Grover C. Brown

GROVER C. BROWN is Special Counsel to the Wilmington law firm of Gordon, Fournaris & Mammarella, P.A. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina and George Washington University School of Law. Mr. Brown is a member of the Delaware Bar, the District of Columbia Bar, U.S. District Court, District of Delaware, and U.S. Court of Appeals Third Circuit.

Mr. Brown engaged in private practice in Dover, Delaware from 1961 to 1971 during which time he also served as a Deputy Attorney General for the State of Delaware from 1964 to 1967. He served as a Judge on the Delaware Family Court from 1971 to 1973 and served as Vice Chancellor from 1973 to 1982 and Chancellor from 1982 to 1985 of the Delaware Court of Chancery. He has been with Gordon, Fournaris & Mammarella since 2001.

Mr. Brown has been added to the Roster of Neutrals of the American Arbitration Association.  With this designation, he is now uniquely qualified to serve as an arbitrator of corporate and commercial cases.

Mr. Brown’s practice focuses on Corporate and Fiduciary Law.

Significant Decisions

Oberly v. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Del. Ch., 472 A.2d 366 (1984)

Determined the right to control a nonprofit, nonstock Delaware corporation of which Howard Hughes, prior to his death, had been the sole trustee; the corporation was the sole owner of all stock of Hughes Aircraft Company, a large California aerospace and defense corporation.

Pennzoil Company v. Getty Oil Co., et al., Del. Ch., 473 A.2d 358 (1984)

Denied Pennzoil's application for a preliminary injunction to prevent Texaco from acquiring 100% ownership of Getty Oil Co., although finding a likelihood that at trial Pennzoil could establish that it had an agreement to acquire a 3/7ths ownership in Getty that preceeded any acquisition rights of Texaco, permitting Penzoil, over Texaco's objection, to dismiss its Delaware claims against Texaco in favor of a later-filed action against Texaco in Texas, that ultimately resulted in Pennzoil obtaining a $10 billion verdict against Texaco.

Weinberger v. UOP, Inc., Del. Ch., 426 A.2d 1333 (1981)

Rendered decision after trial in class action suit to recover damages for minority shareholders in a cash-out merger that resulted in Delaware Supreme Court, on appeal, changing long-standing Delaware law governing the acceptable methods for valuing corporate stock.

Bell v. Kirby Lumber Corporation, Del. Ch., 395 A.2d 730 (1978)

Action to appraise the going concern-value of the corporate stock of a natural resources subsidiary of Santa Fe Industries, Inc. with assets substantially in excess of $300 million.

Stiftel v. Malarkey, et al., Del. Ch., 378 A.2d 133 (1977) 

Presided over actions brought by the judges of the Delaware Superior Court against members of the Executive branch of Delaware concerning pension and compensation rights for members of the Delaware judiciary.