2009 was a monumental year for reforming public company governance and disclosure practices. Though many changes have already taken place, more are expected, some that will have a significant impact on public companies. The volume of changes and the rate at which they are occurring are challenging even the most experienced corporate counsel to keep up.
The SEC has approved an important rule change by the NYSE regarding when brokers can vote shares they hold for their customers without instructions from the customer, which will affect shareholder voting at annual meetings this year.
The SEC is expected to adopt new rules requiring companies to include director nominations by shareholders in their proxy statements.
The SEC has proposed rule revisions intending to improve disclosure regarding compensation and corporate governance matters—including company leadership structure; qualifications of directors, executive officers and nominees; and the relationship of a company’s overall compensation policies to risk—when voting decisions are made.
This seminar will explore those issues and other related developments. Join the panel for a lively analysis of the interplay between the new SEC and stock exchange rules, on the one hand, and what public companies can do under the Delaware and Pennsylvania corporation laws to prepare for annual meetings under the new rules.
