What Does The SEC Approved NASDAQ Diversity Proposal Mean For Boards?
Financing Challenges for Small Cap Companies
The current proxy season presents new challenges and opportunities for U.S. companies as they face shifting expectations regarding board diversity. There are a number of notable developments. The Fifth Circuit Court of...more
Citing recent DEI developments in the U.S., ISS released its Statement on Diversity Factors in Director Elections on February 11, 2025 announcing that it will “indefinitely halt consideration of certain diversity factors in...more
As part of proceedings brought by activist shareholders of Nano Dimension, an Israeli incorporated Nasdaq traded company, the District Court ruled that ADS (American Depository Share) holders should be treated as shareholders...more
Companies with forthcoming annual report and proxy statement filings should consult with counsel regarding recent regulatory and legal developments related to diversity, equity and inclusion (“DEI”) initiatives and the...more
Companies should not minimize the extent of a material cybersecurity incident by omitting material facts regarding the scope and potential impact of the incident. Cybersecurity risk factor disclosures should be tailored to a...more
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as expected, has approved Nasdaq's recent proposal to remove the board diversity rule from its Listing Rules....more
As we previously posted, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated the SEC’s approval of Nasdaq’s board diversity disclosure rules last month, after which Nasdaq indicated that it did not intend to seek further...more
In August 2021, the SEC approved a Nasdaq proposal for new listing rules regarding board diversity and disclosure. The new listing rules adopted a “comply or explain” mandate for board diversity for most listed companies and...more
On December 11, 2024, the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) lacked statutory authority to approve Nasdaq’s board diversity rules. Subject to certain exceptions,...more
Last week, Nasdaq filed a proposed rules change with the Securities and Exchange Commission to remove the board diversity rule from Nasdaq's Listing Rules....more
On December 11, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (“Fifth Circuit”) vacated the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) approval of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC’s (“Nasdaq”) Board Diversity Rules....more
In the latest episode of the Mintz on Air: Predictions and Practical Policies Podcast, ESG Co-chair Jen Rubin hosts an in-depth discussion about mandatory diversity metrics and their relevance following the Fifth Circuit’s...more
After various legal battles over the past four years, a recent en banc decision by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) approval of the Nasdaq board diversity proposal,...more
In this article, we reflect on key trends in ESG over the second half of 2024 and look ahead at trends that may emerge in 2025. We analyze developments in the latter half of 2024, which were similar to those highlighted in...more
In what will likely mark the final outcome, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, sitting en banc, struck down the Nasdaq Stock Market’s diversity-disclosure framework on Dec. 11, 2024. The Nasdaq rules issue —...more
As we bid farewell to 2024, we welcome not only another year but also several new disclosure requirements. In this Snapshot, we summarize several developments and best practices for public companies to consider as the 2024...more
A federal circuit court recently vacated a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) order approving Nasdaq’s diversity rule for boards of directors of public companies....more
Insider Trading Policies. As previously discussed in our Winter 2022-2023 Corporate Communicator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) adopted final rules in December 2022 relating to insider trading policy...more
On December 11, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, in a 9-8 en banc decision, vacated the approval of Nasdaq's board diversity rules by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The court held that the...more
On December 11, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, in a lengthy opinion, vacated the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) approval of Nasdaq’s board diversity rules in Alliance for Fair...more
On December 11, 2024, the 5th Circuit issued another important opinion (for the third time this year) requiring that an administrative agency's rules fit squarely within the statutory scheme that empowers the agency to act....more
On December 11, 2024, in Alliance for Fair Board Recruitment v. SEC, the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled in a 9-8 vote that the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) adoption of the Nasdaq board diversity...more
In a 9-8 en banc decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit overturned a three-judge panel decision and invalidated the Nasdaq Board Diversity Rule, Rule 506, that had been approved by the Securities and...more
On December 11, 2024, the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) order approving The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC’s (Nasdaq) board diversity rules, holding that the...more
Nasdaq is proposing a rule change to modify the initial listing requirements related to liquidity. More specifically, Nasdaq is proposing to change Listing Rules 5405 and 5505 to require that a company seeking to list on the...more