News of the approved merger between DuPont and Dow Chemical Co. cast a long shadow Dec. 11 in Delaware's legal community and beyond, with many bracing for the impact of a deal that could hit the First State especially hard.

Company officials announced the “all-stock merger of equals” early in the morning of Dec. 11, ending days of speculation concerning the pending deal.

The new company, named DowDuPont, will have dual headquarters in Midland, Michigan, where Dow is based, and in Wilmington. It will split into three publicly traded companies for agriculture, material science and specialty products. Dow Chief Executive Officer Andrew Liveris would be executive chairman, and DuPont CEO Edward D. Breen will retain his title.