Michele first joined SKJ in 1989 after serving as the law clerk to the Honorable Susan C. Del Pesco in the Delaware Superior Court from 1988-1989. From 1995-97, Michele served as a Deputy Attorney General with the State of Delaware Department of Justice where she represented various professional regulatory boards and the Office of State Personnel. Michele returned to SKJ in 1997 and became a partner in January 2000.
During her tenure with SKJ, Michele has represented clients in all aspects of litigation including corporate, partnership, commercial, personal injury, toxic tort and insurance coverage matters. During the last several years, Michele has chosen to specialize in writing briefs in complex cases, both at the trial court and appellate levels. Those cases include derivative and class actions, appraisal actions, disputes over control of corporate boards of directors, books and records actions, disputes involving the break up of closely held companies or departures of key employees, toxic tort cases, and civil RICO actions. Michele also advises corporations through the dissolution process provided for by the Delaware General Corporation Law, an area in which Michele gained significant experience while assisting the guardian ad litem appointed to represent the interests of future claimants in Delaware's first major case involving the then newly revised corporate dissolution statute.
Representative Cases
Gentile v. Rossette, 906 A.2d 91 (Del. 2006) (reversing grant of summary judgment against plaintiffs (on interlocutory appeal) resulting in clarification of the direct/derivative distinction). Godsy v. Gruenberg, C.A. No. 20190 (Del. Ch. April 22, 2003) (TRANSCRIPT) (dispute over control of company); Smith v. Nu-West Industries, Inc., C.A. No. 15442 2000 WL 1641248 (Del. Ch. Oct. 25, 2000), aff'd, 781 A.2d 691 (Del. 2001) (granting summary judgment in favor of class of preferred stockholders who had been deprived of accrued dividends); S.I. Management, L.P. v. Wininger, 707 A.2d 37 (Del. 1998) (affirming injunction issued by the Delaware Court of Chancery preventing the liquidation of a limited partnership); New Haverford Partnership v. Stroot, 772 A.2d 792 (Del. 2001) (affirming verdict in favor of plaintiffs in toxic mold case); Rypac Packaging Machinery, Inc. v. Coakley, C.A. No. 16069 2000 WL 567895 (Del. Ch. May 1, 2000) (granting judgment after trial in favor of 50% owner of company accused of violating fiduciary and contractual duties in connection with departure from company); In re RegO Co., 623 A.2d 92 (Del. Ch. 1992) (interpreting corporate dissolution statute); In the Matter of Appraisal of Shell Oil Co., C.A. No. 8080, 1990 WL 201390 (Del. Ch. Dec. 11, 1990), aff'd, 607 A.2d 1213 (Del. 1992) (awarding petitioners $13.20 per share over the merger consideration in largest appraisal action in Delaware history).
Professional Associations and Memberships
· Delaware State Bar Association (Sections on Corporation Law and Commercial Law)
· American Bar Association (Business Law Section)