Samuel T. Hirzel
Court of Chancery Practice | Stockholder and Investor Practice | Business Divorce Practice
Samuel T. Hirzel is a partner at Heyman Enerio Gattuso & Hirzel LLP specializing in corporate and commercial litigation in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as both lead and Delaware counsel. Sam has served as counsel in leading cases involving advancement and indemnification, appraisal rights and restrictive covenant covenants. Sam also litigates matters involving class and derivative actions, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, and statutory and contractual actions under the Delaware General Corporation Law and alternative entities acts. Sam has also successfully resolved a number of contentious “business divorce” matters involving separation of business partners from their jointly owned and operated enterprise.
Many of Sam’s cases are expedited and involve applications for temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctive relief, and/or expedited discovery.
In addition to his Chancery practice, Sam has litigated in the Supreme Court of the State of Delaware, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, the Superior Court of the State of Delaware and the Family Court of the State of Delaware.
Sam has also testified as an expert witness on Delaware law in proceedings in before the Commercial Court of England and Wales.
Sam has represented pro bono clients through Delaware Volunteer Legal Services in protection from abuse and custody proceedings in the Family Court and has represented the Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. in estate litigation in the Court of Chancery.
Education
The Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University (J.D., with honors, 2003)
The Dickinson Law Review, The Irving R. Kaufman Securities Moot Court Team
Columbia University, Columbia College (B.A., Economics, 2000)
Past Career
Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP, Associate, 2004-2010
Law Clerk to the Honorable Donald F. Parsons, Jr., Court of Chancery for the State of Delaware, 2003-2004
Intern to the Honorable Yvette Kane, Middle District of Pennsylvania, 2002-2003
Memberships
The Bar of the Supreme Court of the State of Delaware
The Bar of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware
DSBA Corporation Law Section
American Bar Association
Recognitions
Sam has received an AV Rating by Martindale-Hubbell. Sam has also been recognized as a Delaware “Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyers Magazine and by Chambers USA on its Chancery list.
Publications
- Dominick T. Gattuso & Samuel T. Hirzel, Statutory Appraisal: An Old Workhorse with a New Lease on Life, Business Law Today (April 2015)
- Samuel T. Hirzel & Dawn Kurtz Crompton, Finding (and Funding) the Cost of Freedom: Indemnification and Advancement for Alternative Business Entities, 15 Del. L. Rev. 83 (2015)
- A. Gilchrist Sparks, S. Mark Hurd & Samuel T. Hirzel, Good Faith and The Walt Disney Company Derivative Litigation – Guidance for Directors of Delaware Corporations, PLI Corporate Law and Practice Course Handbook Series, Contests for Corporate Control 2006 Current Offensive and Defensive Strategies in M&A Transactions (Jan. 25, 2006)
- A. Gilchrist Sparks & Samuel T. Hirzel, Good Faith and Independence – Advising Directors in the Post-Scandal Environment, PLI Corporate Law and Practice Course Handbook Series, What All Business Lawyers & Litigators Must Know About Delaware Law Developments (May 2005)
- A. Gilchrist Sparks & Samuel T. Hirzel, Trends in the Delaware Corporate Law: Director Liability and Indemnification, PLI Corporate Law and Practice Course Handbook Series, Contests for Corporate Control 2005 Current Offensive and Defensive Strategies in M&A Transactions (Jan. 12, 2005)
Select Reported Opinions
- Stantic v. HireApp Technologies, Inc., 2025 WL 182720 (Del. Ch. July 2, 2025)
- Columbus US Inc. v. Enavate SMB, LLC, 2024 WL 5274569 (Del. Super. Dec. 23, 2024)
- ETC Northeast Field Services, LLC v. Muse, 2024 WL 2797337 (Del. Ch. May 31, 2024)
