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MILSTEIN v MILSTEIN Click to find out why . . .



Keywords & Phrases
CaseNo: C.A. No. 18,180, Plaintiff: MILSTEIN, State: DE Delaware, UniqueCaseRef: DE>CC>00018180, CourtCode: CC, CourtName: IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, Philip Milstein, Shareholders, Assets, Milstein, Howard, Complaint, Paragraph, Insurance Brokerage, Edward Milstein, Brokerage, Deny, Douglas Elliman, Hm/em Ventures, Delaware, Sale, Philip, Ventures, Expenses, Edward, Allegations Containeli, Real Estate, Response, Aver, Directors, Fiduciary Duties, Del, Discovery, Partnership, Distribution, Motion, Individual Defendants, York, Derivative Claims, Miglin-beitler, Investment, Nominal Defendants, Misappropriation, Operating Assets, Fully Set , ContentID: 120240244

Case Documents
1 2001-07-18 ANSWER
[ see first page and extracted highlights below  ] ItemID: 115256
14 pages
PDF
2 2001-07-03 AMENDED COMPLAINT
[ see first page and extracted highlights below  ] ItemID: 115257
33 pages
PDF
3 2000-11-02 ANSWER
[ see first page and extracted highlights below  ] ItemID: 101010
12 pages
PDF
4 2000-10-11 NOMINAL DEFENDANTS REPLY BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF THEIR MOTION TO STAY
[ see first page and extracted highlights below  ] ItemID: 102334
13 pages
PDF
5 2000-09-29 PLAINTIFFS ANSWERING BRIEF IN OPPOSITION TO NOMINAL DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR STAY
[ see first page and extracted highlights below  ] ItemID: 102335
15 pages
PDF
6 2000-09-20 NOMINAL DEFENDANTS OPENING BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF MOTION TO STAY
[ see first page and extracted highlights below  ] ItemID: 102336
15 pages
PDF
7 2000-07 COMPLAINT
[ see first page and extracted highlights below  ] ItemID: 101011
33 pages
PDF
Total Documents: 7 documents , 135 pages
Price: $ 49.95


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1 . ANSWER

EXTRACTED KEY WORDS
PARAGRAPH
DENY
MILSTEIN
RESPONSE
AVER
LAW
DEFENDANTS
BROKERAGE
EDWARD
PHILIP MILSTEIN
DOUGLAS ELLIMAN
BROKERAGE BUSINESS
REAL ESTATE
HOWARD
INFORMATION SUFFICIENT
YORK
INDIVIDUAL DEFENDANTS
ADMIT
REPEAT
REALLEGE
FULLY SET
COURT
RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE
INSURANCE BROKERAGE
PLAINTIFF
TRUTH
MANAGEMENT
MIGLIN-BEITLER
TRANSACTION
         IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE

                             IN AND FOR NEW CASTLE COUNTY


PHILIP L. MILSTEIN, derivatively on behalf of :
DE COMMERCIAL, INC. and DEC INSURANCE:
BROKERAGE CORP.,

                                  Plaintiff,
                                                              C.A. No. 18180 (NCC)
                -against-

HOWARD P. MILSTEIN and
EDWARD L. MILSTEIN,
                                  Defendants,

                - and -

DE COMMERCIAL, INC. and
DEC INSURANCE BROKERAGE CORP.,

                                  Nominal Defendants.



                                                ANSWER

                Defendants, Howard P. Milstein and Edward L. Milstein (the "Individual

Defendants"), by the undersigned attorneys, for their Answer to the Amended Complaint,

state as follows:

                1.         Deny the allegations contained in paragraph 1 of the Amended

Complaint, except to the extent that paragraph 1 of the Amended Complaint contains

conclusions of law to which no response is required, and admit that plaintiff purports to

assert derivative claims pursuant to the common law theory set forth therein. The

Individual Defendants further aver that the Boards of Directors of DE Commercial, Inc

and DEC Insurance Brokerage Corp. (the "Companies") have determined that it is in the



