Deutsche Bank AG v. Devon Park Bioventures, L.P. ( 2021 )


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  •   IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
    DEUTSCHE BANK AG,                   )
    )
    Plaintiff,             )
    )
    v.                            ) C.A. No. 2017-0822-SG
    )
    DEVON PARK BIOVENTURES, L.P.,       )
    DEVON PARK ASSOCIATES, L.P.,        )
    SEBASTIAN HOLDINGS, INC., and       )
    UNIVERSAL LOGISTIC MATTERS,         )
    S.A.,                               )
    )
    Defendants.            )
    )
    )
    DEVON PARK BIOVENTURES, L.P.,       )
    )
    Counterclaim Plaintiff )
    )
    v.                            )
    )
    DEUTSCHE BANK AG,                   )
    )
    Counterclaim           )
    Defendant              )
    )
    and                           )
    )
    SEBASTIAN HOLDINGS, INC. and        )
    UNIVERSAL LOGISTIC MATTERS,         )
    S.A.,                               )
    )
    Crossclaim             )
    Defendants             )
    MEMORANDUM OPINION
    Date Submitted: February 22, 2021
    Date Decided: June 30, 2021
    Stephen C. Norman and Aaron R. Sims, of POTTER ANDERSON & CORROON
    LLP, Wilmington, Delaware; OF COUNSEL: David G. Januszewski and Sheila C.
    Ramesh, of CAHILL GORDON & REINDEL LLP, New York, New York, Attorneys
    for Plaintiff and Counterclaim Defendant Deutsche Bank AG.
    James M. Yoch, Jr. and Kevin P. Rickert, of YOUNG CONAWAY STARGATT &
    TAYLOR, LLP, Wilmington, Delaware; OF COUNSEL: Kevin C. Maclay, Todd E.
    Phillips, Quincy M. Crawford, and Nathaniel R. Miller, of CAPLIN & DRYSDALE,
    CHARTERED, Washington, DC, Attorneys for Defendant, Counterclaim Plaintiff,
    and Crossclaim Plaintiff Devon Park Bioventures, L.P. and Defendant Devon Park
    Associates, L.P.
    William M. Kelleher and Phillip A. Giordano, of GORDON FOURNARIS &
    MAMMARELLA, P.A., Wilmington, Delaware; OF COUNSEL: Ira S. Zaroff and
    Richard M. Zaroff, of ZAROFF & ZAROFF LLP, Garden City, New York, Attorneys
    for Defendant Sebastian Holdings, Inc.
    P. Clarkson Collins, Jr., K. Tyler O’Connell, Albert J. Carroll, R. Eric Hacker, and
    Damon B. Ferrara, of MORRIS JAMES LLP, Wilmington, Delaware; OF
    COUNSEL: Ira S. Zaroff and Richard M. Zaroff, of ZAROFF & ZAROFF LLP,
    Garden City, New York, Attorneys for Defendant CPR Management, S.A., f.k.a.
    Universal Logistic Matters, S.A.
    GLASSCOCK, Vice Chancellor
    This matter will no doubt strike the reader as complex, as it did this judge,
    with its flurry of entities and previous litigations. The allegations of the complaint,
    at heart, are simple, however. Defendant Sebastian Holdings, Inc. (“Sebastian”), a
    citizen of the Turks and Caicos, via a series of improvident margin trades became a
    delinquent debtor of Plaintiff and Counterclaim Defendant Deutsche Bank AG
    (“Deutsche”). Deutsche reduced this debt to a judgment in an English court in 2013,
    comprising at present, with interest, about $300 million. If it is a truism that
    obtaining a judgment is but half the battle, this matter is proof. Deutsche has spent
    the last several years trying to collect.
    At the time of the judgment, Sebastian’s assets included an ownership interest
    in Defendant Devon Park Bioventures, L.P. (“Devon LP”), a Delaware limited
    partnership with its principal office in Pennsylvania.        Shortly after Deutsche
    obtained a judgment against it, Sebastian purported to assign its interest in Devon
    LP (the “Devon Interest”) to Defendant Universal Logistic Matters, S.A., now
    known as CPR Management, S.A. (the “Transferee Entity”), a citizen of Panama.
    The Plaintiff alleges that this transfer was a sham to defeat recovery of its judgment.
    It notes that Sebastian’s sole owner and director is non-party Alexander Vik (“Vik
    Jr.”), a Norwegian national, while the Transferee Entity is allegedly controlled by
    Vik Jr.’s father, Erik Vik (“Vik Sr.”). They also point to the timing of the Transferee
    1
    Entity’s name change, in 2014, as indicative of a scheme to shield assets from
    judgment.
    Deutsche has attempted litigation to set aside the above transfer, and a
    previous transfer to another entity, in several jurisdictions. In addition to the limited
    partnership interest itself, Devon LP’s general partner, Defendant Devon Park
    Associates, L.P. (“Devon GP” and, together with Devon LP, “the Devon Entities”)
    has withheld distributions owed to the rightful owner of the Devon Interest.
    Deutsche’s litigation efforts to levy have been fruitless thus far, as described below.
    In this action, they seek, inter alia, a declaration that Sebastian remains the owner
    of the Devon Interest, and that they are entitled to levy thereon in aid of collecting
    the $300 million judgment resulting from the underlying English litigation. The
    Devon Entities are agnostic—they seek to interplead the distributions.
    Before me are the motions of Sebastian and the Transferee Entity, seeking
    dismissal under Court of Chancery Rule 12(b)(2). As a Turks and Caicos entity and
    a Panamanian entity, 1 respectively, they allege that this Court lacks personal
    jurisdiction over them. I conclude below that the only substantial action these
    1
    Residents of Panama, in English, are referred to as Panamanians, thus the adjectival form
    “Panamanian” entity. What are residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands called? Per the website
    turksandcaicostourism.com, “Belongers,” a sobriquet that seems inappropriate to Sebastian, a so-
    called “exempted company” which cannot itself even do business in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
    See People of the Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands: Beautiful by Nature,
    https://turksandcaicostourism.com/people-of-the-islands/ (last visited June 30, 2021). Therefore,
    I will use the clunky locution “Turks and Caicos entity.”
    2
    entities are charged with is transferring an ownership interest in a limited partnership
    that is itself a citizen of Delaware. I find that these entities have not subjected
    themselves to Delaware long-arm service and do not have sufficient minimum
    contacts with this state to satisfy due process in the exercise of jurisdiction over
    them. Accordingly, the Motions to Dismiss must be granted. My rationale follows.
