However, Chief Justice Collins Seitz defended the award, stating that the potential for large fees incentivises lawyers to take on challenging cases. He noted the complexity of the litigation, which spanned two and a half years and involved nearly 100 defence lawyers. The ruling comes as Delaware courts grapple with balancing incentives for meaningful litigation against the risk of excessive awards. The state, which is the legal home to a majority of US publicly traded companies, has been encouraging plaintiffs' lawyers to pursue substantive cases rather than nuisance suits. The decision may have implications for other high-profile cases, including two involving Tesla. The electric car maker is currently fighting fee requests of $230 million in a case alleging director overpayment and around $7 billion in a case challenging chief executive officer Elon Musk's $56 billion pay package. While upholding the fee, the Delaware Supreme Court acknowledged public concerns about such large awards.