                                                  -l-
SNIPPETS:
  • IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
  • PHILIP L. MILSTEIN, derivatively on behalf of: DE COMMERCIAL, INC. and DEC INSURANCE:
  • DEC INSURANCE BROKERAGE CORP.,
  • Howard P. Milstein and Edward L. Milstein (the "Individual
  • Defendants"), by the undersigned attorneys, for their Answer to the Amended Complaint,
  • conclusions of law to which no response is required, and admit that plaintiff purports to
  • assert derivative claims pursuant to the common law theory set forth therein.
  • Individual Defendants further aver that the Boards of Directors of DE Commercial,
  • and DEC Insurance Brokerage Corp. have determined that it is in the
  • Deny the allegations contained in paragraph 2 of the Amended
  • Admit the allegations contained in paragraph 4 of the Amended
  • Douglas Elliman Commercial).
  • except aver that Howard P. Milstein was the Chairman of the Boards of the
  • as to which no response is required.
  • Deny having knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief
  • as to the truth of the allegations contained in the second and third sentences of paragraph
  • Philip Milstein requested certain financial information concerning the Companies
  • Complaint, except aver that under the Individual Defendants' management, revenues of
  • the Companies' residential real estate brokerage business increased
  • York Islanders National Hockey League franchise in or about February 1998,
  • an audit of the Companies and that the Douglas Elliman residential real estate brokerage
  • transaction and that Defendants responded to Plaintiffs request for information by stating
  • in Miglin-Beitler Management Corporation;
  • Repeat and reallege their responses to paragraphs 1 through 39 of
  • the Amended Complaint as if fully set forth herein.

  • 2 . AMENDED COMPLAINT

    EXTRACTED KEY WORDS
    PHILIP MILSTEIN
    SHAREHOLDERS
    ASSETS
    BROKERAGE
    HOWARD
    EDWARD MILSTEIN
    VENTURES
    INSURANCE BROKERAGE
    BUSINESS
    PLAINTIFF
    DOUGLAS ELLIMAN
    SALE
    DELAWARE
    COURT
    EXPENSES
    HM/EM VENTURES
    REAL ESTATE
    FIDUCIARY DUTIES
    ADVISORY SERVICES BUSINESS
    HMIEM VENTURES
    MISAPPROPRIATION
    PARTNERSHIP
    FIDUCIARY DUTY
    INVESTMENT
    INTEREST-FREE
    OPERATING ASSETS
    CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY
    RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE
    FRIEDMAN REALTY
    
              IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
    
                             IN AND FOR NEW CASTLE COUNTY
    
    
    
    PHILIP L. MILSTEIN, derivatively on behalf of DE)
    COMMERCIAL, INC. and DEC INSURANCE
    BROKERAGE CORP.,
    
                                 Plaintiff,
    
                  V.
                                                              Civil Action No. 18180 (NCC)
    HOWARD P. MILSTEIN AND EDWARD L.
    MILSTEIN,
                                 Defendants.
    
    
    
                  and
    
    DE COMMERCIAL, INC. AND
    DEC INSURANCE BROKERAGE CORP.
    
                          Nominal Defendants.
    
    
    
                                    AMENDED
                                    COMPLAINT
    
                  Plaintiff, Philip L. Milstein, for his derivative complaint as a shareholder
    
    against defendants on behalf of the nominal defendants, by his attorneys, Potter Anderson &
    
    Corroon LLP and Cahill Gordon & Reindel, alleges as follows:
    
    
    
                                         Naliulre  of the Actio!
    
                   1.      For several years., the assets of DE Commercial, Inc. ("DE Commer-
    
    cial") and DEC Insurance Brokerage Corp. ("DEC Insurance") (colle:ctively,  the "Companies")
    
    have been explioited by defendants Howard and Edward Milstein (each a director, officer and
    
    20% sharehold.er)  for their personal benefit at the expense of the Companies and the other
    