    I. BACKGROUND 2
    A. The Parties and Relevant Non-Parties
    Below, I describe the entities and give them short referential names set off in
    quotations—these names are different than the referential names used by the parties.
    I do this in the interest of clarity, and because a blizzard of three-initial references
    threatened to overwhelm this aging brain. I have included a graphic reference
    showing the principal entities, their reference names, and the alleged controller for
    each in Figure 1.
    Plaintiff and Counterclaim Defendant Deutsche is a corporation organized
    under the laws of Germany. 3 Deutsche maintains a branch office in New York, New
    York and has consented to personal jurisdiction. 4
    2
    Except where otherwise noted, the facts in this background section are drawn from the Plaintiffs’
    Verified Amended Complaint (“Am. Compl.”) and the documents incorporated therein. Dkt. No.
    326.
    3
    Am. Compl. ¶ 8.
    4
    See id.
    3
    Defendant Devon LP is a Delaware limited partnership with its principal
    office in Pennsylvania. 5 Devon LP has also filed counterclaims and crossclaims for
    interpleader in this action.6
    Defendant Devon GP is a Delaware limited partnership and the general
    partner of Devon LP. 7
    Defendant Sebastian is a corporation organized under the laws of the Turks
    and Caicos Islands. 8 It is an exempted company, which cannot do business in the
    Turks and Caicos Islands beyond a de minimis level.9
    The Defendant Transferee Entity is a corporation organized under the laws of
    Panama. 10 The Transferee Entity formally changed its name from Universal Logistic
    Matters, S.A. to CPR Management, S.A. in 2015.11
    Non-party Vik Jr. is a Norwegian billionaire. 12 He was, at all relevant times,
    the sole shareholder and director of defendant Sebastian.13
    5
    Id. ¶ 9.
    6
    See Def. Devon Park Bioventures, L.P.’s Answer and Verified Countercls.–Crosscls. for
    Interpleader (“Interpleader”), Dkt. No. 15.
    7
    Am. Compl. ¶¶ 10, 20.
    8
    Id. ¶ 11.
    9
    Id.
    10
    Id. ¶ 12.
    11
    Id. ¶ 12. The Transferee Entity appears to have been formerly known as both Universal Logistic
    Matters, S.A. and Universal Logistics Matters, S.A. Id. ¶ 5.
    12
    Id. ¶¶ 2, 13.
    13
    Id. ¶ 11.
    4
    Non-party Vik Sr. is Vik Jr.’s father and the purported controller of the
    Transferee Entity.14 At all times relevant to this action, Vik Sr. was also the sole
    shareholder of non-party VBI Corporation (“VBI”), as described below.15
    VBI is a corporation organized under the laws of the Turks and Caicos Islands
    whose sole shareholder is, and was at all relevant times, Vik Sr.16 VBI is an
    exempted Turks and Caicos company, which cannot do business in the Turks and
    Caicos Islands beyond a de minimis level. 17
    B. Proceedings in England
    In 2008, Sebastian failed to satisfy margin calls Deutsche made to recoup
    losses it incurred trading on Sebastian’s behalf. 18 Deutsche filed suit against
    14
    Id. ¶¶ 12, 13.
    15
    Id. ¶ 14.
    16
    Id. ¶ 14.
    17
    Id.
    18
    Id. ¶¶ 2, 36.
    5
    Sebastian in an English court in 2009 seeking amounts owed in connection with
    those unpaid margin calls, as well as interest and costs (the “English Action”).19
    Deutsche prevailed in that action, obtaining a judgment for $235,646,345 in
    November 2013 (the “English Judgment”). 20 Sebastian was also judged liable for
    85% of Deutsche’s costs, plus interest, and ordered to make an interim payment.21
    Sebastian sought to appeal portions of the English Judgment, but its appeal
    was struck when it failed to post the full amount of the judgment as security within
    28 days of being ordered to do so by the English Court of Appeals.22 There is no
    further prospect of any appeal of the English Judgment. 23
    Deutsche also prevailed on two separate non-party costs applications against
    Vik Jr. in 2014 and 2016, finding him personally liable for portions of the judgment
    against Sebastian. 24 Vik Jr.’s attempts to appeal those orders were denied and there
    is no further prospect of appeal.25
    More than eight years later, Sebastian has not paid Deutsche any portion of
    the amount due under the English Judgment.26 With interest, the judgment debt now
    19
    Id. ¶ 3, 44. The English Action is captioned Deutsche Bank AG v. Sebastian Holdings, Inc.,
    Claim No. 2009 Folio 83. Id.
    20
    Id. ¶¶ 1, 3, 49–51.
    21
    See id. ¶¶ 50(b)–50(c).
    22
    Id. ¶¶ 61–63.
    23
    Id. ¶¶ 63–64.
    24
    Id. ¶¶ 55–59.
    25
    Id. ¶¶ 58, 60.
    26
    See id. ¶ 53.
    6
    exceeds $300 million. 27 Deutsche seeks to satisfy the English Judgment, at least
    partially, from Sebastian’s remaining assets—specifically the Devon Interest.28
    C. Sebastian Purports to Transfer the Devon Interest to VBI
    In 2012, during the pendency of the English Action and a related action in
    New York, Sebastian purported to transfer the majority of its remaining non-cash
    assets to non-party VBI. 29 The transfer was purportedly made via an Installment
    Purchase Agreement (the “VBI Agreement”) that provided that Sebastian would
    maintain possession of all or part of the assets by holding them in trust for VBI for
    up to 4 years.30 Among the assets transferred was the Devon Interest,31 which
    Sebastian had acquired in 2006. 32 The transfer of the Devon Interest was never
    approved by Devon LP’s general partner, Devon GP, as would have been required
    by Devon LP’s December 1, 2006 Second Amended and Restated Limited
    Partnership Agreement (the “Partnership Agreement”).33 Sebastian did not disclose
    this transaction, or the identity of the purchaser to Deutsche until after the English
    Judgment.34
    27
    See id. ¶¶ 216, 231.
    28
    Id. ¶ 228.
    29
    Id. ¶¶ 83–85, 90.
    30
    Id. ¶ 87.
    31
    Id. ¶ 90.
    32
    See, e.g., Interpleader ¶ 1.
