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Since the beginning of the year, the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Division of Corporation Finance staff (Corp Fin Staff) has issued several important statements and interpretations, including a Staff Legal...more
For those who use “March Madness” to describe proxy season rather than basketball, they'll immediately know that the “economic relevance” exclusion under Rule 14a-8(i)(5) is something of a lore in the SEC's shareholder...more
Item 402(x) of Regulation S-K, introduced by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Dec. 14, 2022, and effective for 2024 proxy statements, requires that public companies disclose detailed information about...more
The SEC rescinded Staff Legal Bulletin No. 14L and issued updated guidance on the exclusion of shareholder proposals under Rule 14a-8 and certain other aspects of Rule 14a-8....more
The current proxy season presents new challenges and opportunities for U.S. companies as they face shifting expectations regarding board diversity. There are a number of notable developments. The Fifth Circuit Court of...more
The intense focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) following executive orders from President Donald Trump earlier this year are shifting the balance of pro- and anti-DEI proposals compared to the full 2024 proxy...more
On February 12, 2025, the staff of the Division of Corporation Finance (the “Staff”) of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) issued Staff Legal Bulletin No. 14M (“SLB 14M”), which rescinds in part...more
Only a short time has elapsed since President Trump named Mark T. Uyeda as Acting Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on January 21, 2025. Already, however, the regulatory climate has shifted significantly...more
Under the new administration, several shifts in E&S have impacted public companies across a number of different practice areas. In light of these developments, companies are taking a wide array of approaches to disclosure,...more
When finalizing proxy materials for annual shareholder meetings, we recommend that companies consider the recent changes to proxy disclosure requirements and other disclosure trends summarized in our December 11, 2024, client...more
As we reported in our Preparing for the 2025 Proxy Season client alert, Glass Lewis announced on February 18, 2025, that it was reviewing its diversity-related voting guidelines “in the face of the U.S. Administration’s...more
This Cooley Alert that I blogged about earlier today – penned by Brad Goldberg, Beth Sasfai, Luci Altman, and Michael Mencher – has been updated for this development...more
Public companies find themselves rethinking disclosures relating to the diversity of their board and their director recruitment practices as they head into proxy season, given recent developments – including the US Court of...more
Public companies navigating the 2025 proxy season just got some breathing room—at least when it comes to excluding certain shareholder proposals. Last week, the Staff of the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance—in a...more
Institutional Shareholder Services (“ISS”) and Glass Lewis have published their Canadian benchmark policy guidelines for the 2025 proxy season. Key updates focus on the board’s oversight of artificial intelligence (“AI”),...more
Welcome to the latest edition of Fenwick’s Securities Law Update. This issue contains updates and important reminders on...more
Companies with forthcoming annual report and proxy statement filings should consult with counsel regarding recent regulatory and legal developments related to diversity, equity and inclusion (“DEI”) initiatives and the...more
Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis, two leading proxy advisory firms, recently announced updates to their U.S. proxy voting policies in advance of the 2025 proxy and annual meeting season. Public...more
This Client Alert provides an overview of new developments and highlights key considerations for calendar year-end public companies preparing their Annual Reports on Form 10-K for 2024 and proxy statements for annual meetings...more
Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss...more
In preparation for the upcoming 2025 proxy season, issuers should familiarize themselves with the updated Canadian proxy voting guidelines recently published by Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (ISS) and Glass, Lewis &...more
Just in time for the commencement of proxy season we have this reminder from SEC Enforcement about disclosures of related-person transactions. Failure to properly report on a related-person transaction has been a subject of...more
Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”), a leading proxy advisory firm, recently updated its Executive Compensation Policy Frequently Asked Questions (“FAQs”). A full link to the ISS guidance can be found here....more
On November 14, 2024, Glass Lewis published its 2025 U.S. Benchmark Policy Guidelines (U.S. Guidelines), and its 2025 Shareholder Proposals & ESG-Related Benchmark Policy Guidelines (ESG Guidelines), both effective for...more
In 2025, the business environment will continue to be challenging, with increasing uncertainty and disruptions impacting companies and their employees. Emerging technologies are rapidly retooling, if not revolutionizing,...more