Chancellor Strine’s El Paso Opinion Critical of CEO and Goldman Sachs, Provides Guidance on M&A Conflicts of Interest

Chancellor Strine rebuked Goldman Sachs and El Paso CEO Doug Foshee on the record and agreed with disgruntled shareholders that the sale process was likely tainted by breaches of fiduciary duty, but in the end, the Chancellor declined to enjoin a stockholder vote on the proposed $31 billion acquisition of El Paso by Kinder Morgan.

The opinion, issued February 29, 2012 in the case of El Paso Corporation Shareholder Litigation in the Chancery Court of Delaware, has been widely cited and discussed for its criticism of Goldman Sachs and Foshee for maintaining conflicts of interest through the negotiation process with Kinder Morgan. In that regard, the opinion is instructive to conscientious boards, management and professionals.

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