    33
    Am. Compl. ¶¶ 90–94, 102–103.
    34
    Id. ¶¶ 97–100.
    7
    D. Sebastian Purports to Transfer the Devon Interest Again
    In 2014, Sebastian purported to transfer the Devon Interest to a new entity.35
    Sebastian and the Transferee Entity entered the Assignment and Assumption
    Agreement (the “Assignment Agreement”) after the English Judgment was entered
    and after Deutsche had instituted multiple proceedings in New York and one in
    Connecticut to collect on that judgment.36 The Assignment Agreement encompasses
    two steps, both of which, per Devon LP’s Operating Agreement, would have
    required the approval of Devon GP: first, it provides for Sebastian to transfer its
    limited partnership interest; second, it provides for the Transferee Entity to be
    admitted as a limited partner. 37 Deutsche did not learn of this transfer until 2016, in
    connection with another New York lawsuit seeking to collect amounts owed under
    the English Judgment; this time by unwinding Sebastian’s transfer of the Devon
    Interest to VBI. 38 I have represented the purported transfers graphically in Figure 2.
    35
    Id. ¶ 113.
    36
    Id. ¶ 133.
    37
    Id.
    38
    Id. ¶ 112.
    8
    E. Attempted Distributions to the Transferee Entity
    After the 2014 transaction, Devon LP began making distributions to the
    Transferee Entity that were owed to it as a limited partner.39 Devon LP successfully
    wired $5,589,574 to the Transferee Entity in March of 2015. 40 However, two
    months later, when Devon LP attempted to wire a second distribution to the
    Transferee Entity using the same wire instructions, the transfer was rejected and the
    funds were returned.41 Deutsche was the intermediary bank in that transaction.42
    Devon LP next attempted to wire the distributions through JP Morgan, but this
    transaction was also rejected.43 It was at this point that the Transferee Entity
    39
    Id. ¶¶ 168, 248; Interpleader ¶ 26.
    40
    Am. Compl. ¶¶ 168, 248.
    41
    Id. ¶¶ 169–171.
    42
    Id. ¶ 169.
    43
    Id. ¶¶ 170–171.
    9
    changed its name from Universal Logistic Matters, S.A. to CPR Management, S.A.44
    The Transferee Entity also suggested several alternative methods for transferring the
    distributions, including processing the transfer through alternative banks or directing
    the distribution to other recipients.45 Devon LP did not do so and, to date, Devon
    LP has not made any further distributions to the Transferee Entity. 46
    F. Other Proceedings
    After prevailing in the English Action, Deutsche attempted to collect on the
    English Judgment with a series of actions in various courts: on December 5, 2013,
    Deutsche commenced Deutsche Bank AG v. Vik et al., Index No. 161257/2013 (Sup.
    Ct. N.Y. Co.) (the “2013 New York Action”), seeking to enforce the English
    Judgment in New York. On December 13, 2013, Deutsche also commenced
    Deutsche Bank AG v. Sebastian Holdings, Inc. and Alexander Vik, Docket No. X08-
    FST-CV13-5014167-S (Conn. Super. Ct.) (the “Connecticut Action”), seeking to
    enforce the English Judgment there. As of 2016, the 2013 New York Action has
    been stayed pending the outcome of the Connecticut Action, which the parties have
    represented is awaiting a post-trial decision. 47
    44
    Id. 170.
    45
    Id. ¶¶ 172–173.
    46
    Id. ¶ 179. Devon LP is now in the process of winding up its affairs pursuant to the terms of the
    Partnership Agreement and Delaware Law. Id. ¶ 180.
    47
    Id. ¶ 118.
    10
    In 2016, Deutsche filed a third action seeking to collect amounts owed under
    the English Judgment in the Supreme Court, New York County, against Vik Jr., Vik
    Sr., Sebastian, and VBI, alleging inter alia that Sebastian’s transfer of the Devon
    Interest to VBI constituted a fraudulent conveyance intended to hinder, delay, and/or
    defraud Deutsche. 48 Devon LP sought to intervene in that action, which was
    dismissed for lack of personal jurisdiction.49
    In March 2017, the Transferee Entity initiated an arbitration proceeding
    against the Devon Entities in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, seeking to recover the
    value of unpaid capital distributions from the Devon Interest (the “Pennsylvania
    Arbitration”). 50 Deutsche sought to intervene in that arbitration in June, but the
    arbitrator denied its request.51 The Devon Entities ultimately did not defend the
    Pennsylvania Arbitration and the Transferee Entity was awarded the full value of the
    unpaid distributions. 52 The award is awaiting confirmation, as discussed further
    below.
    On the same day it initiated this action, November 16, 2017, Deutsche also
    filed another action in the Supreme Court, New York County, this time against only
    Sebastian and the Transferee Entity, alleging inter alia that the Assignment
    48
    Id. ¶ 112. That action is captioned Deutsche Bank AG v. Erik Martin Vik Sr.; Alexander Vik;
    VBI Corporation; and Sebastian Holdings, Inc., Index No. 652156/2016 (Sup. Ct. N.Y. Co.). Id.
    49
    Id. ¶¶ 113–115.
    50
    Id. ¶ 119.
    51
    Id. ¶ 121; Interpleader ¶ 57.
    52
    Am. Compl. ¶ 121.
    11
    Agreement constituted a fraudulent conveyance intended to hinder, delay, and/or
    defraud Deutsche. 53 Sebastian and the Transferee Entity have contested jurisdiction
    in that case, which has since been stayed pending the resolution of the instant
    action. 54
    On April 30, 2018, during the pendency of this action, the Transferee Entity
    filed a petition to confirm the arbitration award in the Pennsylvania Court of
    Common Pleas.55 Devon LP removed that action to the United States District Court
    for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, CPR Management, S.A. v. Devon Park
    Bioventures, L.P., Index No. 18-cv-01973 (E.D. Pa.) (the “Pennsylvania Action”)
    and interpleaded Deutsche as a party with a potential claim to the Devon Interest.56
    The District Court struck the interpleader as procedurally improper and granted the
    Transferee Entity’s petition, confirming the award. Deutsche’s appeal of both
    decisions remains pending before the Third Circuit.57
    G. Procedural History
    Deutsche initiated this action on November 16, 2017, asserting claims for (1)
    recognition and (2) enforcement of the English Judgment against Sebastian, (3) a
    charging order against the Devon Interest pursuant to 6 Del. C. § 17-703, and (4)
    53
    Id. ¶ 118.
