Thomas A. Beck

Thomas A. Beck, senior vice president of the firm, focuses on representing Delaware corporations, their directors, large stockholders and other constituencies in corporate litigation. For more than 30 years Tom has litigated numerous corporate control disputes, shareholder class actions and derivative suits, contested shareholder elections, statutory appraisal actions and similar matters in the Delaware Court of Chancery and the Delaware Supreme Court.

A member of the firm’s Corporate Department, Tom has significant experience in dealing with corporate control, fiduciary and valuation issues. In addition to his litigation practice, he counsels Delaware corporations and their directors on corporate governance and statutory and fiduciary duties.

Representative Experience

• Represented Broadcom Corporation in Chancery litigation relating to its proposal to acquire Emulex
• Represented Nokia Corporation in Chancery litigation related to a multinational licensing dispute
• Represented Mentor Graphics in its successful attack on a dead-hand rights plan adopted by the target, Quickturn Design
• Participated in many of Delaware’s landmark corporate litigation decisions including Rosenblatt, Unocal, Newmont Mining, Interco, Anderson Clayton, Time-Warner, QVC, Caremark, Fort Howard, Levine v. Smith and Mendel v. Carroll, as well as more recent decisions including Emerging Communications, PNB, TCI, Harrah's/JCC, Lyondell, In re John Q. Hammons, and Muoio v. Hallmark 
• Has represented both bidders and target corporations in hostile acquisitions, both petitioners and respondents in appraisal litigation, and both plaintiffs and defendants in class action, fiduciary and other chanery court litigation

Professional and Community Activities

• American Bar Association, Business Law and Litigation Sections
• Delaware State Bar Association, Business Law and Litigation Sections