    SNIPPETS:
  • IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
  • HOWARD P. MILSTEIN AND EDWARD L. MILSTEIN,
  • AND DEC INSURANCE BROKERAGE CORP.
  • Nominal Defendants.
  • Plaintiff, Philip L. Milstein, for his derivative complaint as a shareholder
  • For several years., the assets of DE Commercial, Inc. and DEC Insurance Brokerage Corp.
  • Through their systematic misuse of the Companies assets to prop up their failed
  • sports ventures, and to fund other investments, defendants have betrayed their fiduciary
  • Howard and Edward Milstein have treated the assets of the Companies
  • have caused the Companies to advance in the aggregate, on an interest-free basis, more than
  • $80 million on behalf of the HM/EM Ventures.
  • commercial real estate leasing and management firm based in Chicago.
  • seized a valuable corporate opportunity in the Companies'
  • line of business without first offering it to the Companies; sold off substantially all of the
  • Companies' operating assets without either board or shareholder approval, and, on information
  • misappropriated for themselves a major asset of the Companies-the Douglas Elliman
  • and wrongfully withheld monies available for distribution to the shareholders so
  • and constructed a purposefully opaque accounting system which obscured the cash flows between
  • a New York partnership which
  • The Court has jurisdiction over the maners complained of herein pursuant to 8 Del.
  • First, the New York residential real estate mark.et had entered a boom cycle in 1997,
  • records to ful fi 11 his statutory and fiduciary duties as a director of a Delaware
  • Milstein with breach of fiduciary duty claims.
  • (4 Over-reserved funds, purportedly for future operating expenses, following the sale of
  • defendants' private ventures, millions o-f dollars in cash would have Ibeen available for
  • Commencing in the fall of 1997, defendants commenced efforts to establish a line of business
  • To that end, in the fall of 1997, defendants entered into negotiations to acquire an interest
  • Misappropriation of the Companies' Midtown Manhattan Leasehold

  • 3 . ANSWER

    EXTRACTED KEY WORDS
    PARAGRAPH
    ALLEGATIONS CONTAINELI
    DENY
    MILSTEIN
    RESPONSE
    AVER
    LAW
    DEFENDANTS
    INDIVIDUAL DEFENDANTS
    FULLY SET
    PHILIP MILSTEIN
    DOUGLAS ELLIMAN
    INFORMATION SUFFICIENT
    BROKERAGE BUSINESS
    DISTRIBUTION
    REPEAT
    REALLEGE
    EDWARD
    PLAINTIFF
    TRUTH
    REAL ESTATE
    STOCKHOLDERS
    DIRECTORS
    ESTATE BROKERAGE BUSINESS
    FIRST SENTENCE
    PAYMENTS
    MIGLIN-BEITLER
    SPECIAL MEETINGS
    MANAGEMENT
    
                 IN THE COIJRT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE                                    
                                                                                                      
                                                                                                       
                                   IN AND FOR NEW CASTLE COUNTY
    
    
    
    PHILIP L. MILSTEIN, individually and deriva-
    tively on behalf of DE COMMERCIAL, INC.
    and DEC 1:NSURANCE BROKERAGE CORP.,
    
                                     Plaintiff,
                                                                   Civil ActionNo.  18180-NC
                   -against-
    
    HOWARD P. MILSTEIN  and
    EDWARD  L. MILSTEIN,
                                     Defendants.
    
                   - and -
    
    DE COMMERCIAL, INC. and
    DEC INSURANCE  BROISERAGI~  CORP..
    
                                     Nominal Defendants,.
    
    
    
                                                    ANSWER
                                                    -    -    -
    
                   Defendants, Howard P. Milstein and Edward L. Milstein (the "Individual
    
    Defendants"), by the undersigned attorneys, for their Answer to the Complaint, state as follows:
    
                   1.         Deny the allegations contained  in paragraph 1 of the Complaint, except to
    
    the extent that paragraph 1 of the Complaint contains conclusions of law to which no response is
    
    required, and admit that plaintiff purports to assert individual and derivative claims pursuant to
    
    the common law theory set fclrth therein. The Individual Defendants further aver that the Boards
    
    of Directors of DE Commerci~al,  Inc. and DEC Insurance Brokerage Corp. (the "Companies")
    
    have determined that it is in the best interests of the Companies to appoint special litigation
    
    
    
