J. Travis Laster
Partner

Direct Contact Information:
Phone: 302-778-1003
Fax: 302-261-0293
Cell: 302-750-5687
Email: Laster@AbramsLaster.com

Education:
University of Virginia School of Law,  J.D., 1995. 
Law School Alumni Association Award for Academic Excellence, Best Academic Record. 
Virginia Law Review, Articles Review Board (1994-1995), Editorial Board (1992-1994). 
Order of the Coif.

University of Virginia, M.A., 1996.

Princeton University, A.B., summa cum laude, 1991.

Professional Honors, Associations and Memberships:
Delaware State Bar Association
Virginia State Bar Association
American Bar Association
Editorial Board of the Delaware Law Review
Past chair of ABA Subcommittee on Investor Relations and Meetings of Stockholders
Past chair of Court of Chancery Rules Committee Subcommittee on E-Filing
Past member of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Council on the Corporation Law to Revise the Delaware Appraisal Statute

Publications, Speeches and Seminars:
Frequent speaker or panel member at seminars and continuing legal education courses.  Examples include the ABA Corporate Section Fall Meeting, the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, and the Delaware Bar Institute.

Author:

• "The Appraisal Remedy in Third Party Deals," Insights (April 2004)
• "The Omnicare Opinion:  A New Rule from Delaware", Insights (May 2003)
• "Omnicare Casts Doubt on a Controlling Stockholder Lock-Up When Combined With A Force-the-Vote Provision" Insights (January 2003)
• "Decision by Delaware Supreme Court Suggests That It May Be Time to Carefully Review Indemnification Provisions," Corporate Counsel Weekly (July, 2002)
• "Diluting a Controlling Shareholder," Insights (May, 2002)
• "Exposing a False Dichotomy: The Implication of the No-Talk Cases for the Time/Revlon Double Standard," 2 Del. L. Rev. 179 (2000)
• "Exorcising the Omnipresent Specter: The Impact of Substantial Equity Ownership on Unocal Analysis," 55 Bus Law. 109 (2000)
• "Liability of Directors of Acquiring Companies," Insights (Nov. 2000)
• "Can a Board Dilute a Majority Stockholder?" Corporate Counsel (Nov. 2000)
• "The Changing Rules of Takeover Defense," The Corporate Board (July/Aug. 2000)
• "An Appraiser By Any Other Name," Insights (May 1999)
• "Selecting A Forum To Reduce Y2K Risk," Insights (Mar. 1999)
• "The Line Item Veto and Unocal: Can a Bidder Qua Bidder Pursue Unocal Claims Against a Target Corporation's Board of Directors?" 53 Bus. Law. 767 (1998)
• "The Year 2000 Problem: Preparing to Defend Shareholder Derivative Suits," Corporate Gov. Advisor (Sept./Oct. 1998)
• "The Role of the Victim's Conduct in Assessing Fault under the Lex Aquilia," 25 Anglo-American L. Rev. 188 (1996)
• "Pierce v. Martin: When Two Good Rules Make Bad Law," 8 J. of Civil Litig. 9 (1996)
• "Pure Comparative Negligence: The Choice for Virginia," VTLA Journal 34 (Summer 1994).

Co-Author:

• "Improving the 'Tools at Hand':  Recent Delaware Books and Records Decisions," Insights (Jan. 2005)
• "Tooley v. Donaldson: Simplifying the Direct/Derivative Distinction," Insights (June 2004)
• "The 'Duty to Monitor' and the Private Lives of Officers and Directs," Insights (Mar. 2004)
• "The Evolving Judicial Review of Squeeze-Out Transactions by Controlling Stockholders," Insights (April 2003)
• "A Warning Shot For Directors," Insights (February 2003)
• "The Return of The Market Check," Insights (June 2001)
• "Appraisal Rights in Mergers & Consolidations" (2001)
• "Practical Lessons for MBO Transactions," Insights (Mar. 2001)
• "Equity Ownership and the Duty of Care: Convergence, Revolution or Evolution," 55 Bus. Law. 661 (2000)
• "Professor Coates Is Right. Now Please Study Stockholder Voting," 54 U. Miami L. Rev. 819 (2000)
• "The Lessons of Chesapeake Corp. v. Shore," Insights (Apr. 2000)
• "The Risk of Invoking the Attorney-Client Privilege in a Corporate Control Dispute," Insights (Mar. 1999)
• "A Mentor's Teachings: Lessons and Implications of the Delaware Dead Hand Decisions," M&A Lawyer (Feb. 1999)
• "Delaware Supreme Court Significantly Limits Ability to Obtain Damages for Disclosure Violations," Insights (May 2006)
• "Delaware Courts Impose Liability on Disloyal Directors," Insights (July 2006)
• "Abraham v. Emerson Radio: Duties of a Controlling Stockholder in a Sale of Control," M&A Lawyer (Sept. 2006)
• "An End to "Deepening Insolvency" as a Theory of Director Liability," Insights (Sept. 2006)

Bar Admissions:
Delaware
Virginia
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
United States District Court for the District of Delaware

Before Abrams & Laster:
Director, Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A., 2002-2005.
Associate, Richards Layton & Finger, P.A., 1996-2002.
Law Clerk to The Honorable Jane R. Roth, United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 1995-1996.

Outside of Abrams & Laster:
Adjunct Professor, University of Virginia School of Law (courses on Takeover Litigation).