Marty Lessner practices in the areas of corporate and commercial litigation, mainly in the Delaware Court of Chancery and Delaware Supreme Court. He has tried and won various complex multi-million dollar cases including corporate stock appraisal, breach of fiduciary duties, expedited mergers and acquisitions disputes, fraud, breach of contract, and books and records. Some of the major cases he has litigated include Montgomery Cellular Holding Co. v. Dobler, 880 A.2d 206 (Del. 2005), Rosenbloom v. Esso V.I., Inc., 766 A.2d 451 (Del. 2000), M.G. Bancorporation v. Le Beau, 737 A.2d 513 (Del. 1999), In re Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. S'holder Litig., 2011 Del. Ch. LEXIS 79 (Del. Ch. May 20, 2011), Yucaipa Am. Alliance Fund II, L.P. v. Riggio, 1 A.3d 310 (Del. Ch. 2010), In re Countrywide Corp. S'holders Litig., 2009 Del. Ch. LEXIS 44 (Del. Ch. Mar. 31, 2009), Marie Raymond Revocable Trust v. Mat Five LLC, 980 A.2d 388 (Del. Ch. 2008), Highfields Capital, Ltd. v. AXA Fin., Inc., 939 A.2d 34 (Del. Ch. 2007); W.L. Gore & Assocs. v. Wu, 2006 Del. Ch. LEXIS 176 (Del. Ch. Sept. 15, 2006), Kronenberg v. Katz, 872 A.2d 568 (Del. Ch. 2004), In re MONY Group Inc. S'holder Litig., 853 A.2d 661 (Del. Ch. 2004), Steinman v. Levine, 2002 Del. Ch. LEXIS 132 (Del. Ch. Nov. 27, 2002), In re Pure Res. S'Holders Litig., 808 A.2d 421 (Del. Ch. 2002), RGC Int'l Investors, LDC v. Greka Energy Corp., 2001 Del. Ch. LEXIS 107 (Del. Ch. Aug. 22, 2001), Continental Ins. Co. v. Rutledge & Co., 750 A.2d 1219 (Del. Ch. 2000), and Cantera v. Marriott Senior Living Servs., Inc., 1999 Del. Ch. LEXIS 26 (Del. Ch. Feb. 18, 1999). Marty is included in The Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation. He also participates as a CLE panelist on various issues of Delaware corporate law and procedure.
Marty graduated cum laude from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1985. He graduated cum laude from Villanova University School of Law in 1992, where he was the winner of the annual Villanova Moot Court competition and winner of the Herman J. Obert Award for the graduating student attaining the highest grade in Corporation law. Upon graduation from law school, Marty served as the law clerk to the Honorable Carolyn Berger, Vice Chancellor, Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware for the 1992-1993 term. He is the current Vice-President of the Jewish Community Center of Delaware, and President of the Lincoln Club of Delaware for the 2011-12 term.
Distinctions
· The Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation, recognized since 2009
Memberships and Affiliations
· American Bar Association
· Delaware State Bar Association, Member, Corporate Law, Business Law and Litigation Sections
· Rodney Inn of Court, Master
· Council on Transportation, Appointed by Governor Jack A. Markell as one of the nine members of the statutory panel that advises and approves the Delaware Department of Transportation's priorities, annual Capital Improvement Program, highway realignments, and certificates to public carriers.
· Jewish Community Center of Delaware, Vice President, Executive Committee
· Lincoln Club of Delaware, President (2011-2012)
· Delaware Greenways, Board of Directors
· Naamans Little League, Legal Advisor
Clerkships
· Honorable Carolyn Berger, Vice Chancellor, Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, 1992-1993
Prior Employment
From 1985 - 1989, Marty was a staff and senior consultant at Arthur Andersen and Andersen Consulting, where he specialized in the design and installation of IBM-based mainframe computer systems for large commercial and governmental entities, including the Pennsylvania DOT Motor Vehicle Titling and Registration System, Travelers Mortgage System, and Reading Hospital and Medical Center Financial and Patient Systems.