    
    SNIPPETS:
  • PHILIP L. MILSTEIN, individually and derivatively on behalf of DE COMMERCIAL, INC. and DEC
  • Howard P. Milstein and Edward L. Milstein (the "Individual
  • Defendants"), by the undersigned attorneys, for their Answer to the Complaint, state as
  • the extent that paragraph 1 of the Complaint contains conclusions of law to which no response
  • and admit that plaintiff purports to assert individual and derivative claims pursuant to
  • the common law theory set fclrth therein.
  • The Individual Defendants further aver that the Boards
  • deny that .the Companies are the general partners of DE Commercial and aver that the Companies
  • Deny the allegations contained in paragraph 10 of the Complaint,
  • Deny having knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the
  • Philip Milstein shortly thereafter.
  • real estate brokerage business ("Douglas Elliman") increased in 1998 from 1997 due to a number
  • truth of the allegations contained in the first sentence of paragraph 13 of the Complaint and
  • Elliman residential real estate brokerage business was sold in June 1999.
  • Companies, that such payments t'otaled $180,000 ar.d that $70,000 of this amount was repaid to
  • Miglin-Beitler Management Corporation; that Miglin-Beitler is a Chicagobased real estate
  • co .msel's iadvice and that, on May 6,2000, the Boards of Directors of the Companies (the
  • Deny the allegations contained in the first sentence of paragraph 35 of the
  • adopted resolutions authorizing the Companies to distribute additional funds to stockholders
  • the Individual Defendants received their pro rata portion of the distribution.
  • resolutions adopted by the Boards of the Companies at the March 6,200O special meetings.
  • Repeat and reallege their responses to paragraphs 1 through 4 1 of the
  • Complaint as if fully set f011.h herein.
  • Deny the allegations containeli in paragraph 58 of the Complaint,

  • 4 . NOMINAL DEFENDANTS REPLY BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF THEIR MOTION TO STAY

    EXTRACTED KEY WORDS
    LITIGATION
    DEL
    DERIVATIVE CLAIMS
    TLC
    DISCOVERY
    DEFENDANTS
    SPECIAL LITIGATION
    LITIGATION COMMITTEE
    MOTION
    DIRECTORS
    COURT
    DELAWARE
    CARLTON
    INVESTMENTS
    TLC BEATRICE
    HOLDINGS
    BELONGS
    INDEPENDENCE
    COMPLAINT
    SLC
    PERMIT
    CHANCERY
    ZAPATA
    INSURANCE
    AUTHORITY
    BROWN
    DISPUTE
    NATURE
    LAWYERS
    
               IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
    
                         IN AND FOR NEW CASTLE COUNTY
    
    PHILIP L . MILSTEIN, individually:
    and derivatively on behalf of       .
    DE COMMERCIAL, INC. and DEC         :
    INSURANCE BROKERAGE CORP.,          :
                                        :
                      Plaintiff,        :
                                        :
         V.                             : Civil Action No. 18180
                                        :
    HOWARD I. MILSTEIN AND              :
    EDWARD L .  MILSTEIN,               ::
                      Defendants,       ::
         and                            ::                          .
    DE COMMERCIAL, INC. and
    DEC INSURANCE BROKERAGE CORP.,                                  --
                                                                         :
                      Nominal                                       c -,
                                                                    _
                      Defendants.
    
                        NOMINAL DEFENDANTS' REPLY BRIEF
                       IN SUPPORT OF THEIR MOTION TO STAY
    
                                      MORRIS, NICHOLS, ARSHT & TUNNELL
                                      A. Gilchrist Sparks, III
                                      S. Mark Hurd
                                      1201 N. Market Street
                                      P.O. Box 1347
                                      Wilmington, DE 19899-1347
                                      (302) 658-9200
    OF COUNSEL:                         Attorneys for Nominal Defendants
    
    Greg A. Danilow
    Robert F. Carangelo
    WEIL, GOTSHAL & MANGES LLP
    767 Fifth Avenue
    New York, NY 10153
    (212) 310-8000
    
    October 11, 2000
    
    
    
                                                                          1.
    
