Shane Rowley, Partner

Mr. Rowley has devoted his career to protecting shareholder rights, having represented clients in class actions since 1991, and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for shareholders of publicly traded companies.

As co-lead counsel in Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. Stockholder Litigation, Case 8922, (Del. Ch. Jan. 26, 2017), Mr. Rowley was responsible for the establishment of a $17.9 million fund for Cornerstone shareholders. In approving the settlement, Vice Chancellor Glasscock stated that class attorneys achieved “almost nothing short of the best result.”

In Brickell Partners v. Emerging Communications, Inc., Civil No. 16415 (Del. Ch. 1998), Mr. Rowley, as sole class counsel in conjunction with counsel for a co-litigant hedge fund, was instrumental in establishing new law and new standards for determining the fiduciary duties of corporate directors, especially directors that have specialized backgrounds (such as, accountants, lawyers, financial experts, etc.). Mr. Rowley vigorously litigated the Brickell Partners action for over four years, winning a verdict in favor of plaintiff after a six week trial. The landmark decision is now reported as In re Emerging Communs., Inc. Shareholders Litig., No. 16415, 2006 Del. Ch. LEXIS 25 (Del. Ch., Jan. 9, 2006).

As co-lead counsel, in Rice v. Lafarge North America, Inc., No. 268974-V (Montgomery Cty., Md. Circuit Ct.), Mr. Rowley represented the public shareholders of Lafarge North America (“LNA”) in challenging the buyout of LNA by its French parent, Lafarge S.A., at the original offer price of $75 per share. Following discovery and extensive injunction motion practice by Mr. Rowley and his co-counsel, the price per share was increased from $75 to $85.50 per share, representing a total benefit to the public shareholders of $388 million.

In In re Fox Entertainment Group, Inc. S’holders Litig., Consolidated C.A. No. 1033-N (Del. Ch. 2005), Mr. Rowley, as co-lead counsel, was responsible for creating an increased offer price from the original proposal to shareholders, which represented an increased benefit to Fox Entertainment Group, Inc. shareholders of $450 million.

In Stephen J. Dannis, et al. v. J.D. Nichols, et al., Case No. 13-CI-00452, (Jefferson County Circuit Court of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, 2013), as one of the co-lead counsel, Mr. Rowley obtained a 23% increase in the merger consideration (from $7.50 to $9.25 per unit) for a total benefit of $7.4 million for the unit holders of NTS Realty Holdings Limited Partnership.

Mr. Rowley is a citizen of the United States of America and Ireland and is admitted to practice in both countries.

Education:

  • Honorable Society of Kings Inns, Dublin, B.L. (1989)
  • Trinity College (Dublin, Ireland), LL.B. (1987)

Admissions:

  • New York (1990)
  • United States District Courts for the Eastern District of New York (1993) and Southern District of New York (1993)
  • United States District Court for the District of Colorado (1999)