Shareholder proposal rule
When finalizing proxy materials for annual shareholder meetings, companies should consider the following areas, which are described in more detail below: - SEC Proxy Filing Requirements - Proxy Statement Disclosures...more
Each year in our Annual Memo, White & Case's Public Company Advisory Group provides practical insights on preparing Annual Reports on Form 10-Ks, Annual Meeting Proxy Statements and, for FPIs, the Annual Report on Form 20-F....more
Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters are now the subject of significantly greater regulatory scrutiny and are becoming a more prominent part of public companies’ mandatory filings, shareholder proposals, and...more
Based on recent developments, we have additional items to supplement our October 10, 2022 post, which highlighted key considerations for the 2022 proxy and annual report season....more
Companies are beginning to look ahead to the upcoming 2023 proxy and annual reporting season, and there are a number of key issues to consider as preparations commence. This alert provides an overview of these issues and...more
Companies have important decisions to make as they prepare for the 2023 annual meeting and reporting season. We have compiled this overview of key issues — including SEC disclosure requirements, recent SEC guidance,...more
As companies look ahead to the upcoming proxy and annual report season, the SEC has generated a number of new items to add to your compliance checklist. Those items, along with a few other “hot topics,” include the...more
Location/Format of Annual Meeting. Given the continuing uncertainty surrounding the constantly evolving COVID-19 pandemic situation, an important decision for companies as we head into the proxy season will be the format of...more
Updated – On August 6, 2021, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved Nasdaq’s Board Diversity Rules (the “Rules”). The Rules require Nasdaq-listed companies to have or explain why they do not have at least two...more
This comprehensive report covers trends in stockholder voting at annual meetings in the 2020 proxy season among the technology and life sciences companies included in the Fenwick – Bloomberg Law Silicon Valley 150 List (SV...more
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has amended its rules governing the procedural requirements for submission and resubmission of shareholder proposals to be included in a company’s proxy statement under Rule 14a-8....more
These are unprecedented times, and companies are facing important issues as they navigate the current economic, political, and social climate. The COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter movement have put the spotlight on...more
With annual reports on Form 10-K publicly filed and first quarter earnings releases getting underway, proxy season – the annual practice of filing and distributing proxy statements, reserving meeting venues and courting...more
The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, is impacting every aspect of doing business, and annual meetings of shareholders are no exception. Each corporation is required by state corporation law, and usually its own bylaws, to hold...more
In light of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”), the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) recently released guidance to assist public companies with their upcoming annual shareholder meetings. As explained in the...more
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the responses of governments and societies to the crisis are having a profound impact on public companies and capital markets worldwide. Such companies, including those in the United...more
As social distancing policies and mandates continue to take hold across the country, companies are grappling to understand the implications of these measures on their business. One compliance issue to resolve is that...more
On March 13, 2020, the staff of the SEC’s Division of Investment Management and Division of Corporation Finance issued guidance in response to various inquiries from issuers and shareholders regarding compliance with the...more
On March 13, 2020, the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission issued guidance for conducting annual meetings in light of concerns caused by COVID-19....more
The SEC staff issues guidance to assist issuers with annual meeting changes to deal with the evolving COVID-19 situation, but SEC regulations are not the only concerns companies have to address. Some companies may have to...more
In response to developments related to COVID-19, the Securities and Exchange Commission has issued new guidance (available here) to assist public companies, investment companies, shareholders, and other market participants...more
In an effort to limit exposure and contain Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19), public companies are monitoring developments in the outbreak and announcements from public health authorities and federal, state, and local...more
I live and work in the Seattle area. As a result of COVID-19, school districts are now closed for 6 weeks, Seattle public libraries are closed for a month, a number of restaurants have closed for the time being and my beloved...more
The profound impact of the measures being taken to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) is creating a host of issues for businesses and their employees. Legal concerns relate to corporate governance,...more
In a previous blog post, we discussed the availability of virtual shareholder meetings (i.e., “virtual-only” and “hybrid” meetings) as a potential alternative to the traditional in-person meeting during the 2020 proxy season...more