Shareholder engagement is an imperative for every public company. And with the recent adoption of universal proxy cards, 2023 promises to inject fresh uncertainty into how companies think about and approach that engagement....more
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved mandatory “universal proxy” on November 17, 2021. The final rules will apply to contested director elections at shareholder meetings held after August 31, 2022. The...more
The Background: An insurgent won control of the board of directors of EQT Corporation in a proxy contest using a so-called "universal proxy card." The Issue: While the merits of universal ballots remain subject to debate,...more
On October 26, 2016, the SEC proposed amendments to the proxy rules that would require the use of universal proxies in all non-exempt solicitations in contested elections of directors. The focus of the SEC proposal is to...more
On October 26, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed amendments to the proxy rules (the “Proposal”) that would mandate the use of universal proxy cards in non-exempt proxy solicitations for contested...more
At an open meeting held on October 26, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) voted two to one to propose amendments for the mandatory use of universal proxy cards and additional voting options and disclosure...more
With Congress and the Presidency soon to be under Republican control, it would not be surprising, unless the SEC acted with unusual speed, if the universal proxy rules never went into effect. Commissioner Piwowar, a...more
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in a 2-1 vote1, proposed amendments on October 26, 2016 to the proxy rules that would require public companies to include director candidates nominated by a dissident shareholder...more
On October 26, 2016, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) voted 2-to-1 to propose amendments to the proxy rules that would require the use of universal proxy cards in contested elections. The proposed changes, if...more