    54
    Id.
    55
    Id. ¶ 122. That action was captioned CPR Management, S.A. v. Devon Park Bioventures, Index
    No. 180404628 (Pa. Ct. Common Pleas). Id.
    56
    Id. ¶ 123.
    57
    Id. ¶ 128.
    12
    fraud and (5) conspiracy against all defendants. 58 Devon LP answered the original
    complaint on December 21, 2017.59 In that pleading, Devon LP asserted counter-
    and crossclaims for interpleader against Deutsche and the other defendants to
    determine the rightful owner of the Devon Interest and the distributions associated
    with it and requested a declaration from this Court that it is entitled to
    indemnification from Sebastian and the Transferee Entity under the Assignment
    Agreement. 60 That same day, the Devon Entities also moved to dismiss Deutsche’s
    claims against them under Court of Chancery Rule 12(b)(6).61
    On January 29, 2018, this Court entered a temporary restraining order
    preventing the Devon Entities from making any distributions associated with the
    Devon Interest during the pendency of this action.62 Deutsche was later granted
    limited jurisdictional discovery via Chancellor Bouchard’s oral ruling of July 20,
    2018. 63
    After more than two years, the Chancellor determined that there was “no basis
    for any additional jurisdictional discovery.” 64 Deutsche amended its complaint on
    58
    See id. ¶¶ 212–59 (asserting same causes of action as the original complaint); Verified Compl.,
    Dkt. No. 1.
    59
    See generally Interpleader, Dkt. No. 15.
    60
    Interpleader ¶¶ 65–69.
    61
    Devon LP and Devon GP’s Mot. to Dismiss, Dkt. No. 16.
    62
    Tr. of Jan. 29, 2018 Arg. on Pl.’s Mot. for Temporary Restraining Order and Rulings of the
    Court 101:23–112:13, Dkt. No. 96.
    63
    Tr. of 7.20.18 Telephonic Ruling of the Court on Pl.’s Mot. to Compel Jurisdictional Discovery
    19:8–19:11, Dkt. No. 157.
    64
    Ltr. re Recent Correspondence 2, Dkt. No. 318.
    13
    October 12, 2020.65 All defendants renewed their Motions to Dismiss.66 The
    Motions were fully briefed by January 12, 2021.67 Due to time constraints at the
    February 17, 2021 hearing on all motions to dismiss, the movants opted to submit
    rebuttal letters in lieu of additional oral presentations. Those letters were received
    on February 22, 2021 and I consider the motions submitted for decisions as of that
    date. 68 This Memorandum Opinion addresses the Motions of Sebastian and the
    Transferee Entity to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction. In light of my decision
    here that those Motions should be granted, the parties should inform me what
    portions of the other outstanding Motions remain to be addressed.
    II. LEGAL STANDARDS
    Delaware courts apply a two-step analysis to determine whether the exercise
    of personal jurisdiction over a non-resident defendant is proper: “the court must first
    determine that service of process is authorized by statute and then must determine
    that the exercise of jurisdiction over the nonresident defendant comports with
    65
    Am. Compl., Dkt. No. 326.
    66
    Sebastian’s Mot. to Dismiss, Dkt. No. 329; The Devon Entities’ Mot. to Dismiss, Dkt. No. 330;
    The Transferee Entity’s Mot. to Dismiss, Dkt. No. 332.
    67
    See Sebastian’s Opening Br., Dkt. No. 329 [hereinafter “Sebastian OB”]; The Devon Entities’
    Opening Br., Dkt. No. 331 [hereinafter “Devon Entities OB”]; The Transferee Entity’s Opening
    Br., Dkt. No. 333 [hereinafter “Transferee Entity OB”]; Countercl.-Pl. Devon Park LP’s Omnibus
    Answering Br., Dkt. No. 338 [hereinafter “Devon LP AB”]; Deutsche Answering Br., Dkt. No.
    339 [hereinafter “Deutsche AB”]; The Devon Entities’ Reply Br., Dkt. No. 351 [hereinafter
    “Devon Entities RB”]; Sebastian’s Reply Br., Dkt. No. 352 [hereinafter “Sebastian RB”]; The
    Transferee Entity’s Reply Br., Dkt No. 353 [hereinafter “Transferee Entity RB”].
    68
    See Ltr. from William Kelleher, Dkt. No. 365 [hereinafter “Sebastian Rebuttal Ltr.”]; Ltr. from
    James M. Yoch, Jr., Dkt. No. 366 [hereinafter “Devon Entities Rebuttal Ltr.”]; Ltr. from K. Tyler
    O’Connell, Dkt. No. 367 [hereinafter “Transferee Entity Rebuttal Ltr.”].
    14
    traditional due process notions of fair play and substantial justice.”69 In weighing
    these elements, the Court “may consider the pleadings, affidavits, and any discovery
    of record.” 70 “[T]he plaintiff bears the burden of showing a basis for the court’s
    exercise of jurisdiction. However, where, as here, no evidentiary hearing has been
    held, a plaintiff need only make a prima facie showing of personal jurisdiction, and
    the record is construed in the light most favorable to the plaintiff.” 71
    III. ANALYSIS
    Sebastian and the Transferee Entity (together the “Jurisdictional Defendants”)
    have moved to dismiss the Amended Complaint and Devon LP’s interpleader
    crossclaims against them for lack of personal jurisdiction pursuant to Court of
    Chancery Rule 12(b)(2). Because I conclude that exerting this Court’s jurisdiction
    over them would not comport with the long-arm statute or with traditional due
    process notions of fair play and substantial justice, I grant the Jurisdictional
    Defendants’ Motions, in part.
    The Jurisdictional Defendants argue that this Court lacks personal jurisdiction
    over them because neither is a Delaware entity, they have not engaged in any activity
    in Delaware that gives rise to the claims against them, and they are not subject to
    69
    Ryan v. Gifford, 
    935 A.2d 258
    , 265 (Del. Ch. 2007).
    70
    
    Id.
    71
    Lacey v. Mota-Velasco, 
    2020 WL 5902590
    , at *6 (Del. Ch. Oct. 6, 2020) (citations and internal
    quotation marks omitted).
