Newsletters

Business Judgment Rule

The business judgment rule protects a director(s) from personal liability if he or she has performed diligently and carefully in legitimate furtherance of corporate objectives and purposes and has not acted fraudulently, illegally, or otherwise in bad faith. The business judgment rule may be codified, but it is largely a matter of judicial interpretation and application. The business judgment rule is frequently invoked in shareholder damage suits against a director or board of directors. Courts generally acknowledge that the business judgment rule either does or may apply to corporate officers.

Pre-Incorporation Contracts of Promoters

Persons who enter into contracts on behalf of a corporation yet to be formed are considered "promoters." Such pre-incorporation contracts raise issues regarding the rights and liabilities of the promoter and the new corporation.

Public Comment and Judicial Review Regarding Government Antitrust Settlements

Under Section 5(a) of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C.S. § 16(a), a final judgment in a successful federal government antitrust enforcement action is prima facie evidence in a subsequent private action for treble damages of the defendant's antitrust violation. However, a consent decree agreed to by a defendant in a federal government action before any testimony is taken is not considered prima facie evidence in a subsequent private action.

Private Treble Damage Actions Under Federal Antitrust Law

Under federal antitrust law, persons and companies harmed by anticompetitive conduct may seek an award of triple their damages, an injunction, and costs of the action (including attorney fees) against a party that violates federal antitrust laws. For example, price fixing or an agreement among competitors on the price they will charge is considered a per se illegal violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C.S. § 1, that the government may prosecute as a felony. As a further deterrent to such activity, those harmed by the violation may seek treble damages and an injunction.

Initial Public Offerings and Lockup Agreements

A lockup agreement is a contract between an underwriter and a company going public in which the insiders of the company, including directors, officers, employees, and friends and family agree that they will not sell shares of the company they own until a set period of time after the company's shares are sold to the public. The objective of the lockup agreement is to provide a stable market for the securities for a reasonable time after the initial public offering.