Richard L. Renck

is a seasoned trial lawyer with almost 20 years of experience litigating matters in both the state and federal courts in Delaware-including an extensive practice before Delaware’s Court of Chancery. His practice focuses on complex corporate and commercial litigation with a particular emphasis on corporate governance disputes (including stockholder class and derivative litigation), and statutory actions arising under the Delaware General Corporation Law (including, for instance, book-and-records litigation, actions to compel an annual meeting, or actions seeing judicial dissolution of an entity). Richard also represents clients in high-stakes contractual and commercial disputes.

He is also an experienced counsellor to corporate boards, individual directors and committees of boards involved in challenging litigation, addressing complex issues of corporate governance, facing hard-fought proxy contests, or responding to stockholder demands. Richard also regularly works with the professionals in Duane Morris’ Intellectual Property practice group in representing clients in intellectual property litigation in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware.

Richard brings to bear on all client matters his love of learning about the intricacies of the businesses of his clients and applies his judgment, prudence, perspective and creativity to each client’s individual situation. These characteristics have also been recognized by members of the Delaware judiciary, who have appointed Mr. Renck as either a special master or a receiver on a number of occasions-including as the receiver for an approximately $300 million trust involved in multi-state litigation.

Richard is active in the Business Law Section of the ABA and has served as the Chair of both the Judges Initiative and the Business Courts subcommittee of that Section. His involvement in those activities ensures that he remains at the forefront of corporate and commercial matters that are being litigated in the specialized business and commercial courts in jurisdictions beyond Delaware.

After law school, Richard served as law clerk in both of Delaware’s primary trial courts--first in the Superior Court of Delaware, and then to the Honorable William B. Chandler III and the Honorable John W. Noble in the Delaware Court of Chancery. Those clerkships cemented Richard’s desire to remain in Delaware to practice the very specialized corporate and commercial law that is the hallmark of that jurisdiction.

The listing of areas of practice in the foregoing profile does not represent official certification as a specialist in those areas.

Resume

Experience

•Duane Morris LLP
- Partner, 2014-present
•Ashby & Geddes
- Partner, 2008-2013
- Associate, 2003-2008
•Potter Anderson & Corroon
- Associate, 2001-2003
•Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware
- Judicial Law Clerk to the Hon. William B. Chandler III and the Hon. John W. Noble, 2000-2001
•Superior Court of the State of Delaware
- Judicial Law Clerk, 1999-2000

Civic and Charitable Activities

•Office of the Child Advocate, Delaware
- Guardian ad litem on behalf of abused and neglected children
•Haig Point Club and Community Association
- Member, Board of Directors
•Friends of Mount Harmon, Inc.
- Member, Board of Directors

Publications and Speaking Engagements

Selected Publications

•Contributor, Duane Morris Delaware Business Law Blog
•Author, The 'Arbital Mulligan'-Who Gets to Grant One, the Courts or the Arbitrators? Delaware Business Court Insider, January 29, 2020

•Author, ' Substantive Economic Negotiations'-The Witching Hour for 'MFW' Conditions, Delaware Business Court Insider, May 1, 2019

•Author, Expert or Arbitrator-Who Decides? Chancery Court Clarifies Issue in 'Ray Beyond, ' Delaware Business Court Insider, February 27, 2019

•Co-Author, Annual Survey of Judicial Developments Pertaining to Venture Capital, The Business Lawyer Vol. 72, 157-180, Winter 2016-2017
•Author, Interlocutory Appeal Request Rejected in AOL-Millennial Merger Case, Delaware Business Court Insider, October 21, 2015
•Co-author, Chapter 4: Business Courts, ABA Section of Business Law, Committee on Business Courts and Corporate Litigation: Annual Review of Developments in Business and Corporate Litigation, 2015 Ed
•Author, Court Examines Application of Implied Covenant, Step-Transaction Doctrines, Delaware Business Court Insider, February 17, 2015
•Author, Corporations Don't Independently Owe Fiduciary Duties to Stockholders, Delaware Business Court Insider, August 20, 2014
•Author, When Is an Officer Acting in an Official Capacity?, Delaware Business Court Insider, June 18, 2014
•Co-author, Recent Developments in Business Commercial Courts in the United States and Abroad, Business Law Today, ABA, May 1, 2014
•Co-author, Chancery Continues Effort to Corral Multiforum Litigation, Delaware Business Court Insider, February 25, 2014
•Co-author, Chapter 5: Business Courts, ABA Section of Business Law, Committee on Business Courts and Corporate Litigation: Annual Review of Developments in Business and Corporate Litigation, 2013 Ed
•Co-author, Chapter 5: Business Courts, ABA Section of Business Law, Committee on Business Courts and Corporate Litigation: Annual Review of Developments in Business and Corporate Litigation, 2012 Ed
•Co-author, Recent Developments Affecting Professional's, Officer's, and Director's Liability, 47 Tort Trial & Ins. Practice L.J. 1 (2011)

Selected Speaking Engagements

•Moderator, When Three is a Crowd: Issues in Managing Complex Multidistrict and Cross-Border Litigation, 2014 Business Law Section Annual Meeting of the ABA, Chicago, September 12, 2014
•Moderator, Recent Developments in Director Liability, 2013 Association of Corporate Counsel Annual Meeting
•Moderator, Independent Directors: Help Them to Help You, 2012 Association of Corporate Counsel Annual Meeting