    
    SNIPPETS:
  • IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
  • Defendants,::
  • IN SUPPORT OF THEIR MOTION TO STAY
  • THE DERIVATIVE CLAIMS SHOULD BE STAYED
  • PENDING COMPLETION OF THE SPECIAL LITIGATION
  • Corp., Del.
  • Carlton Investments v. TLC Beatrice Int'l mldinqs, Inc., Del.
  • Zapata Corp. v. Maldonado,
  • Inc. and DEC Insurance Brokerage
  • re.Erain from litigating such claims belongs to the Boards of
  • Plaintiff further concedes that the Companies'
  • Boards of Directors validly delegated full authority over such
  • does not and cannot challenge the independence of Messrs.
  • Brown to make recommendations regarding the appropriate action
  • the Companies' Boards formed the SLC
  • Given the personal nature of the current dispute
  • this is an ideal case to permit qualified and independent
  • Plaintiff does not dispute that under Delaware law
  • creating a special litigation committee,
  • repeatedly characterizes this claim as a "legal" claim in his complaint, he now asserts he
  • lawyers for plaintiff, lawyers for defendants, lawyers for the
  • TLC BEATRICE INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC., LOIDA NICOLAS:

  • 5 . PLAINTIFFS ANSWERING BRIEF IN OPPOSITION TO NOMINAL DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR STAY

    EXTRACTED KEY WORDS
    PHILIP
    DEFENDANTS
    HOWARD
    PLAINTIFF
    EDWARD
    INSURANCE BROKERAGE
    COURT
    COMPLAINT
    MOTION
    COUNSEL
    NOMINAL DEFENDANTS
    YORK
    SHAREHOLDER
    DISCOVERY
    DIRECTORS
    SLCS
    SPECIAL LITIGATION COMMITTEE
    PINE STREET
    CHANCELLOR BROWN
    OPPOSITION
    POTTER ANDERSON
    MARKET STREET
    HERCULES PLAZA
    FLOOR JONATHAN
    CAHILL GORDON
    REINDEL
    WILMINGTON
    ATTORNEYS
    ALLEGATIONS
    
                IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE                         S?,?>
    
                                  IN AND FOR NEW CASTLE COUNTY
    
    
    PHILIP L. MILSTEIN, individually and
    derivatively on behalf of DE
    COMMERCIAL, INC. and DEC
    INSURANCE BROKERAGE CORP.,
    
                    Plaintiff,
                                                         Civil Action No. 18180  (NCC)
                    V.
    
    HOWARD P. MILSTEIN and EDWARD
    L. MILSTEIN,
    
                 Defendants,
    
                 and
    
    DE COMMERCIAL, INC. and. DEC
    INSURANCE BROKERAGE  sCORP.,
    
                 Nominal Defendants.
    
    
                          PLAINTIF:F'S  ANSWERING BRIEF IN OPPOSITION
                          TO NOMIl~DEFENDANTS'  MOTION FOR STAY
    
                                                   POTTER ANDERSON & CORROON LLP
                                                      Robert K. l'ayson
                                                      Philip A. R,.ovner
       OF COUNSEL:                                    13 13 Market Street
                                                      Hercules Plaza, 6th Floor
       Jonathan D. Thier                              P.O. Box 951
       CAHILL GORDON & REINDEL                        Wilmington, DE 19899-0951
       Eighty Pine Street                             (302) 984-6000
       New Y'ork,  New York 10005-1702
                                                   Attorneys for Plaintiff
                                                   Philip L. Milstein
    
       Dated: September 29, 2000
    
    
    
                                                                                                  
    
    
    
    SNIPPETS:
  • IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
  • PHILIP L. MILSTEIN, individually and derivatively on behalf of DE COMMERCIAL, INC. and DEC
  • Nominal Defendants.
  • PLAINTIF:F'S ANSWERING BRIEF IN OPPOSITION
  • TO NOMIl~DEFENDANTS' MOTION FOR STAY
  • POTTER ANDERSON & CORROON LLP
  • Philip A. R,.ovner OF COUNSEL:
  • 13 13 Market Street
  • Hercules Plaza, 6th Floor Jonathan D. Thier
  • P.O. Box 951 CAHILL GORDON & REINDEL
  • Wilmington, DE 19899-0951 Eighty Pine Street
  • 984-6000 New Y'ork, New York 10005-1702
  • Attorneys for Plaintiff
  • WITH DISCOVERY IN THIS CASE.
  • percent shareholder and a director of DE Commercial and a forty percent shareholder and a
  • Prior to the formation of the Special Litigation Committee,
  • Commercial had five directors and DEC Insurance
  • Howard Milstein and Edward Milstein, directors of both companies,
  • Following the a:ppointment of the SLCs, the Comparlies moved for a stay of these