    15
    jurisdiction under the conspiracy theory.72 Deutsche and Devon LP oppose the
    Motions, arguing that jurisdiction is authorized by the long-arm statute and that both
    entities have sufficient minimum contacts with Delaware to satisfy due process.73
    Deutsche also argues that jurisdiction is permissible under the conspiracy theory.74
    Although Devon LP denies Deutsche’s jurisdictional allegations of a conspiracy
    between the Devon Entities and the Jurisdictional Defendants, it asks this Court to
    take jurisdiction over the Devon Interest so that it may interplead the other parties
    and avoid liability arising from the purportedly fraudulent Assignment Agreement.75
    In its Amended Complaint, Deutsche includes explicit allegations as to
    personal jurisdiction. Deutsche alleges that this Court has personal jurisdiction over
    Sebastian primarily because: Sebastian is the judgment debtor of the English
    Judgment to be enforced; Sebastian purportedly owns the 23% interest in Devon LP
    over which Deutsche seeks a charging order; Sebastian is a signatory to Devon LP’s
    Partnership Agreement and the Assignment Agreement, both of which contain
    Delaware choice of law clauses; Sebastian’s bank was listed as the Delaware office
    of JP Morgan Chase Bank N.A. in a separate agreement that predates the Assignment
    Agreement, and employees of that branch assisted in preparing that earlier
    72
    See Transferee Entity OB 20–40; Sebastian OB 14–26.
    73
    Deutsche AB 45–57, 68–72; Devon LP AB 13–28.
    74
    Deutsche AB 62–67.
    75
    See, e.g., Devon LP AB 28–29.
    16
    agreement (the funds were ultimately deposited with the New York branch); and
    Sebastian purportedly made false statements to the Devon Entities, Delaware entities
    doing business in Pennsylvania, in the Assignment Agreement. 76                         Similarly,
    Deutsche alleges that this Court has personal jurisdiction over the Transferee Entity,
    because it signed the Assignment Agreement containing the Delaware choice of law
    clause; the Assignment Agreement appointed Devon GP, a Delaware entity, to act
    as the Transferee Entity’s attorney-in-fact, with the ability to execute and file various
    documents on its behalf; the Transferee Entity allegedly made knowingly false
    statements to the Devon Entities in its request to be admitted as a limited partner of
    Devon LP; and the Transferee Entity retained Delaware counsel in its disputes with
    the Devon Entities, post-distributions. 77
    76
    Am. Compl. ¶ 21. I do not consider further alleged acts in Delaware that Chancellor Bouchard
    previously held failed to state a non-frivolous case for personal jurisdiction: an alleged 2008
    transfer from Sebastian to a Delaware bank account; the allegation that representatives of the
    Transferee Entity encouraged Devon LP to transfer the Devon Interest again, this time to a
    Delaware entity; or the possibility that Devon LP will file a certificate of cancellation in Delaware
    as part of the alleged conspiracy. See generally Tr. of Telephonic Rulings on Pl.’s Mot. to Compel
    Jurisdictional Discovery, Dkt. No. 157. These prior rulings are law of the case. Cf. Thorpe v.
    CERBCO, Inc., 
    1997 WL 67833
    , at *4 (Del. Ch. Feb. 6, 1997), aff’d, 
    703 A.2d 645
     (Del. 1997)
    (“The doctrine of law of the case promotes efficiency and fundamental fairness in cases by
    counseling against the reconsideration of issues that have already been decided.”).
    77
    With respect to Deutsche’s allegation that the Transferee Entity intentionally or recklessly
    concealed or destroyed communications from counsel, and failed to produce other documents, that
    would have established jurisdiction, I note only that this matter was before Chancellor Bouchard,
    who, in closing discovery, denied Deutsche’s outstanding motions to compel and for sanctions.
    See Denied ([Proposed] Order Granting Deutsche Bank AG’s Motion for Leave to Take
    Depositions), Dkt. No. 319; Denied (Proposed Order Granting Deutsche Bank AG’s Motion to
    Compel the Testimony of Defendant CPR Management, S.A.’s Designated Corporate Witness or
    for Sanctions), Dkt. No. 320. I make my determination, therefore, on the facts of record, rather
    than the absence thereof, together with Plaintiff-friendly inferences.
    17
    A. Long-Arm Statute
    Delaware’s long-arm statute permits service of process over foreign
    defendants where they have certain contacts with the state.78 It is intended to be
    “broadly construed to confer jurisdiction to the maximum extent possible under the
    Due Process Clause.” 79 However, for the long-arm statute to be satisfied, the claims
    to be litigated must arise out of one or more of the contacts enumerated in the
    statute.80 Deutsche and Devon LP maintain that the Jurisdictional Defendants satisfy
    the statute, under either Sections 3104(c)(1) or 3104(c)(3), but neither the Amended
    Complaint nor the Interpleader Claim describes any act in Delaware from which this
    litigation could arise.
    Section 3104(c)(1) authorizes personal jurisdiction over a nonresident
    defendant who in person or through an agent “transacts any business” in Delaware.81
    The Jurisdictional Defendants are not alleged to have transacted any business in
    Delaware in connection with the causes of action asserted here. Two foreign entities
    exchanging an ownership interest in a Delaware entity, whether fraudulent or
    78
    See 10 Del. C. § 3104(c).
    79
    Hercules Inc. v. Leu Tr. & Banking (Bahamas) Ltd., 
    611 A.2d 476
    , 480–81 (Del. 1992).
    80
    Mobile Diagnostic Grp. Hldgs., LLC v. Suer, 
    972 A.2d 799
    , 804 (Del. Ch. 2009) (“In order for
    this Court to exercise jurisdiction under § 3104(c)(1), some act must actually occur in Delaware.”
    Additionally, the claims must have a nexus to [the] forum-related conduct.”) (citations and internal
    quotation marks omitted).
    81
    10 Del. C. § 3104(c)(1).
    18
    otherwise, is not, without more, a transaction of business in Delaware.82 The sole
    additional relevant fact—that the parties included a Delaware choice of law (not
    venue) provision in the Assignment Agreement governing the transaction—does not
    change my analysis.83
    82
    Mobile Diagnostic Grp. Hldgs., LLC v. Suer, 
    972 A.2d at 805
     (“It is well settled law that “a
    contract between a Delaware corporation and a nonresident to . . . transact business outside
    Delaware, which has been negotiated without any contacts with this State, cannot alone serve as a
    basis for personal jurisdiction over the nonresident for actions arising out of that contract.”)