- Buddenhagen v. Clifford, 2024 WL 2106606 (Del. Ch. May 10, 2024)
- Cablemaster LLC v. Magnuson Group Corp., 2023 WL 8678043 (Del. Super. Dec. 5, 2023)
- HBK Master Fund L.P. v. Pivotal Software, Inc., 2023 WL 10405169 (Del. Ch. Aug. 14, 2023)
- Parseghian v. Frequency Therapeutics, Inc., 2023 WL 3533479 (Del. Super. May 18, 2023)
- Scott v. E.H. Fortitude, Inc., 2023 WL 2880001 (Del. Ch. Apr. 6, 2023)
- BET FRX LLC v. Myers, 2022 WL 1236955 (Del. Ch. Apr. 27, 2022)
- Altabef v. Neugarten, 2021 WL 5919459 (Del. Ch. Dec. 15, 2021)
- Lone Pine Resources, LP v. Dickey, 2021 WL 2311954 (Del. Ch. June 7, 2021)
- In re Appraisal of Regal Entertainment Group, 2021 WL 1916364 (Del. Ch. May 13, 2021)
- Wunderlich v. B. Riley Financial, Inc., 2021 WL 1118006 (Del. Ch. Mar. 24, 2021)
- Brigade Leveraged Capital Structures Fund Ltd. v. Stillwater Mining Company, 240 A.3d 3 (Del. Oct. 12, 2020)
- Frederick Hsu Living Trust v. Oak Hill Capital Partners III, L.P., 2020 WL 2111476 (Del. Ch. May 4, 2020)
- In re Panera Bread Company, 2020 WL 506684 (Del. Ch. Jan. 31, 2020)
- In re Stillwater Mining Company, 2019 WL 3943851 (Del. Ch. Aug. 21, 2019)
- CelestialRX Investments, LLC v. Krivulka, 2017 WL 416990 (Del. Ch. Jan. 31, 2017)
- In re Appraisal of Dell Inc., 2016 WL 6069017 (Del. Ch. Oct. 17, 2016)
- Baker v. Sadiq, 2016 WL 4375250 (Del. Ch. Aug. 16, 2016)
- Holley v. Nipro Diagnostics, Inc., 2015 WL 4880418 (Del. Ch. Aug. 14, 2015)
- Charlotte Broadcasting, LLC v. Davis Broadcasting of Atlanta, LLC, 2013 WL1405509 (Del. Ch. Apr. 2, 2013)
- Hampton v. Turner, 2015 WL1947067 (Del. Ch. Apr. 29, 2015)
- Halpin v. Riverstone Nat’l Inc., (Del. Ch. Feb. 26, 2015)
- Fortis Advisors LLC v. Dialog Semiconductor PLC, 2015 WL 401371 (Del. Ch. Jan. 30, 2015)
- Huff Fund Inv. P’ship v. CKx, Inc., 2013 WL 5878807 (Del. Ch. Nov. 1, 2013)
- W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. v. Long, 2011 WL 6935278 (Del. Ch. Dec. 28, 2011)
- Connecticut General Life Ins. Co. v. Pinkas, 2011 WL 5222796 (Del. Ch. Oct. 28, 2011), 2010 WL 4925832 (Del. Ch. Nov. 18, 2010)
- Fuhlendorf v. Isilon Systems, Inc., 2011 WL 3300338 (Del. Ch. July 22, 2011), 2010 WL 4570225 (Del. Ch. Nov. 9, 2010)
- Fletcher Int’l, Ltd. v. ION Geophysical Corp., 2010 WL 1223782 (Del. Ch. Mar. 24, 2010)
- In re Sunbelt Beverage Corp. S’holder Litig., 2010 WL 692400 (Del. Ch. Feb. 15, 2010), 2010 WL 26539 (Del. Ch. Jan. 5, 2010)
- In re ALH Holdings LLC, 2010 WL 520632 (D. Del. Feb. 12, 2010), 675 F.Supp.2d 462 (D. Del. 2009)
- eBay Domestic Holdings, Inc. v. Newmark, 2009 WL 3806162 (Del. Ch. Nov. 9, 2009)
- In re American Intern. Group, Inc., Consol. Deriv. Litig., 976 A.2d 872 (Del. Ch. 2009), 965 A.2d 763 (Del. Ch. 2009)
- Reinhard & Kreinberg v. Dow Chemical Co., 2008 WL 868108 (Del. Ch. Mar. 28, 2008)
- In re Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc., 945 A.2d 1123 (Del. 2008)
- Sample v. Morgan, 935 A.2d 1046 (Del. Ch. 2007), 914 A.2d 647 (Del. Ch. 2007)
- In re Tyson Foods, Inc., 919 A.2d 563 (Del. Ch. 2007)
- E-Birchtree, LLC v. Enterprise Products Operating L.P., 2007 WL 914644 (Del. Super. Jan. 18, 2007)
- Childcraft Educ. Corp. v. Alice’s Home, 2006 WL 1452802 (D. Del. May 22, 2006)
- Cypress Associates, LLC v. Sunnyside Cogeneration Assocs. Project, 2007 WL 148754 (Del. Ch. Jan. 17, 2007), 2006 WL 668441 (Del. Ch. Mar. 08, 2006)
- Polygon Global Opportunities Master Fund v. West Corporation, 2006 WL 2947486 (Del. Ch. Oct. 12, 2006)
- Orloff v. Shulman, 2005 WL 3272355 (Del. Ch. Nov. 23, 2005)
- Homestore, Inc. v. Tafeen, 888 A.2d 204 (Del. 2005)
- Shamrock Holdings of California, Inc. v. Iger, 2005 WL 5756479 (Del. Ch. Jun. 6, 2005)
- Watchmark Corp. v. ArgoGlobal Capital, LLC, 2004 WL 2694894 (Del. Ch. Nov. 4, 2004)
All of the firm’s partners are AV-Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®. The firm is listed in Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, Go-To Top 500, and the Martindale-Hubbell® Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers..