  • 6 . NOMINAL DEFENDANTS OPENING BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF MOTION TO STAY

    EXTRACTED KEY WORDS
    DIRECTORS
    DEFENDANTS
    LITIGATION
    DERIVATIVE CLAIMS
    COMMITTEE
    INSURANCE
    SPECIAL LITIGATION
    PLAINTIFF
    STOCKHOLDERS
    DELAWARE
    BROWN
    ALLEGED WRONGDOING
    COURT
    INDIVIDUAL DEFENDANTS
    SLC
    CHANCERY
    MILSTEIN
    INSURANCE BROKERAGE
    NOMINAL DEFENDANTS
    PENDING
    KAPLAN
    DISCOVERY
    DISTRIBUTION
    EXECUTE
    GUARANTEE
    ASSERTS
    BUSINESS
    REASONS
    EXHIBIT
    
                IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
    
                          IN AND FOR NEW CASTLE COUNTY
    
    PHILIP  1;. MILSTEIN, individually:
    and derivatively on behalf of
    DE COMMERCIAL, INC. and DEC
    INSURANCE BROKERAGE CORP.,
    
                       Plaintiff,
                                        :
         V.                             :    Civil Action No. 18180
    
    HOWARD I?. MILSTEIN AND             :
    EDWARD  1;. MILSTEIN,               :
    
                       Defendants,
    
         and
    
    DE COMMERCIAL, INC. and
    DEC INSURANCE BROKERAGE CORP.,
    
                       Nominal
                       Defendants.
    
                        NOMINAL DEFENDANTS' OPENING BRIEF
                       IN SUPPORT OF THEIR MOTION TO STAY
    
                                      MORRIS, NICHOLS, ARSHT  & TUNNELL
                                      A. Gilchrist Sparks, III
                                      S. Mark Hurd
                                      1201 N. Market Street
                                      P.O. Box 1347
                                      Wilmington, DE    19899-1347
                                      (302) 658-9200
    OF COUNSEL:                         Attorneys for Nominal Defendants
    
    Greg A. Danilow
    Robert  F. Carangelo
    WEIL, GOTSHAL  & MANGES  LLP
    767 Fifth Avenue
    New York, NY      10153
    (212) 310-8000
    
    September 20, 2000
    
    
    
    
    SNIPPETS:
  • IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
  • MILSTEIN, individually: and derivatively on behalf of DE COMMERCIAL, INC. and DEC
  • Defendants,
  • DEC INSURANCE BROKERAGE CORP.,
  • NOMINAL DEFENDANTS' OPENING BRIEF
  • THE DERIVATIVE CLAIMS SHOULD BE STAYED
  • PENDING COMPLETION OF THE SPECIAL LITIGATION
  • Co. v. Rockefeller, Del.
  • No. 6361, Brown, C. (Jan. 18,
  • Committees of their respective Boards of Directors (together,
  • the "SLC") and on behalf of the nominal defendants,
  • of the derivative claims in this action, including discovery, to
  • the time of any of the alleged wrongdoing and who have no prior
  • the plaintiff.
  • the individual defendants and at least ten third
  • each of the stockholders to execute a guarantee before receiving
  • special litigation committee process endorsed by the Delaware
  • See Kaplan v. Wyatt, Del.
  • the residential real estate brokerage and management business.
  • executed the appropriate guarantee approved by the Boards of Directors of the Companies have
  • unreasonable) (Exhibit C); Mount Moriah Cemetery v. Moritz,
  • his Complaint he asserts there is no "lega.
  • For all of thle foregoing reasons,