    (quoting Newspan, Inc. v. Hearthstone Funding Corp., C.A. No. 13304, 
    1994 WL 198721
    , at *6
    (Del.Ch. May 10, 1994)); see also, e.g., Greenly v. Davis, 
    486 A.2d 669
    , 671 (Del. 1984). In
    Greenly, the Supreme Court affirmed the Superior Court’s dismissal for lack of personal
    jurisdiction where the only contact with Delaware was that “a part of the negotiations included a
    proposed sale of stock of a Delaware corporation which does transact business in Delaware.”
    Greenly v. Davis, 
    486 A.2d at 671
    . Devon LP suggests that Greenly is inapplicable because here,
    rather than a proposed sale, the Defendants consummated an assignment of the Devon Interest.
    See Devon LP AB 19 n.9. Instead, per Devon LP, I should reach the same result as NRG Barriers,
    Inc. v. Jelin, 
    1996 WL 377014
     (Del. Ch. July 1, 1996) because the “Defendants actually sold stock
    in a Delaware close corporation.” Id. at *3. In NRG, the Court found that the defendants had
    transacted business in Delaware where they “sold stock in a corporation intentionally incorporated
    in Delaware[;] deliberately chose Delaware law to govern the Stock Purchase Agreement[; and]
    employed Delaware counsel who assisted in the process of negotiating the agreement.” Id. In
    denying the motion to dismiss in NRG, however, the Court distinguished Greenly, noting “the
    record in Greenly did not indicate a significant portion of the negotiations took place in Delaware,
    let alone the consummation of the deal.” Id. Based on the record before it, the Court in NRG
    surmised that “the business contact with Delaware does not derive solely from the mere fact [of]
    record ownership of shares . . . in Delaware.” Id. Thus, to the extent the rationale in NRG is made
    explicit, it is consistent with the holding of Greenly and other cases that transacting in an ownership
    interest in a Delaware entity is insufficient to confer jurisdiction without additional acts in
    Delaware related to the transaction. As will be discussed further as regards due process
    considerations, such additional contact is lacking here. Accordingly, and as in Greenly, Section
    3104(c)(1) is inapplicable, because the Jurisdictional Defendants did not transact business in
    Delaware. Devon LP also invokes NRG for the proposition that “[t]he mix of these related facts
    constitutes the transaction of business in Delaware.” I address this contention more fully as it
    relates to due process.
    83
    Cf. Mobile Diagnostic Group Holdings, LLC v. Suer, 
    972 A.2d at 805
     (“It is also well established
    that a choice of Delaware law provision in a contract is not, of itself, a sufficient transaction of
    business in the State to confer jurisdiction under [Section 3014] (c)(1)”).
    19
    Section 3104(c)(3) authorizes personal jurisdiction over a nonresident
    defendant who in person or through an agent “causes tortious injury” in Delaware.84
    The Jurisdictional Defendants are again not alleged to have caused any tortious
    injury in Delaware. The tort allegations here are asserted by Deutsche, a foreign
    entity, and are based on conduct outside the state, a fraudulent transfer designed to
    frustrate Deutsche’s satisfaction of its judgment.
    Deutsche did business with a citizen of the Turks and Caicos Islands, a British
    Overseas Territory. It obtained a judgment against that entity in a British court. It
    alleges that collection of that judgment has been frustrated by the judgment debtor’s
    fraudulent transfer of an asset to a Panamanian citizen. The fact that the asset in
    question was equity in a Delaware entity does not equate to an injury in Delaware,
    nor, without more, to doing business in Delaware. Because the Jurisdictional
    Defendants are not alleged to have taken any actions in Delaware that give rise to
    the claims against them, the long-arm statute does not support exercising
    jurisdiction.
    B. Conspiracy Jurisdiction
    Alternatively, Deutsche argues that the same factual allegations satisfy the
    requirements for conspiracy jurisdiction.85 The conspiracy theory “does not attempt
    84
    10 Del. C. § 3104(c)(3).
    85
    Deutsche AB 62–67.
    20
    to create a separate basis for jurisdiction . . . . [Instead, it] asserts that those who
    seek to avoid our courts by acting at a distance may nevertheless create sufficient
    minimum contacts with Delaware to satisfy the long-arm statute and due process.”86
    To establish jurisdiction under the conspiracy theory, a plaintiff must show that:
    (1) a conspiracy to defraud existed; (2) the defendant was a member of
    that conspiracy; (3) a substantial act or substantial effect in furtherance
    of the conspiracy occurred in the forum state; (4) the defendant knew
    or had reason to know of the act in the forum state or that acts outside
    the forum state would have an effect in the forum state; and (5) the act
    in, or effect on, the forum state was a direct and foreseeable result of
    the conduct in furtherance of the conspiracy. 87
    This five-part test functionally encompasses both prongs of Delaware’s
    jurisdictional analysis 88—a statutorily defined nexus to the state and compliance
    with constitutional notions of due process, which I address further below. The
    conspiracy theory is not a key to unlock universal jurisdiction, however. 89 It is a
    tool to ensure that actors, who know that their conspirators will take substantial
    86
    Lacey v. Mota-Velasco, 
    2020 WL 5902590
    , at *6 (Del. Ch. Oct. 6, 2020).
    87
    Istituto Bancario Italiano v. Hunter Engineering Co., 
    449 A.2d 210
    , 225 (Del. 1982).
    88
    See, e.g., Konstantino v. AngioScore, Inc., 
    2015 WL 5770582
    , at *7 (Del. Ch. Oct. 2, 2015).
    89
    See Crescent/Mach I Partners, L.P. v. Turner, 
    846 A.2d 963
    , 976 (Del. Ch. 2000) (“This theory
    is very narrowly construed. Plaintiffs must assert specific factual evidence, not conclusory
    allegations, to show that the non-resident defendants were conspirators in some wrongful act
    resulting in harm to Delaware entities or their owners in order for the Court to exercise jurisdiction
    over them.”).
    21
    actions or cause harms in Delaware, do not escape our process.90 This, Deutsche has
    failed to demonstrate, even with the benefit of inferences in its favor.
    Deutsche alleges that the Jurisdictional Defendants (and the Devon Entities)
    are engaged in a conspiracy to prevent Deutsche from recovering on the English
    Judgment by fraudulently transferring the Devon Interest between different entities
    and ultimately liquidating Devon LP. 91 Assuming at this stage that Deutsche’s fraud
    and conspiracy allegations are sufficiently well-pled, I nonetheless conclude that this
    theory fails because it is not reasonably conceivable that any substantial act or
    substantial effect in furtherance of the conspiracy took place in Delaware.
