Turns out Vice-Chancellor Laster, who last month blocked a shareholder vote on Del Monte's LBO because of its financial adviser's conflict of interest, isn't the only Delaware jurist siding with shareholders. Vice-Chancellor Noble on Friday called a temporary halt to a shareholder vote on Qualcomm's acquisition of Atheros. And once again, the financial adviser's fee is at issue.

The chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit handed plaintiffs securities lawyers a partial victory Wednesday, while one of his protégés handed them a flat-out defeat.

The fight over the validity of so-called unfinished business claims in law firm bankruptcies is heating up in courts on both coasts this week.