Securities Law, Election & Politics Law, Business Organization

Swiss Voters Approve “Against the Rip-Off” Referendum Restricting Corporate Compensation

by Celia Joseph | Fisher & Phillips LLP on 5/15/2013

On March 3, 2013, voters in Switzerland approved a referendum providing one of the world’s most onerous restrictions regarding executive compensation. The referendum entitled, “Eidgenössische Volksinitiative ‘gegen die...more

Political Spending Disclosure Bill Set For First Committee Hearing Today

by Keith Paul Bishop | Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis... on 4/3/2013

In January, I wrote about Senator Noreen Evans bill, SB 121, that would require any corporation (as defined) that has shareholders located in California and that makes a contribution or expenditure (as defined)...more

Without An “Intelligible Principle” Can The SEC Adopt Political Spending Rules?

by Keith Paul Bishop | Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis... on 3/19/2013

In August 2011, Professor Lucian Bebchuk and nine other law professors submitted this petition asking that the Securities and Exchange Commission adopt rules requiring public companies to disclose to shareholders the use of...more

SEC Commissioner Emphasizes the Need for Robust Proxy Disclosure

by Paul S. Lawler | Holland & Knight LLP on 3/5/2013

On February 20, 2013, SEC Commissioner Luis A. Aguilar delivered a speech regarding the need for more robust disclosure in proxy statements and highlighted areas in which disclosure can be substantially improved....more

The Transparency Agenda: Section 1504 and Beyond

by Amy Lehr | Foley Hoag LLP - Corporate Social... on 2/12/2013

A number of significant briefs were filed recently with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in support of Section 1504 of the Dodd-Frank Act, which requires oil, gas, and mining issuers to report on their payments...more

Can Feds Force Companies to Disclose Political Spending? [Video]

by Bloomberg Law on 1/31/2013

Jan. 31 (Bloomberg Law) -- The SEC is considering a proposal by Robert Jackson, associate professor at Columbia Law School, that public companies be required to disclose their political spending. SEC staff members have said...more

"SEC Considering Disclosure of Political Activity Spending"

by Brian V. Breheny, Kenneth Gross, Ki Hong, Samuel Scrimshaw | Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP on 1/24/2013

On December 21, 2012, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) indicated in its semiannual regulatory agenda that the staff of the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance is considering whether to recommend that the...more

Will Congress' Dodd-Frank Mistake Harm Banks? [Video]

by Bloomberg Law on 1/10/2013

Jan. 10 (Bloomberg Law) -- Scott Cammarn, partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham and Taft, talks with Bloomberg Law's Lee Pacchia about a little known provision of Dodd-Frank that could end up costing foreign banks doing business...more

SEC Includes Disclosure Of Corporate Political Spending Rule In Unified Agenda – What Does It Mean?

by Keith Paul Bishop | Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis... on 1/10/2013

On August 3, 2011, a group of leading academics, including Harvard Law School Professor Lucian A. Bebchuk, submitted this petition for rulemaking to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The petitioners asked the SEC to...more

Improper Use of Televoting Overturns AGM Results

by Heenan Blaikie LLP on 11/28/2012

The recent victory on October 16, 2012, by a dissident slate of candidates for the board of directors of Mosquito Consolidated Gold Mines Limited (the Company) illustrates the potentially significant consequences that the...more

ISS Releases 2013 Voting Policy Updates: Two Key Changes on Director Voting Recommendations

by Craig D. Miller | Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP on 11/21/2012

On November 16, 2012, Institutional Shareholder Services ("ISS") released its 2013 "Corporate Governance Policy Updates and Process," which will be used in its proxy voting recommendations for this upcoming annual meeting...more

Pay-to-Play: Recent SEC Actions Highlight Importance of Compliance Controls

by Dechert LLP on 11/7/2012

I. Overview - Two recent actions by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and its staff highlight the importance of compliance controls with respect to political contributions and other political activities. In...more

Corporate Political Spending And Other Studies

by Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis... on 9/27/2012

Yesterday, Broc Romanek wrote this post about a new study from the Center for Political Accountability and the Zicklin Center for Business Ethics Research at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. This study...more

SEC Risk Alert on Pay-to-Play and MSRB

by Orrick - Structured Finance Group on 9/10/2012

On August 31, the SEC issued an alert on compliance with MSRB Rule G-37, which limits political contributions by municipal securities professionals to campaigns of public officials of issuers with whom they are doing or seek...more

New ‘National Examination Risk Alert’ Issued by the SEC Re: Compliance with Political Contribution ‘Pay-to-Play’ Rules in...

by Pepper Hamilton LLP on 9/10/2012

On August 31, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations issued a National Examination Risk Alert directed to improve compliance with Municipal Securities Rulemaking...more