Experience
American Legacy Foundation v. Lorillard Tobacco Co., Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 19406)
Bandell v. TC/GP and Trump's Castle Holdings, Delaware Supreme Court, Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 247, 1995) (Appraisal)
Bausch & Lomb Inc. v. Wesley Jessen VisionCare, Inc., Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 17963)
Box v. Box, Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 14238)
Brashears v. 1717 Capital Management Company, et. al., Delaware District Court (C.A. No. 02-1534-MPT)
Breeding v. Scott, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas (C.A. No. 1997, 2916)
Cablevision Systems Corp. v. At Home Corporation, Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 18111)
Cantera v. Marriott Senior Living Servs., Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 16498)
Carson Pirie Scott & Co. v. Gould, Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 14359)
Consumers U.S., Inc. v. Anchor Glass Container Corp., Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 19151)
Continental Ins. Co. v. Rutledge & Co., Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 15539)
Dobler et al. v. Montgomery Cellular Holding Co., Inc., Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 18105)
Dobler et al. v. Montgomery Cellular Holding Co., Inc., Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 19211) (Post Trial $12.5 Million Judgment)
Dobler et al. v. Montgomery Cellular Holding Co., Inc., Delaware Supreme Court (No. 496, 2004 -- $12.5 Million Judgment Affirmed, Attorney & Expert Fees Awarded, Appraisal Case)
Electra Inv. Trust PLC v. Crews, Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 17186)
Emerson Radio Corp. v. International Jensen Inc., Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 15130, Consolidated C.A. No. 14992)
Flynn v. Bachow, Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 15885)
Golden Cycle LLC v. Allan et al., C.A. No. 16301, 1998 Del. Ch. LEXIS 237 (Dec. 10, 1998).
Highfields v. AXA Financial, Inc., C.A. No. 804-VCL (August 27, 2007)
Hills Stores Co. v. Bozic, Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 14527, C.A. No. 14460, C.A. No. 14787)
In re ANC Rental Corporation, Delaware Bankruptcy Court (Case No. 01-11200)
In re Carver Bancorp, Inc., Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 17743-NC)
In re CompuCom Systems, Inc., Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 499-N)
In re Pure Resources, Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 19876)
In re The Mony Group Inc. Shareholder Litigation, Court of Chancery (Case No. 20554)
Kingsland Holdings v. Bracco, Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 14817)
Kossak v. Gilbert, Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 17198)
Kronenberg v. Katz, Supreme Court, Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 19964)
Le Beau v. M.G. Bancorporation, Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 13414)
MCA, Inc. v. Viacom, Inc., Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 14971)
Meizell v. Kursh, Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 16218)
Nebel v. Southwest Bancorp, Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 13618)
Newell & Associates, Inc. v. Newell, Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 16113)
Pack & Process, Inc. v. Director of Revenue, Superior Court (C.A. No. 97C-02-190-VAB)
Panex Indus. Stockholders. Liquidating Trust, Court of Chancery and Supreme Court (C.A. No. 13584-NC)
Panex Indus. Stockholders. Liquidating Trust, Court of Chancery and Supreme Court (C.A. No. 13584-NC); Rosenbloom v. Esso Virgin Islands Inc., 766 A.2d 451, December 8, 2000 (Supreme Court)
RGC Int.l Investors, LDC v. ARI Network Servs., Inc., Delaware District Court (C.A. No. 03-0003-SLR)
RGC Int.l Investors, LDC v. Wrabetz et al., Delaware District Court (C.A. No. 03-0113-SLR)
RGC International Investors, LDC v. Greka Energy Corp. (post trial $13 Million Judgment)
RGC International Investors, LDC v. Tricord Systems, Inc., et al., Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 19535-NC)
Rudolph v. Southwest Bancorp, Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 13618)
Shellburne Civic Association, Inc. et al. v. Brandywine School District, et al., Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 2273-N)
Snyder v. Snyder, et al., Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 19724)
Steinman v. Levine, Delaware Supreme Court (No. 708, 2002), Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 19107)
Tsunemi v. Glassman, Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 17563)
Universal Studios v. Viacom, Inc., Court of Chancery (C.A. No. 14971)
Media
Young Conaway Attorneys Honored in The Best Lawyers in America, 8.9.2010
Press Release
Events
Lessner Leads Webinar on Kurz v. Holbrook, 6.1.2010
Webinar
"Business Valuation Issues," The Intersection of Federal Bankruptcy and State Corporate Law Seminar, Widener University School of Law, 5.24.2010
Speaking Engagements