in Delaware
The Best Lawyers in America 2009 has ranked Morris Nichols #1 in Delaware in seven practice areas. - Lawdragon Names Three Morris Nichols Attorneys Among Top 500 Lawyers in America; Ten Selected as 2008 Finalists
Morris Nichols partners Rick Alexander, Bill Lafferty and Ken Nachbar have been named to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America 2008 guide, an independent listing of the nation’s most elite attorneys. - New York Times Article Notes Michael Houghton's Lobbying Effort
New York Times Article Notes Michael Houghton's Lobbying Effort on Behalf of Global Energy Generator NRG Energy Inc. - Michael Houghton Speaks at Unclaimed Property Professionals Organization 2008 Regional Conference
Michael Houghton was a featured speaker at the Unclaimed Property Professional Organization (UPPO) 2008 Regional Conference held in Chicago on August 21, 2008 - Chambers USA 2008 Names 18 Morris Nichols Attorneys and Five Practice Groups as Best in Delaware
The 2008 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business today ranked five Morris Nichols’ practice groups and 18 attorneys as best in Delaware. - Fifteen Morris Nichols Attorneys Named in the 2008 Delaware Super Lawyers Listing
Fifteen Morris Nichols lawyers were selected as top Delaware attorneys by Super Lawyers Magazine and within this distinguished group, two were further recognized among the 10 best in the state. - 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).
Publications
- David A. Harris, Louis G. Hering, 2009 Supplement to Cumulative Survey of Delaware Case Law Relating to Alternative Entities 2009 Annual Meeting of ABA, Section of Business Law
- Louis G. Hering, Angela Priest, 2009 Amendments to Delaware’s General Corporation Law and Alternative Entity Statutes BNA's Corporate Counseling Weekly, Vol. 24, No. 30 (August 5, 2009)
- David A. Harris, Louis G. Hering, 2009 Cumulative Survey of Delaware Case Law Relating to Alternative Entities 2009 Annual Meeting of ABA, Section of Business Law
- Louis G. Hering, Angela Priest, Analysis of 2008 Amendments to the Delaware Corporation and Alternative Entities Code BNA’s Corporate Counsel Weekly (Sept. 17, 2008)
- David A. Harris, Louis G. Hering, 2008 Cumulative Survey of Delaware Case Law Relating to Alternative Entities (February 1, 2008) Presented at 2008 ABA Annual Meeting, Section of Business Law
- David A. Harris, Louis G. Hering, 2007 Cumulative Survey of Delaware Case Law Relating to Alternative Entities (May 29, 2007) Presented at 2007 ABA Annual Meeting, Section of Business Law
- Houghton, Michael, Walter Tuthill, Josiah Osibodu, Valerie Jundt, and Mark Paolillo, Unclaimed Property BNA Corporate Practice Series No. 74-2nd (2006)
- David A. Harris, Louis G. Hering, 2006 Cumulative Survey of Delaware Case Law Relating to Alternative Entities (June 16, 2006) Presented at 2006 ABA Annual Meeting, Section of Business Law
- Louis G. Hering, Stanford L. Stevenson, III and David A. Harris, Limited Liability Companies: Legal Assets of Organization, Operation and Dissolution The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc., C.P.S. 67-2nd. (2006)
- David A. Harris, Louis G. Hering, 2005 Cumulative Survey of Delaware Case Law Relating to Alternative Entities (July 31, 2005) Presented at 2005 ABA Annual Meeting, Section of Business Law
- David A. Harris, Recent Case Law Developments Relating to Delaware's Alternative Entities Delaware Law Review, Vol. 7, No 2 (2004)
- 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
