Patricia L. Enerio, a partner at Heyman Enerio Gattuso & Hirzel LLP, focuses her practice on corporate governance, partnership and limited liability company disputes in the Delaware Court of Chancery. Her practice includes representing both public and private companies and their directors and officers in stockholder class actions and derivative suits involving mergers and acquisitions and other transactions that implicate directors’ and officers’ fiduciary duties. Her practice also includes counseling boards of directors and special committees regarding their fiduciary duties and internal corporate governance. Tricia clerked for the Delaware Court of Chancery in 1998-99. She was a law clerk to The Honorable Leo E. Strine, Jr., then-Vice Chancellor (former Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court).

Tricia is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Delaware, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. She is also a member of the Delaware State and American Bar Associations.

Recognitions:

  • Tricia is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell, and she is part of the less than 5% of women lawyers who have been recognized with an AV Preeminent Rating. In connection with her AV rating, Tricia was recognized as “a top-notch litigator with a keen understanding of the Delaware Courts.”
  • Tricia has been recognized as a leader in the field of Chancery litigation by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.
  • Tricia has also been named as a “Delaware Super Lawyer” in the fields of Business Litigation, Business/Corporate, Mergers & Acquisitions.
  • She is listed in the Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Corporate Law and Litigation - Mergers and Acquisitions.
  • Tricia received the Delaware State Bar Association’s Woman’s Leadership Award in 2019.
  • In 2016, she was named as a Top Lawyer in Corporate Law by Delaware Today.
  • Tricia also received the Delaware State Bar Association’s Distinguished Mentoring Award in 2016.

Notable Representations:

  • Freeman Family LLC v. Park Avenue Landing, LLC, 2019 WL 1966808 (Del. Ch.). Tricia was counsel for the plaintiff in this advancement action and successfully obtained advancement for her client.
  • Martinez v. GPB Capital Holdings, LLC, 2020 WL 3054001 (Del. Ch.). Tricia was counsel for the defendant in this books and records action and successfully obtained partial dismissal of plaintiffs’ claims.
  • In re Geneius Biotechnology, Inc., 2017 WL 6209593 (Del. Ch.). Tricia was counsel for the company in this receivership action. The Court denied petitioner’s request for the appointment of a receiver after trial.
  • Partner Investments, L.P. v. Theranos, Inc., 2017 WL 1346537 (Del. Ch.). Tricia was Delaware counsel for the team representing plaintiffs in this high-profile action to enjoin an exchange offer that would have undermined plaintiffs’ related fraud action seeking return of their investment in this healthcare technology company. The Court entered a temporary restraining order against the exchange offer. Both cases subsequently settled.
  • In re General Home Store LLC, (Del. Ch.): Tricia was appointed as a liquidating trustee for a Delaware limited liability company.
  • Glazer v. Alliance Beverage Distributing Co., LLC, 2017 WL 822174 (Del. Ch.): Tricia was counsel for defendant in this advancement action and successfully litigated a motion to dismiss or stay in favor of arbitration.
  • 2009 Caiola Family Trust v. PWA, LLC, 2013 WL 3753614 (D. Del.): Tricia was counsel for the plaintiffs in this action and successfully litigated a motion to remand to the Court of Chancery.
  • Dweck v. Nasser, 2012 WL 161590 (Del. Ch.): Tricia was lead counsel for defendants/counterclaim plaintiffs in this litigation between former business partners. The trial took place over five days, and the record included 930 exhibits, deposition testimony from twenty-three fact witnesses and live testimony from six fact witnesses and three expert witnesses. The Court held largely in favor of Tricia’s client, finding that his former business partner breached her fiduciary duties by establishing competing companies that usurped corporate opportunities and converted company resources, resulting in millions of dollars in damages.
  • S. Muoio & Co. LLC v. Hallmark Entertainment Investments Co., 2011 WL 863007 (Del. Ch.), aff’d, 2011 WL 6396487 (Del.): Tricia was lead counsel for three directors and the nominal defendant Crown Media Holdings, Inc. (owner of the Hallmark Channel) in this breach of fiduciary duty action, which challenged the recapitalization of Crown Media. The trial took place over four days. The Court of Chancery ruled in favor of the defendants, and the Delaware Supreme Court affirmed the ruling.
  • O’Brien v. IAC Interactive Corp., 2010 WL 3385798 (Del. Ch.), aff’d, 26 A.3d 174 (Del. 2011): Tricia was counsel for the plaintiff in this indemnification action. After trial, the Court of Chancery entered an order awarding Tricia’s client over $2 million in indemnification. The Delaware Supreme Court affirmed the Court of Chancery’s ruling.
  • Martinez v. Regions Financial Corp., 2009 WL 2413858 (Del. Ch.): Tricia was counsel for the plaintiff in this advancement and breach of contract action. Tricia successfully litigated the advancement claim on summary judgment, and also defeated summary judgment on the substantive breach of contract claim.
  • Comet Systems, Inc. Shareholders’ Agent v. MIVA, Inc., 980 A.2d 1024 (Del. Ch. 2008): Tricia was counsel to the plaintiff in this breach of contract action arising out of a dispute regarding the interpretation of an earnout provision in a merger agreement. Tricia successfully litigated and defended motions for summary judgment.

