Page 20 - Delaware Lawyer - Summer 2023

FEATURE
Court’s CCLD
The Hon. Joseph R. Slights III and Benjamin M. Potts
The Superior
A still-rising star in the world of high-stakes business litigation
During its young life, the Delaware Superior Court’s Complex Commercial Litigation Division (CCLD) has grown rapidly from a small, pioneering program into an established forum for high-stakes business disputes. The year 2022 saw almost 150 new cases filed in the CCLD — more than three times the number from 10 years earlier — and 2023 filings are currently on pace to eclipse that record.
What explains this success and growth, and how can Delaware’s judiciary and bar learn from it and continue to build on it? Below, we of- fer some thoughts on these questions, including by reviewing the CCLD’s origins, reflecting on the quality of its personnel, highlighting some of its key efficiencies, and discussing a recent ex- ample of the Court in action. As read- ers will quickly discern, we believe the
CCLD’s already-impressive track record is just the beginning, and its value to the citizens of Delaware and the world will only continue to increase over time.
Born of a Rich Tradition
The CCLD was created in 2010 to be a forum dedicated to resolving busi- ness disputes in the purely legal, as op- posed to equitable, realm. Before the CCLD’s creation, only one specialized
18 DELAWARE LAWYER SUMMER 2023