Pamela S. Tikellis was a founding partner of Chimicles & Tikellis LLP, a leading national law firm specializing in prosecuting complex federal and state representative litigation. Ms. Tikellis has been recognized for her extensive knowledge in areas of Delaware corporate law, fiduciary responsibility, securities and investments and matters related to protecting and promoting the rights of institutional investors. Ms. Tikellis, for thirty five years, litigated some of the landmark cases regarding corporate governance issues, mergers and acquisitions, stockholders’ rights and other matters regarding corporate and securities litigation.
For example, Ms. Tikellis served as Co-Lead Counsel in the class action challenging the $21 billion management-led buyout of Kinder Morgan, Inc., In re Kinder Morgan, Inc. Shareholders Litigation, Consol. C.A. No. 06-C-801 (Kan.). That action resulted in the creation of a $200 million settlement fund one of the largest common funds in a merger and acquisition settlement.
Ms. Tikellis served as Co-Lead Counsel in the Court of Chancery derivative litigation City of Roseville Employees Retirement System, et. al. v Lawrence J. Ellison, et. al., C.A. No. 6900-CS. That action arose out of Oracle Corporation’s acquisition of Pillar Data Systems, Inc. and alleged that the acquisition of Pillar was unfair to Oracle to Ellison’s benefit. The settlement of this case resulted in Mr. Ellison’s agreeing to return 95% of the amount Oracle paid for Pillar. The settlement created a benefit for Oracle and its shareholders valued at $440 million and is one of the larger derivative settlements in the history of the Court of Chancery.
From 2012-2015, Ms. Tikellis served as Co-Lead Counsel in In re Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc, C.A. No. 8145-VN, a derivative action arising out of Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc.’s agreement to acquire Plains Exploration Production Co. and McMoran Exploration Production Co. The settlement of this case resulted in a dividend for Freeport stockholders, a credit redeemable by Freeport for financial advisory assignments, and other corporate governance enhancements. The settlement created a benefit for Freeport and its shareholders valued at nearly $154 million and is one of the largest stockholder derivative settlements and also believed to be the first to ensure the benefits of such a settlement flowed to stockholders in the form of a cash dividend.
Most recently, Ms. Tikellis served as co-lead counsel in a derivative action captioned In re Sanchez Energy Derivative Litigation, C.A. No. 9132-VCG (Del. Ch.) in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware. The action alleged wrongdoing by the directors of Sanchez Energy Corporation for causing the Company to acquire assets in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale from Sanchez Resources LLC, an entity affiliated with Sanchez Energy’s CEO, Tony Sanchez, III, and Executive Chairman Tony Sanchez, JR. at a grossly excessive price and at the expense of Sanchez Energy. The action settled for over $30 million.
Ms. Tikellis has written extensively on topics ranging from corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, stockholder derivative suits and ethics, and has been a frequent speaker at industry events and continuing legal education programs including the National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems, the Practicing Law Institute, the American Association of Justice, the American Bar Association, the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware and the Delaware Bar Association.
Named repeatedly in Chambers and Partners as a Leading Individual, Ms. Tikellis is “very experienced, dogged and knowledgeable in Delaware corporate law.” “She has significant expertise in securities fraud, antitrust and other complex litigation.”
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