  • 7 . COMPLAINT

    EXTRACTED KEY WORDS
    SHAREHOLDERS
    PHILIP MILSTEIN
    ASSETS
    HOWARD
    EDWARD MILSTEIN
    INSURANCE BROKERAGE
    HM/EM VENTURES
    PLAINTIFF
    SALE
    DOUGLAS ELLIMAN
    COURT
    DELAWARE
    EXPENSES
    BUSINESS
    FIDUCIARY DUTIES
    DISTRIBUTION
    PARTNERSHIP
    MIGLIN-BEITLER
    CORROON LLP
    INVESTMENT
    REAL ESTATE
    TIMES PERTINENT HERETO
    POTTER ANDERSON
    INTEREST-FREE BASIS
    NFL FRANCHISE
    OPERATING ASSETS
    MISAPPROPRIATION
    ACCOUNTING
    CONNECTION
    
                IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
    
                                IN AND FOR NEW CASTLE COUNTY
    
    
    
    PHILIP L. MILSTEIN, individually and deriva-
    tively on behalf of DE COMMERCIAL, INC.
    and DEC INSURANCE BROKERAGE CORP.,
    
                                       Plaintiff,
                                                            i     Civil Action No. 1 8  1  m(NCC)
                           - against -                      )
    
    HOWARD P. MILSTEIN AND EDWARD L.
    MILSTEIN,
    
                                       Defendants,
    
    
                            - and -
    
    DE COMMERCIAL, INC. AND
    DEC INSURANCE BROKERAGE CORP.
                                                                                         i       -.
    
                                                                                         ---          
                                       Nominal Defendants. )
                                                            1
    
    
    
                                                     COMPLAINT
    
                   Plaintiff, Philip L. Milstein, for his individual complaint against defendants,
    
    and his derivative complaint as a shareholder against defendants on behalf of the nominal de-
    
    fendants, by his attorneys, Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP and Cahill Gordon & Reindel,
    
    alleges as follows:
    
    
    
                                         Nature of the Action
    
                   1.      For several years, the assets of DE Commercial, Inc. ("DE Commer-
    
    cial") and DEC Insurance Brokerage Corp. ("DEC Insurance") (collectively, the "Companies")
    
    SNIPPETS:
  • IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
  • PHILIP L. MILSTEIN, individually and derivatively on behalf of DE COMMERCIAL, INC. and DEC
  • HOWARD P. MILSTEIN AND EDWARD L. MILSTEIN,
  • Plaintiff, Philip L. Milstein, for his individual complaint against defendants,
  • and his derivative complaint as a shareholder against defendants on behalf of the nominal
  • For several years, the assets of DE Commercial, Inc. and DEC Insurance Brokerage Corp.
  • Plaintiff Philip Milstein brings this action both individually and derivatively as
  • Philip Milstein; Philip's sister, Constance; Philip's father, Seymour; and Howard and Edward's
  • Howard and Edward Milstein have treated the assets of the Companies
  • have caused the Companies to advance in the aggregate, on an interest-free basis, more than
  • $80 million on behalf of the HM/EM Ventures.
  • commercial real estate leasing and management firm based in Chicago.
  • line of business without first offering it to the Companies; sold off substantially all of the
  • Companies' operating assets without either board or shareholder approval, and, on information
  • misappropriated for themselves a major asset of the Companies -the Douglas Elliman
  • name - for use by one of the HM/EM Ventures; and wrongfully withheld monies available for
  • and constructed a purposefully opaque accounting system which obscured the cash flows between
  • at all times pertinent hereto was a director and shareholder of the Companies.
  • a New York partnership which
  • The Court has jurisdiction over the matters complained of herein pursuant to 8 Del.
  • Late in 1998, the defendants commenced their expensive, yet unavailing, effort to acquire the
  • records to fulfill his statutory and fiduciary duties as a director of a Delaware corporation.
  • (4 Over-reserved funds, purportedly for future operating expenses, following the sale of
  • defendants' private ventures, millions of dollars in cash would have been available for
  • Miglin-Beitler Management Corporation, a Chicago-based commercial real
  • In connection with the sale, the defendants madle a number of false representations.
  • the Companies' cash as their own personal credit line constituted a waste and
  •    |