The School of Law and its Moot Court Honor Society are pleased to welcome competitors from 22 law schools around the country for Widener’s much-anticipated 24th annual Ruby R. Vale Interschool Corporate Moot Court Competition.The competition begins Thursday, March 15 and concludes with the final-round on Sunday, March 18 in the Ruby R. Vale Moot Courtroom. Widener’s competition introduces participants to the cutting edge of corporate law, an experience we are uniquely positioned to provide as Delaware’s law school. The school draws on the resources of its Institute of Delaware Corporate and Business Law, and on the depth of the state’s distinguished corporate legal community, to provide an unparalleled experience for the law students who travel here to compete. The event is hosted by Widener Law’s Moot Court Honor Society under the direction of the society’s executive board and competition chairperson Caleb Enerson.The Distinguished Scholar Lecture is an integral part of the competition and the society is honored to have as this year’s speaker the prominent merger and acquisition attorney Richard E. Climan, partner with Dewey &amp; Leboeuf. He practices in their Silicon Valley office in East Palo Alto, Calif.Climan will deliver a speech titled, “The Emerging Influence of Delaware Courts Outside the Realm of Corporate Law,” on Friday, March 16 at 4 p.m. in the Ruby R. Vale Moot Courtroom in the Main Law Building. The National Law Journal included Climan on its most recent list of the 100 most influential lawyers in America. In 2011, the International Who’s Who of Merger and Acquisition Lawyers named him one of the 10 most highly regarded merger and acquisition lawyers in the world.Lawrence A. Hamermesh, the Ruby R. Vale Professor of Corporate and Business Law and director of Widener’s Institute of Delaware Corporate &amp; Business Law, authored this year’s competition problem. It presents two major legal questions. First, it explores whether a charter provision can trump a director’s usual obligation to get the highest price in the sale of a company, by permitting directors to consider nonstockholder interests. Second, it questions whether a 2003 Delaware Supreme Court decision, Omnicare Inc. versus NCS Healthcare Inc., should be overruled in light of subsequent Chancery Court opinions that limit its application.“Widener Law's Moot Court Honor Society is extremely proud to once again be hosting the Ruby R. Vale Interschool Corporate Moot Court Competition,” Enerson said. “We are deeply indebted to Delaware's legal community, Widener alumni, faculty and fellow students, without whom this competition simply would not be possible. As 22 schools come from across the country to compete, we hope our 2012 event is a further tribute to Mr. Vale’s memory.”Members of the law school community are encouraged to attend Climan’s lecture on Friday, March 16 at 4 p.m. or watch the final round of competition on Sunday, March 18 at 2 p.m. Both events will be in the Ruby R. Vale Moot CourtroomThe final competition round will be judged by Climan, Delaware Supreme Court Justices Jack B. Jacobs and Henry duPont Ridgely and Delaware Court of Chancery Vice Chancellors John W. Noble and Sam Glasscock III.The competition is named for Ruby R. Vale, who lived in Milford, Del. and practiced law in Philadelphia. He was a well-respected corporate practitioner and a prolific writer who penned law review articles, books about legal philosophy, justice and the foundations of society. He is best remembered for his multi-volume work, “Vale's Pennsylvania Digest.” Vale died in 1961. “The law school is grateful to the Vale family and for the opportunities their generosity has made possible, such as this national competition,” Law Dean Linda L. Ammons said.This year’s competition participants come from the following law schools:
American University, Washington College of Law
Brooklyn Law School
Capital University Law School
Georgetown Law Center
Howard University School of Law
Louisiana State University
Marquette University Law School
Mississippi College School of Law
New York Law School
Seton Hall University 
The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
University of Cincinnati College of Law
University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law
University of Las Vegas – William S. Boyd School of Law
University of Miami School of Law
University of New Hampshire School of Law
University of Wisconsin
Tulane University Law School
Valparaiso University Law School 
Whittier Law School
William &amp; Mary Marshall Wythe School of Law
William Mitchell College of Law