    Most of the specific facts alleged to be in furtherance of the conspiracy clearly
    occurred outside Delaware: statements made in documents and emails exchanged
    between the Jurisdictional Defendants and the Devon Entities in connection with the
    Assignment Agreement occurred where the entities are located—respectively, the
    Turks and Caicos Islands, Panama, or Pennsylvania—not in Delaware where the
    Devon Entities were formed; 92 and, although Sebastian has a Delaware bank
    account, the funds dispersed to Devon LP in 2014 pursuant to the Assignment
    90
    Computer People, Inc. v. Best Int’l Grp., Inc., 
    1999 WL 288119
    , at *5 (Del. Ch. Apr. 27, 1999)
    (“The conspiracy theory of jurisdiction is not, strictly speaking, an independent jurisdictional basis,
    but rather, is a shorthand reference to an analytical framework where a defendant’s conduct that
    either occurred or had a substantial effect in Delaware is attributed to a defendant who would not
    otherwise be amenable to jurisdiction in Delaware.”).
    91
    Am. Compl. ¶¶ 23–29.
    92
    See, e.g., 
    id.
     ¶¶ 21–22, 139–150.
    22
    Agreement were released from an escrow account held by JP Morgan’s New York
    branch. 93 These are thus not substantial acts in Delaware in furtherance of the
    alleged conspiracy.
    Deutsche next points to the Assignment Agreement’s appointment of Devon
    GP as the Transferee Entity’s attorney-in-fact, with the ability to act on its behalf in
    Delaware. That entity does business in Pennsylvania, however, and there is no
    indication in the record that Devon GP took any action on behalf of the Transferee
    Entity in Delaware. Indeed, there was no reason for Devon GP to take any action in
    Delaware on the Transferee Entity’s behalf, because there is no allegation in the
    Amended Complaint that any acts in Delaware were required to consummate the
    Assignment Agreement.
    The Amended Complaint also alleges that the Transferee Entity used
    Delaware counsel to attempt to recover the distributions withheld by the Devon
    Entities, post-transfer. The Transferee Entity retained Delaware counsel in 2016 in
    connection with the Pennsylvania Arbitration, which, I note, took place in
    Pennsylvania. 94 Deutsche does not allege that Delaware counsel took any acts in
    Delaware and there is no precedent for the theory that merely retaining Delaware
    counsel supports jurisdiction. I also note that the action contemplated, litigation by
    93
    See id. ¶¶ 16, 21.
    94
    See id. ¶¶ 17, 22, 178.
    23
    one of the Jurisdictional Defendants against its alleged co-conspirators the Devon
    Entities, seems unlikely to be in furtherance of their conspiracy in any event.
    In sum, neither a substantial act or substantial effect in furtherance of the
    conspiracy is alleged to have occurred in Delaware, and no basis exists to extend
    jurisdiction over the Jurisdictional Defendants under the conspiracy theory.
    C. Due Process
    The parties, at oral argument, concentrated on the due process prong of the
    jurisdictional analysis. Accordingly, and in the interests of completeness, I address
    it here.
    Compliance with due process requires a “minimum contacts analysis, which
    seeks to determine the fairness of subjecting a nonresident defendant to suit in a
    distant forum by considering all of the connections among the defendant, the forum
    and the litigation.” 95 Even a single act can be sufficient contact to confer
    jurisdiction, where the claim is based on that act.96 But the act must be a substantial
    one. 97 Thus, the “defendant's conduct and connection with the forum state should
    95
    Werner v. Miller Tech. Mgmt., L.P., 
    831 A.2d 318
    , 330 (Del. Ch. 2003) (citations and internal
    quotation marks omitted).
    96
    See, e.g., Crescent/Mach I Partners, L.P. v. Turner, 
    846 A.2d 963
    , 978 (Del. Ch. 2000).
    97
    See EBP Lifestyle Brands Holdings, Inc. v. Boulbain, 
    2017 WL 3328363
    , at *6 (Del. Ch. Aug.
    4, 2017) (“[T]he contacts proffered by the plaintiff to meet his burden must relate to some act by
    which the defendant has deliberately created obligations between himself and this forum.”)
    (internal quotation marks omitted).
    24
    be such that he can reasonably anticipate being haled into court in the nonresident
    forum.”98
    Even assuming that Delaware’s long-arm statute supports exercising
    jurisdiction, due process places the Jurisdictional Defendants beyond this Court’s
    reach. The Jurisdictional Defendants are foreign entities, as is Deutsche.99 Deutsche
    and Sebastian did business together, but not in Delaware. Deutsche sued and
    obtained a judgment against Sebastian in Britain. Deutsche seeks to collect on that
    judgment, in which Sebastian was found liable for conduct entirely outside
    Delaware. Thus, there is no connection between Delaware and Sebastian’s status as
    a judgment debtor of Deutsche. Sebastian is charged with a fraudulent transfer of
    its interest in a Delaware entity to avoid collection of the judgment. Holding or
    transacting in ownership interests in Delaware entities does not, without more, create
    jurisdiction, however.100 Nor does our law support exercising jurisdiction based on
    98
    Werner v. Miller Tech., 
    831 A.2d at 330
     (citations and internal quotation marks omitted).
    99
    Deutsche also suggests that the Transferee Entity waived its right to contest jurisdiction by
    actively participating in this litigation beyond a limited appearance to challenge jurisdiction.
    While a defendant can lose the right to contest jurisdiction, the factual record demonstrates that
    the Transferee Entity properly raised jurisdiction as its “first defensive move” and participation in
    preliminary discovery (even via aggressive litigation tactics), as has occurred here, does not
    constitute abandonment of the defense. Ross Hldg. & Mgmt. Co. v. Advance Realty Grp., LLC,
    
    2010 WL 1838608
    , at *11 (Del. Ch. Apr. 28, 2010).
    100
    Istituto Bancario Italiano SpA v. Hunter Eng’g Co., 
    449 A.2d 210
    , 222 (Del. 1982) (noting that
    the statutory situs of stock in Delaware is insufficient to justify jurisdiction); Papendick v. Robert
    Bosch GmbH, 
    410 A.2d 148
    , 152 (Del. 1979) (noting that stock ownership of a Delaware
    subsidiary is not, without more, a sufficient contact for which to establish jurisdiction).