Education:

  • State University of New York at Stony Brook (B.A., 1995)
  • Widener University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1998)

Past Career:

  • Law Clerk to The Honorable Leo E. Strine, Jr., Delaware Court of Chancery, 1998-1999
  • The Bayard Firm, Associate, 1999-2005

Memberships:

  • Delaware Board of Bar Examiners (Vice Chair)
  • Court of Chancery Rules Committee, appointed by the Chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery
  • Member, Board of Directors of Mother Teresa House Inc. (a Ministry of Caring sponsored organization)
  • Founder, Chancery Chicks (a.k.a. Women Chancery Lawyers), a networking group for women lawyers in Delaware who practice corporate and commercial litigation with Court of Chancery
  • Delaware State Bar Association, Awards Committee (Chair)
  • Former Chair, Partnerships and Alternative Business Entities, Business Law Section, American Bar Association
  • Former Member of Editorial Board, Delaware Law Review

Publications and Speaking Engagements:

  • Speaker, Directors’ Institute on Corporate Governance (Practicing Law Institute Nov. 2020, Nov. 2019, Nov. 2017).
  • Speaker, Delaware Panel (Federal Securities Institute Feb. 2020).
  • Speaker, Books and Records Panel (American Bar Association, Business Law Section Annual Meeting, Sept. 2019).
  • Speaker, Delaware on the Leading Edge: Developments in Corporate Law and Attorney Work-Life Balance (New York ABA Fellows Luncheon, Dec. 2018).
  • Co-Author, Shaping Delaware’s Competitive Edge: A Report to the Delaware Judiciary on Improving the Quality of Lawyering in Delaware.
  • Speaker, The New Landscape in Merger Litigation (ABA Section of Litigation Annual Meeting, May 2018).
  • Speaker, The Continuing Impact of Appraisal Rights (Tulane Corporate Law Institute Mar. 2018)
  • Speaker, Out-of-State Clients and Litigators: Undermining “The Delaware Way”? (The 23rd Annual Rubenstein-Walsh Seminar on Ethics and Professionalism Feb. 2018).
  • Speaker, Conflicts and Conduct in Major Corporate Transactions and Litigation (American Bar Association, Business Law Section Webinar November 2016).
  • Speaker, Recent Developments in Delaware Corporate Law: Transactional and Litigation Perspectives (Delaware State Bar Association May 2015).
  • Speaker, Ethical Thickets and Pitfalls in Major Corporate Transactions and Litigation (American Bar Association, Business Law Section Spring Meeting April 2015).
  • Speaker, 2015 Delaware Corporate Law Update (American Bar Association, Business Law Section Spring Meeting 2015).
  • Speaker, Key 2011 Delaware Rulings for M&A Corporate Governance and Alternative Entity Practice (Strafford Webinar May 2012).
  • Speaker, Recent Developments in Delaware Corporate and Alternative Entity Law (Delaware State Bar Association May 2012).
  • Co-Author, “The Disappearing Distinction Between Derivative and Direct Actions,” 4 Del. L. Rev.155 (2001). This article has been cited with favor by the Delaware Court of Chancery.
  • Co-Author, Chapter on General Partnerships, Joint Ventures, Limited Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies, in Annual Review of Developments in Business and Corporate Litigation (American Bar Association 2000-2011).
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