From Distance Meetings to Diversity Reports: 2020 Updates for NY State Businesses
The enduring COVID-19 pandemic continued to impact corporate governance practices and trends in 2021, while other notable developments, including a surge in shareholder proposals, changes to the proxy rules, and increased...more
Despite a strict prohibition on gatherings of more than two persons in any public place in Hong Kong through at least February 17, there is an exemption for shareholders’ meetings of companies listed on the Stock Exchange of...more
The law of 20 June 2020 extended the measures concerning the holding of meetings in companies and other certain legal persons without the physical presence of the participants, initially provided for in the Grand Ducal...more
On April 7, 2020, the Securities & Exchange Commission’s staff updated its previously issued guidance on shareholder meetings in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The original guidance provided companies with assistance...more
In an effort to further combat the spread of COVID-19 within the state of Delaware, Gov. John Carney has issued guidance for public corporations with upcoming stockholder meetings impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The...more
On March 20, 2020, the Governor of Georgia issued Executive Order No. 03.20.20.02 which, among other things, temporarily authorizes corporations incorporated under the laws of Georgia to hold annual meetings of shareholders...more
On March 13, 2020, the staff of the Division of Corporation Finance and the Division of Investment Management of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued guidance to provide flexibility and assist issuers...more
With the spread of COVID-19, governments and companies everywhere are faced with hitherto unseen challenges. Measures are being taken everywhere to contain the pandemic and to discourage gatherings of people. ...more
In a commendable effort to swiftly provide interpretation guidelines applying in a state of emergency, the governing body of Milanese notaries (“Consiglio Notarile di Milano”), has issued a new guideline on corporate matters...more
On March 20, 2020, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law several pieces of legislation in response to the coronavirus pandemic. These laws will provide economic relief, employee protections and address certain...more
In This Issue. The ongoing global outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to grow in scale and scope. In response, federal financial regulators are continuing efforts to bring regulatory relief to promote stability...more
In light of the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic and the resulting national emergency declared by President Trump, many companies are considering the advisability of holding a virtual-only annual shareholder meeting (a...more
On March 13, 2020, the SEC issued guidance regarding the effect of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on upcoming annual shareholder meetings. The SEC advised that a company that has already mailed and filed its proxy materials can...more
As the 2020 annual general meeting ("AGM") season approaches, public companies incorporated in England and Wales need to consider what actions they can take to ensure their AGM is compliant with the law and how to facilitate...more
As the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) continues to impact this country and all countries across the globe, businesses in every industry, including the investment company industry, must adapt to the quarantining and other...more
In an effort to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), restrictions on public gatherings have recently been enacted at both state and municipal levels in Germany. Those restrictions also affect shareholder...more
As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread and its impact on the U.S. markets and economy rapidly intensifies, U.S. public companies are faced with a number of complex disclosure and other considerations they...more
The Russian parliament urgently passed a new law on 14 March that amends the Federal Law on Joint Stock Companies (the JSC Law) to allow shareholder meetings in 2020 to be conducted by absentee voting if the agenda includes...more
Our Securities Group explains how issuers can maintain compliance with federal and state laws and regulations for holding their annual meetings in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, including notification and holding...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
Companies are well advised to consider contingency plans for their upcoming annual meetings in light of concerns over the ever-growing threat posed by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Many U.S. public companies have already begun...more
Stock exchange-listed public companies in the United States are required to hold annual shareholder meetings, which are traditionally held in person. Virtual annual shareholder meetings — where shareholders participate...more
As proxy season rapidly approaches and concern over the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) increases, U.S. public companies have been weighing risks associated with holding in-person annual stockholder meetings. ...more