On May 1, 2024, the Delaware Supreme Court issued its decision in City of Sarasota Firefighters’ Pension Fund v. Inovalon Holdings, Inc., reversing the Delaware Court of Chancery’s dismissal of the case under the MFW...more
As we enter the 2024 proxy season, we are providing our annual memorandum to call your attention to certain matters of Maryland law, some new and some continuing, relating to proxy materials and annual meetings about which we...more
In re Mindbody Inc., Stockholder Litigation, C.A. No. 2019-0442-KSJM (Del. Ch. Mar. 15, 2023), the Delaware Court of Chancery held that a CEO breached his fiduciary duties by taking steps the court found tilted a merger sale...more
Many public companies will be required to include a "say on frequency" proposal at their 2023 annual meeting of stockholders. Since 2010, the Dodd-Frank Act has mandated that public companies submit, no less frequently than...more
The SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance recently published Legal Bulletin 14L (CF) (the “Bulletin”) providing updated guidance on excluding shareholder proposals under Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act. Specifically, the...more
In this Issue. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a statement announcing its intention to revisit Trump-era qualified mortgage (QM) final rules; the Biden Administration announced changes to the Small...more
Delaware Court of Chancery Denies Motion to Dismiss in Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit Related to Mindbody Inc.’s Billion Dollar Merger with Vista Equity Partners; Second Circuit Unanimously Affirms Lower Court’s Decision...more
Especially in today’s economic and work environment, we find it helpful – and we therefore thought our clients would also find it helpful – to keep track of the important litigation and regulatory enforcement developments...more
Priming the Pump. As the COVID-19 outbreak continues, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve), consistent with the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), took additional...more
As discussed in our previous alert, Annual Meetings in a World Without Meetings: The Impact of COVID-19 on Public Companies, on March 13, 2020, the Staff of the Division of Corporation Finance of the Securities and Exchange...more
A public company may have an additional 45 days to file its upcoming Form 10-Q if its inability to file its Form 10-Q relates to circumstances relating to COVID-19, it files a Form 8-K summarizing why such report was not able...more
On April 7, 2020, the SEC updated its prior guidance for conducting shareholder meetings in light of COVID-19 concerns to address delays in printing and mailing of proxy materials and clarify that its guidance applies for...more
The staff ("Staff") of the Division of Corporation Finance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has updated its guidance on the conduct of shareholder meetings in light of COVID-19 concerns (March 13, 2020),...more
The Corp Fin staff announced that it has updated its Guidance for Conducting Shareholder Meetings in Light of COVID-19 Concerns (see this PubCo post), originally published on March 13. The updated guidance clarifies that the...more
On March 25, 2020, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a new order (the Order) and guidance (the Guidance) which continued to provide regulatory relief to public companies whose operations may be...more
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is continuing to provide guidance to accommodate companies in light of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 virus. As discussed in our recent Viewpoints advisory, the SEC has...more
There are several growing concerns associated with the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic and how companies can maintain "social distancing" while also continuing business as usual. As companies evaluate these concerns several...more
On March 13, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that the staff of the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance and the Division of Investment Management (Staff) have published guidance to assist public...more
When finalizing proxy materials for annual shareholder meetings, companies should consider the following U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules and related guidance, as well as stock exchange listing standards...more
On December 4, 2019, Judge Ellen L. Hollander of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland dismissed with prejudice a stockholder class action suit against Gramercy Property Trust (“Gramercy” or the...more
On November 5, 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) proposed amendments to the federal proxy rules that would enhance the SEC’s regulation of proxy advisory firms.1 The proposed amendments to Rules 14a-1,...more
Glass Lewis has published its 2020 UK Proxy Paper Guidelines which provide an overview of its approach to governance and proxy research in the UK. Glass Lewis review companies’ adherence to the Investment Association’s...more
Stinson has prepared an analysis of proposed rules recently adopted by the SEC at an open meeting on November 5. SEC Commissioners voted 3-2 to propose potentially significant changes to the shareholder proposals...more
At an open meeting on November 5th, SEC Commissioners voted 3-2 to propose potentially significant changes to the shareholder proposals process under Rule 14a-8 with respect to the bases upon which issuers can seek to omit...more
When finalizing proxy materials for annual shareholder meetings, companies should consider the following U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules and related SEC staff guidance, as well as stock exchange listing...more