’Tis the season, and no, we do not mean the holiday season. Although it may seem like you just filed your 2018 proxy, the 2019 proxy season is upon us. This quick reference guide, which is intended to supplement Shearman &...more
12/21/2018
/ Board of Directors ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Cybersecurity ,
Diversity ,
Executive Compensation ,
Glass Lewis ,
Institutional Investors ,
Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) ,
Pay Ratio ,
Proxy Season ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Shareholder Proposals
Death, taxes and proxy season. Although it may seem like you just filed your 2017 proxy, the 2018 proxy season is on the horizon. This quick reference guide identifies considerations based on themes from 2017, offers...more
With the first required pay ratio disclosures only a few months away, the Commission, on September 21, 2017, issued an interpretative release intended to assist registrants in their compliance efforts. The guidance in the...more
On February 6, 2017, the SEC’s Acting Chairman, Michael S. Piwowar, issued a public statement requesting detailed comments on any “unexpected challenges” faced by issuers preparing to comply with the pay ratio disclosure rule...more
On January 22nd, Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”) updated its Frequently Asked Questions for US Executive Compensation Policies and US Equity Compensation Plans. The original FAQs were published on December 18,...more
Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”) recently finalized its Proxy Voting Guidelines (the “ISS Guidelines”) that apply to all shareholder meetings held after February 1, 2016. A number of the updates relate to...more
On October 28th, the Delaware Chancery Court, in Espinoza v. Zuckerberg, et al., held that stockholder ratification of a transaction that was approved by an interested board of directors must be accomplished formally through...more
11/3/2015
/ Controlling Stockholders ,
Corporate Governance ,
Delaware General Corporation Law ,
Directors ,
Executive Compensation ,
Facebook ,
First Impression ,
Mark Zuckerberg ,
Ratification ,
Self-Dealing ,
Shareholders ,
Written Consent
On August 5, 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission released final rules implementing the pay ratio disclosure requirements of Section 953(b) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The final...more
On July 1, 2015, in a 3-2 vote of commissioners cast along party lines, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) proposed rules to implement Section 954 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection...more
A recent Memorandum issued by the Office of Chief Counsel within the Internal Revenue Service demonstrates yet again the perils of failing to comply with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. The Memorandum takes the...more
On April 29, 2015, in a 3-2 vote of commissioners cast along party lines, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) proposed rules to implement Section 953(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer...more
On November 26, 2013, the NASDAQ Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) filed a proposal to amend its listing standards regarding compensation committee independence (the “Proposal”). The modifications would provide Nasdaq-listed companies...more
On October 21, 2013, Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”) published its key draft policy changes for the 2014 proxy season (the “Draft Policies”). There are only two proposed updates for the US, neither of which...more
On September 18, 2013, in a 3-2 vote of commissioners cast along party lines, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) proposed rules to implement Section 953(b) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer...more
In a case of apparent first impression regarding the impact of the shareholder voting provisions of Internal Revenue Code I.R.C. § 162(m)on state corporate law, Judge Sue L. Robinson of the U.S. District Court for the...more