Sean J. Bellew is a partner in the Litigation Department. He is a trial lawyer and serves as lead counsel on complex corporate and commercial litigation. He represents Delaware corporations and corporations doing business in Delaware in cases involving corporate control, corporate governance, statutory and contractual disputes, fiduciary duties, antitrust, and securities litigation.
Mr. Bellew has vast experience litigating before the Superior Court of Delaware, the Delaware Court of Chancery, U.S. District Courts, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, and numerous arbitration tribunals. He has appeared before and is familiar with almost every judge who sits on Delaware's five major courts (Supreme Court, Superior Court, Court of Chancery, U.S. District Court, and Bankruptcy Court).
Mr. Bellew also handles all aspects of bankruptcy and corporate reorganizations on behalf of debtors and creditors.
Representative Matters
- Successfully obtained a plaintiff’s verdict after jury trial in a case involving breach of contract, fraud, conversion, and misappropriation claims on behalf of his client in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware
- Attained a successful jury verdict after a five-day trial before the Delaware Superior Court defending mold-infestation claims against a building contractor
- Successfully defended a manufacturing company in connection with asbestos-related personal injury claims
- Secured an ex-parte temporary restraining order before the Delaware Court of Chancery, resulting in the grounding of a corporate aircraft about to leave the country before full payment under a purchase contract had been made
- Successfully argued before the Delaware Supreme Court in a case of first impression involving property damage claims
- Successfully argued before the Delaware Court of Chancery on behalf of a founder and member of a limited liability corporation in a case involving the violation of fiduciary duties of loyalty and care by entering into a self-interested merger on terms that were unfair to the client
- Secured a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction from the Delaware Court of Chancery that covered more than 90 employees based upon a competitor's misappropriation of trade secrets and violation of non-compete provisions of employment contracts; thereafter successfully tried the matter, resulting in final finding of misappropriation and tortious interference and an award of compensatory and exemplary damages and attorneys' fees
- Tried Section 220 (Books and Records) action before the Delaware Court of Chancery, resulting in a court order requiring comprehensive production of corporate documents
- Successfully defended an appraisal action on behalf of a major international real estate development company
- Obtained a favorable award in the defense of a seven-figure breach of contract claim after a four-day trial before the American Arbitration Association
Pro Bono Experience
Corporate counsel to the Autism Society of Delaware
Guardian ad litem for the Delaware Office of the Child Advocate
Corporate counsel to The Sorghum Fields Project
Judicial Clerkships
Hon. Sandra Schultz Newman, Pennsylvania Supreme Court
President Judge James Gardner Colins, Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania