The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Act”)1 became law on July 21, 2010. The primary purpose of the Act is to identify and manage threats to the stability of the nation’s financial system, such as those that contributed to the economic downturn commencing in 2008. Many provisions of the Act require various regulatory bodies to draft, adopt, and implement regulations, and these will have a significant effect on the Act’s impact. This article summarizes the principal provisions of the Act that apply to U.S. public companies generally, not just to the financial services industry. These provisions are contained in Title IX of the Act and relate primarily to the following:...