The good news is that the administration is reported to be working on an executive order to restrict proxy advisory firms. The bad news is that the administration is reported to be working on an executive order to restrict proxy advisory firms.
If the preceding paragraph seems contradictory, read on.
I am no fan of
The new, improved SEC was just beginning to show its stuff when the federal government shut down on October 1. In the weeks before the shutdown, the SEC had, among other things, approved ExxonMobil’s innovative program enabling retail investors to provide standing voting instructions (see our E-Alert on the subject) and dropped its opposition to
There has been no lack of news since the President was re-inaugurated in January. However, until very recently, little of the news seemed to be coming from the SEC. Perhaps that is because the new SEC Chair, Paul Atkins, was not sworn in until April 21 (happy birthday to me) or for some other reason
It’s early days, but I’m pleased to report that the optimism I expressed about the SEC in the aftermath of the 2024 election may have been warranted. At a minimum, the actions taken by the SEC since January 20 demonstrate support for the issuer community, an interest in pursuing the traditional goals of the SEC, and a willingness to help those of us who advise clients with respect to SEC rules and the many interpretations of those rules.
What the Commissioners Are Saying
First, on January 27, Commissioner Hester Peirce spoke before the Northwestern Securities Regulation Institute. Her remarks were witty (as always) and, for the most part, spot on, to the point that I considered copying them here. (I haven’t, though I have copied some of her choice remarks below.) I do take issue with a few of her remarks (also as always), including her view that a corporation’s singular focus should be on building value for shareholders; it seems to me that it is not possible to build value without focusing on other constituencies such as customers, suppliers, and – yes – even the community at large. Those matters aside, Ms. Peirce made the following good points, among others:Continue Reading So Far, So Good
For those of us who are unhappy or worse about the outcome of the 2024 presidential election, fearing (among other things) that we are about to enter a modern incarnation of the dark ages, I respectfully suggest that the time has come to light a candle rather than curse the darkness.
The candle is rather limited and simple: whatever else may happen during the next Trump administration, there’s a fair chance that those of us who practice securities law will find the SEC a lot more pleasant (or less unpleasant) to deal with.Continue Reading Lighting a Candle
For many years, I have urged companies to consider going beyond the bare minimum disclosures required by SEC rules – in appropriate circumstances, of course. In my experience, providing more disclosure than what is specified in the rules can generate positive feedback or even praise from investors and other stakeholders. And, in fact, many companies
One of the things I learned as young securities lawyer was that securities offerings can be made only by prospectus. Accordingly, one of the first things we did whenever we embarked on an IPO was to send a memo to our clients reminding them of the limitations imposed on communications under the securities laws and
Once upon a time, few if any investors seriously challenged executive pay. Executive compensation was, as always, a hot topic, but in the days before say-on-pay votes, it wasn’t easy to effectively object to excessive pay packages. Moreover, as one of the more outspoken members of the investor community once told me, as long as
Travel on corporate jets is alluring. I’ve had the pleasure, and it really is a pleasure. No TSA, nobody squishing you on both sides. No worry about checked bags not getting there, and so on. It’s no wonder that people love it so much.
However, there can be too much of a good thing. My experience
I have often said that the SEC is an outstanding agency – for example, see here. I still believe that, although my belief has been tested in the last couple of years by the “regulatory rampage” in which the SEC has engaged.
But there is always room for improvement, and in a November speech