    25
    the other facts into which Deutsche seeks to sink its jurisdictional hook: 101 being
    party to a contract with a Delaware choice of law clause,102 receiving distributions
    from a Delaware entity, simply owning a Delaware bank account, appointing a
    Delaware entity as attorney-in-fact, or engaging in fraud or conspiracy outside the
    state.
    Deutsche and Devon LP do not even seriously argue that any of the above
    allegations, standing alone, provide a basis for jurisdiction. Instead, they encourage
    me to look at them in the aggregate. In addition to the conspiracy theory invoked by
    Deutsche, Devon LP cites to NRG Barriers, Inc. v. Jelin, insisting that the “mix of
    [the above] related facts” demonstrates that the Jurisdictional Defendants “were on
    notice [that the] Plaintiff could sue them in Delaware.”103 I disagree.
    101
    See, e.g., Lacey v. Mota-Velasco, 
    2020 WL 5902590
    , at *6 (Del. Ch. Oct. 6, 2020) (dismissing
    for lack of jurisdiction where alleged conspiracy was between foreign entities acting outside
    Delaware); EBP Lifestyle Brands Holdings, Inc. v. Boulbain, 
    2017 WL 3328363
    , at *7 (dismissing
    for lack of personal jurisdiction where choice of law clause was only connection to Delaware);
    Mobile Diagnostic Group Holdings, LLC, 
    972 A.2d 799
    , 805 (Del. Ch. 1999) (same);
    HMG/Courtland Properties, Inc. v. Gray, 
    729 A.2d 300
    , 311 (Del. Ch. 1999) (receiving
    partnership distributions from a Delaware entity insufficient to confer jurisdiction).
    102
    I also note that, to the extent Deutsche attempts to rely on Hazout v. Tsang Mun Ting, 
    134 A.3d 274
     (Del. 2016), to grant jurisdiction, that case involved more than “[a]greements [that] reflected
    the parties’ choice to use the law of Delaware as their common language of commerce, and their
    understanding that litigation over later contractual differences could ensue in Delaware.” Id. at
    293. The defendant contesting jurisdiction in that case was the director of a Delaware corporation
    being sued for actions taken in his official capacity in connection with negotiating the agreements
    at issue, albeit in Canada. Thus, in light of multiple connections between Delaware, the parties,
    and the litigation, the Court noted “all sides to the matter understood that . . . the jurisdiction that
    was their focus was the home of the fried oyster sandwich, and not the home of poutine or dim
    sum. That Tsang happened to be in Hong Kong and Hazout in Canada was a matter of geography.”
    Id.
    103
    NRG Barriers, Inc. v. Jelin, 
    1996 WL 377014
    , at *2, *5 (Del. Ch. July 1, 1996).
    26
    In NRG, the Court denied a motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction
    where the plaintiff sought to enforce its rights under a Stock Purchase Agreement.
    In concluding that the NRG defendants had sufficient minimum contacts with
    Delaware to justify exercising jurisdiction, the Court noted that “statutory situs of
    the stock is not the only connection to Delaware. It is one of many ties satisfying the
    minimum [contacts] requirement.”104 Other ties the Court treated as significant
    include that “Delaware lawyers were substantially involved in drafting the
    agreement”105 and that “[t]he agreement is the basis on which [the plaintiff] brings
    this action.” 106 Thus, the plaintiff in NRG did not invoke Delaware jurisdiction
    merely based on ownership of stock in a Delaware entity. Rather, included in the
    “mix” of related facts were the facts that the defendants in that case negotiated a
    “significant portion” of the stock purchase agreement at issue in Delaware and the
    plaintiff was asserting its rights under that agreement, which fulfilled both the long-
    arm statute and due process prongs. No such allegation is made here; nor is such an
    inference warranted based on the record. Here, it is alleged that two foreign entities
    caused a Delaware limited partnership to transfer an ownership interest from one to
    the other. There is simply nothing in the record to indicate that the agreement
    regarding the transfer was negotiated in Delaware.          The allegation that the
    104
    Id. at *4 (emphasis added).
    105
    Id. (emphasis added).
    106
    Id.
    27
    transaction was fraudulent does not change the jurisdictional analysis. Furthermore,
    because the dispute in NRG was as to the meaning of the stock purchase agreement
    itself, which was negotiated in Delaware and chose Delaware law, the cause of action
    arose out of the defendants’ contact with Delaware. Thus, the Court’s finding of
    jurisdiction in that case is completely consistent with the well-established directive
    that defendants are only amenable to suit in Delaware for claims that arise where
    they purposefully avail themselves of Delaware’s benefits and protections.
    Allegations supporting such purposeful availment are lacking here. Accordingly,
    jurisdiction is not available.
    There is no allegation in the Amended Complaint that the Jurisdictional
    Defendants’ contacts with Delaware are anything more than fortuitous; nor do the
    claims against them arise from those contacts. At its heart, this is litigation is about
    nothing more than an allegedly fraudulent transfer of equity in a Delaware entity
    between two foreign citizens, to frustrate a judgment debt obtained by a third foreign
    entity in a foreign jurisdiction. Accordingly, due process dictates that this Court
    must stand aside.
    IV. CONCLUSION
    If the facts are as they appear from this pleadings-stage record, Deutsche is
    rightfully frustrated at its inability to collect on its judgment, caused by fraudulent
    transfers between its judgment debtor and other foreign entities. That frustration
    28
    based on the facts alleged here does not trump the long-arm statute or the due process
    rights of the Defendants, however. The Jurisdictional Defendants’ Motions to
    Dismiss are granted in part. As pointed out above, there are additional motions
    outstanding.    Nothing in this Memorandum Opinion is meant to resolve
    jurisdictional issues regarding Deutsche’s request for a charging order or Devon
    LP’s interpleader claim, which have been characterized as in rem or quasi in rem
    and supported by statutory jurisdiction.       The dismissal of the Jurisdictional
    Defendants remains pending in that regard and the January 29, 2018 restraining
    order shall remain in place.      I note that several other jurisdictions are now
    considering Deutsche’s request for aid in satisfaction of its judgment, and a stay of
    portions of this litigation may be warranted. The parties should confer and schedule
    a conference on the remaining pending motions, as described above.
    29