S. Michael Sirkin

Mike Sirkin litigates corporate and business disputes in all of Delaware's state and federal courts and in arbitral tribunals, with a particular emphasis on cases in the Delaware Court of Chancery.  Mike's practice includes a special focus on trying cases arising from mergers and acquisitions and other large corporate transactions.  Mike has substantial trial experience, including obtaining complete victory after a two-week jury trial in a nearly $500 million, bet-the-company lawsuit between two publicly traded chemicals companies in the Complex Commercial Litigation Division of Delaware's Superior Court.  Mike also tries cases involving complex financial and valuation issues, having represented victorious respondents in three of the largest appraisal trials in the history of the Delaware Court of Chancery.

Mike also advises businesses, corporate directors and officers, investment banks, company founders, major stockholders, and other clients in a variety of transactional and litigation contexts, including special litigation committee investigations, pre-suit demands, conflict-of-interest transactions, books-and-records requests, and inside and down-round financings. 

Chambers and Partners has recognized Mike as a leading practitioner in the field, describing him as an “incredibly smart, stellar lawyer who knows the Delaware case law."  Mike serves as Secretary of the Corporation Law Council of the Delaware State Bar Association, the professional organization responsible for proposing, drafting, and overseeing legislative changes to the Delaware General Corporation Law.

Mike is a frequent author on Delaware law issues.  He has published articles in The Business Lawyer, The M&A Lawyer, the Temple Law Review, Insights, and Deal Points.  His articles have been cited favorably by the Delaware Court of Chancery and corporate law scholars.  He has also guest lectured to corporate law students at Harvard Law School, the University of Pennsylvania Carey School of Law, and Temple University Beasley School of Law.

Mike began his legal career as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster of the Delaware Court of Chancery.  After his clerkship, he practiced in the Corporate and Business Litigation group of Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP before joining the firm.  Mike has also participated in the Delaware Volunteer Legal Services Pro Bono Program, successfully obtaining protection from abuse orders for clients in Family Court.  Outside of the firm, Mike is active in the Delaware State Bar Association and the American Bar Association, and he is a Director and former President of the Lehigh Lawyers Association.

Professional Affiliations

• Delaware State Bar Association (Corporation Law Council)
• Lehigh Lawyers Association
• Richard S. Rodney Inn of Court
• American Bar Association