"Mystery of Delaware Law's Success"
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The University of Illinois College of Law Program in Business Law and Policy
Chancellor William B. Chandler III
Delaware Court of Chancery
Friday, October 19, 2007
3 p.m.
Max L. Rowe Auditorium
University of Illinois College of Law
504 East Pennsylvania Ave., Champaign, Illinois
Reception immediately following in the Pedersen Pavilion
The Honorable William B. Chandler III was appointed Chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery in 1997, where he had served as Vice Chancellor since 1989. He also served as Resident Judge of the Delaware Superior Court from 1985 to 1989. The Delaware Court of Chancery is widely recognized as the nation's preeminent forum for the determination of disputes involving the internal affairs of the thousands of Delaware corporations and other business entities through which a vast amount of the world's commercial affairs is conducted. The Delaware Court of Chancery is a non-jury trial court that serves as Delaware's court of original and exclusive equity jurisdiction, and adjudicates a wide variety of cases involving trusts, real property, guardianships, civil rights, and commercial litigation.
Before his appointment to the Court, Chancellor Chandler was an associate with Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell and he served as Legal Counsel to former Governor Pete duPont. The Chancellor taught commercial law, legislative process, and remedies for two years at the University of Alabama School of Law. He is presently a member of the American Law Institute and the Delaware Bar Association. Chancellor Chandler received his law degrees from the University of South Carolina School of Law and the Yale Law School and
his undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware.
Conventional wisdom has held that Delaware corporate law is chosen by the majority of incorporating businesses because of its fully developed corporate code, which is richly and continuously interpreted by numerous cases decided by an intelligent and experienced judiciary. Recent commentators have criticized this argument, pointing to weaknesses in both Delaware statutory law and common law. In this discussion, supporters and critics will share their theories of the secrets to Delaware's "success."
