Should Your Company Take a Stand on Political and Social Issues?
Why Every Day Is Proxy Season for Public Companies
Corporate Law Report - Office Party Holiday Risks, Human Trafficking, the Fiscal Cliff, More
In connection with the upcoming Form 10-K/proxy season, public companies with a fiscal year ending on December 31 will be required, for the first time, to publicly file their insider trading policies as exhibits to their...more
Despite being home to the Silicon Valley, California has not embraced with abandon virtual-only meetings of shareholders. Section 600(e) of the Corporations Code currently does not permit virtual only meetings unless one of...more
On August 1, 2024, ISS Governance (ISS) announced the launch of its Annual Benchmark Policy Survey. The survey results will inform ISS’s policy development for 2025 and beyond. For the U.S. market, the survey solicits views...more
Shareholder proposals submitted for 2024 annual meetings continued to cover a wide range of environmental, social and governance (ESG) topics. And companies seeking to exclude shareholder proposals they deemed inappropriate...more
The number of pro-DEI proposals submitted by shareholders decreased overall in the 2024 proxy season compared to the 2023 proxy season, according to data provided by Proxy Analytics. Average support for DEI proposals...more
The number of anti-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion proposals submitted by shareholders increased overall in the 2024 proxy season compared to the 2023 proxy season, according to data provided by Proxy Analytics. However,...more
Welcome to the latest edition of Fenwick’s Securities Law Update....more
Join us for the next KPMG Board Leadership Center quarterly webcast as we discuss trends from the proxy season. Topics - A look at proxy voting trends and outcomes - The board’s story and corporate disclosure -...more
You may recall that, in January, ExxonMobil filed a lawsuit against Arjuna Capital, LLC and Follow This, the two proponents of a climate-related shareholder proposal submitted to Exxon, seeking a declaratory judgment that it...more
The California Nonprofit Corporation Law defines a "proxy" as a "written authorization signed by a member or the member's attorney in fact giving another person or persons power to vote on behalf of such member". Cal. Corp....more
Each year in our Annual Memo series, White & Case's Public Company Advisory Group provides practical insights on preparing Annual Reports on Form 10-Ks, Annual Meeting Proxy Statements and, for FPIs, the Annual Report on Form...more
Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services (“ISS”) recently published their Canadian benchmark policy guidelines and updates for the 2024 proxy season. Key updates focus on board accountability for climate-related...more
As we enter the 2024 proxy season, public companies should consider a number of key disclosure and governance matters. Below is a high-level summary of applicable rule changes, guidance, and disclosure considerations for the...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
It has never been more important for public companies to engage—and engage regularly—with their shareholders. Sustained engagement helps companies communicate their strategy, understand shareholder perspectives, and even...more
In this Client Alert, we highlight key considerations public companies should keep in mind when preparing their upcoming annual reports on Form 10-K and proxy statements, including rule changes, recent guidance and reporting...more
The 2024 proxy season is just around the corner. This quick reference guide, which is intended to supplement Shearman & Sterling’s 21st Annual Corporate Governance & Executive Compensation Survey, summarizes themes from the...more
The ESG-DEI discussion continues to elicit shareholder interest, at least according to a recent report from The Conference Board about the upcoming proxy season. The report focuses on the political bent underpinning some...more
The firm is pleased to present its 2023 Silicon Valley 150 Corporate Governance Report, which analyzes the governance of the Valley's largest public companies and reviews various matters regarding annual meetings held between...more
This publication provides an overview of the top trending issues as we approach this year’s AGM and reporting season. We highlight key areas of AGM practices and reporting that will need to adapt to recent legal and...more
For two decades, Fenwick has reported on corporate governance statistics and trends among the S&P 100 and Silicon Valley’s top public companies (Fenwick – Bloomberg Law Silicon Valley 150 List), with the goal of educating...more
As 2023 comes to an end, we reflect on how active the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rulemaking agenda was throughout the year. As companies prepare for their annual reports and proxy statements, we summarize new...more
Vinson & Elkins’ Shareholder Activism practice co-heads Lawrence Elbaum and Patrick Gadson will discuss how companies need to prepare against the year round attacks by shareholder activists. In a conversation moderated by...more
Each year in our Annual Memo, White & Case's Public Company Advisory Group provides practical insights on preparing Annual Reports on Form 10-Ks, Annual Meeting Proxy Statements and, for FPIs, the Annual Report on Form 20-F....more
Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis, the leading proxy voting advisory firms in the United States, have announced updates and clarifications for their voting guidelines for the U.S. market for the 2024...more