Delaware Class Action Litigation. On June 21, 2021, Mcbreakley Pluviose filed a class action complaint (Civil Action No. 2021-0541-LWW, the “Pluviose Complaint”) in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware against Loral, the Individual Defendants, MHR and MHR Holdings LLC (collectively, the “Class Action Defendants”). On July 13, 2021, Diana Butchko filed a class action complaint (Civil Action No. 2021-0597-LWW, the “Butchko Complaint,” and, together with the Pluviose Complaint, the “Delaware Complaints”) in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware against the Class Action Defendants.
The Delaware Complaints alleged, among other things, that the Transaction is substantively and procedurally unfair to Loral’s public stockholders. Each of the Delaware Complaints sought, among other things, a judgment declaring that the Transaction violated Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) and that Loral’s shareholder rights plan was unenforceable; converting into non-voting shares of Telesat Corporation the shares that Dr. Rachesky and MHR receive in the Transaction in exchange for their shares of Loral non-voting common stock; finding the Individual Defendants, and Dr. Rachesky and MHR as controlling stockholders, liable for breaching their fiduciary duties owed to plaintiff and the class; enjoining the Loral stockholder vote on the Transaction unless and until it is subject to a vote under DGCL Section 203; and awarding to plaintiff and the class, damages, together with pre-and post-judgment interest, costs, expenses and disbursements of the action, including all reasonable attorneys’, accountants’ and experts’ fees, and such other relief as the court deems just and equitable.
On July 15, 2021, plaintiffs in the above-described Delaware lawsuits, with court approval, voluntarily dismissed their lawsuits.
Other and Routine Litigation
Other than as set forth above, we are not currently subject to any legal proceedings that, if decided adversely, could have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations. In the future, however, we may become subject to legal proceedings and claims, either asserted or unasserted, that may arise in the ordinary course of business or otherwise.
14. Related Party Transactions
MHR Fund Management LLC
Mark H. Rachesky, President and Chief Investment Officer of MHR, and Janet T. Yeung, a principal and the General Counsel of MHR, are members of Loral’s board of directors.
Various funds affiliated with MHR and Dr. Rachesky held, as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, approximately 39.9% of the outstanding voting common stock and 58.4% of the combined outstanding voting and non-voting common stock of Loral.
Transactions with Affiliates
Telesat
Transaction Agreement. On November 23, 2020, Loral entered into the Transaction Agreement with Telesat, Telesat Partnership, Telesat Corporation, Telesat CanHoldco, Merger Sub, PSP and Red Isle, under which Merger Sub will merge with and into Loral, with Loral surviving the Merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of Telesat Partnership, and Loral stockholders receiving common shares of Telesat Corporation and/or units of Telesat Partnership that will be exchangeable for common shares of Telesat Corporation following the expiration of a six-month lock-up period.
On June 24, 2021, pursuant to Section 12.8 of the Transaction Agreement, Loral, with the approval of the special committee of the board of directors of Loral, entered into Amendment No. 1 to the Transaction Agreement (“Amendment No. 1”) with the parties thereto, that replaced all references to Colin Watson in the Transaction Agreement with references to Clare Copeland, the transferee of the Transit Director Voting Preferred Shares (as defined in the Transaction Agreement) formerly held by the estate of Colin Watson.