The Important Legacy of the Sarbanes Oxley Act

September 14, 2022  |  Thanks to Michael W. Peregrine (McDermott Will & Emery) and Charles W. Elson (University of Delaware)

California Legislature Passes Bill That Would Break New Ground on Pay Transparency Requirements

September 12, 2022  |  Ogletree Deakins

Raising Startup Funding Used to Be Easy—Not Anymore

September 8, 2022  |  WIRED

CEOs, Not Proxy Cards, Are What Fuel Activists

September 6, 2022  |  Reuters

Late Summer Surprise: SEC Adopts Pay Versus Performance Disclosure Requirement

August 31, 2022  |  Thanks to Dave Lynn

California Poised to Expand Pay Transparency, Reporting Obligations

August 29, 2022  |  Jackson Lewis

Tech’s Offshore Hiring Has Gone Into Overdrive

August 24, 2022  |  WIRED

Better Succession Planning Starts with Knowing Your CEO

August 22, 2022  |  NACD

Should Your Company Go Private?

August 17, 2022  |  Directorship

Board Effectiveness and the Chair of the Future

August 15, 2022  |  Deloitte LLP

Is Immigration Silicon Valley’s Secret Sauce for Success?

August 8, 2022  |  San Francisco Chronicle

Preparing for Severance Policy Proposals: Consider Policies That Limit Cash Severance

August 3, 2022  |  Thanks to Liz Dunshee of CompensationStandards and J.T. Ho and Bobby Bee of Orrick

Regulatory Instability for Proxy Advisory Firms

August 1, 2022  |  Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

Global M&A Industry Trends: 2022 Mid-Year Update

July 27, 2022  |  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Athersys’ Annual Bonus Plan Disclosure

July 25, 2022  |  CompensationStandards.com

Genuine Commitment and Explicit Net Zero Targets

July 20, 2022  |  Russell Reynolds Associates

That was quick! SEC Reverses Key Elements of 2020 Amendments to Rules for ISS, Glass Lewis and Other Proxy Advisors

July 18, 2022  |  Thanks to Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP

Rising Interest Rates Could Mean Even More M&A Deals Structured with Cash and Equity

July 13, 2022  |  Foley & Lardner LLP

How Elon Musk Helped Lift the Ceiling on CEO Pay

July 11, 2022  |  The New York Times

Resetting Expectations (and Goals) on Stock Price Mega Grants

July 7, 2022  |  Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP

"Skin in the Game"

July 5, 2022  |  Jamieson USA

When 9 is the Perfect Number

June 29, 2022  |  Russell Reynolds Associates

Thermon Group’s Short-Term Incentive Plan

June 27, 2022  |  CompensationStandards.com

Why Pay Rises For Your Company’s ‘Flight Risks’ Can Backfire

June 22, 2022  |  Financial Times

Policy Insights on Executive Compensation

June 20, 2022  |  Vanguard, Inc.

4 Traps Boards Should Avoid

June 15, 2022  |  Thanks to David Brown

The Multi-Trillion Dollar Greenwashing Industry

June 13, 2022  |  Thanks to Judd Legum

Corporate Governance Update: Solving the Board Composition Puzzle

June 8, 2022  |  Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

The Use of New-Hire Awards in CEO and CFO Compensation

June 6, 2022  |  Equilar

Investors expect senior management pay to be linked to ESG

June 1, 2022  |  Investors Expect Senior Management Pay to be Linked to ESG

Happy Memorial Day from all of us at Veritas

May 30, 2022

Millennials are only partly a pain in the behind…

May 25, 2022  |  Deepest thanks to our friend and colleague Adam Epstein

Key Themes of Human Capital Management Disclosure

May 23, 2022  |  Aon

A Mid-Season Look at 2022 Shareholder Proposals

May 18, 2022  |  McDermott Will & Emery LLP

How To Stomach Volatility In Your Company's Stock Without Losing Your Mind

May 16, 2022  |  myStockOptions.com

How the Stock of an Iconic Brand Unwound

May 11, 2022  |  Deepest thanks to our friend and colleague Herb Greenberg

Back to Basics: Board Meetings

May 9, 2022  |  Thanks to Natalie Cooper, Robert Lamm, and Randi Val Morrison

How to Write a Comment Letter to the SEC on a Rulemaking: The Mechanics

May 4, 2022  |  Perkins Coie

How Investors are Assessing Directors on ESG Matters

May 2, 2022  |  Georgeson

How Interim CEOs Affect Stock Price and Shareholder Value

April 27, 2022  |  Thanks to Frank B. Glassner

CEOs and Sustainability

April 25, 2022  |  Russell Reynolds Associates

Trouble in Tech Land - Fun While it Lasted

April 20, 2022  |  Thanks to my old friend and colleague Herb Greenberg

New Universal Proxy Rule Will Democratize Director Elections

April 18, 2022  |  Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP

SEC Proposes New SPAC Rules

April 13, 2022  |  Thanks to Shearman & Sterling LLP

How Biden's Proposed Billionaire Tax Might Affect CEO Pay and Executive Compensation

April 11, 2022  |  Thanks to Frank Glassner

CEO Pay Heads for Record as Pandemic Recedes

April 6, 2022  |  The Wall Street Journal

E&S Metrics and Executive Compensation

April 4, 2022  |  Glass, Lewis & Co.

Proxy Season 2022: Early Trends in Executive Compensation

March 30, 2022  |  Equilar, Inc.

War in Ukraine: Is ESG at a Crossroads?

March 28, 2022  |  Thanks to Adam O. Emmerich

What Exactly Is an Independent Director?

March 23, 2022  |  Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Give a Good Hard Thought About the “E” in ESG

March 21, 2022  |  Thanks to Frank Glassner

BlackRock’s 2022 Engagement Priorities: Director Accountability For Long-Term Value

March 16, 2022  |  Thanks to Liz Dunshee

Investors Seek More Information About Companies’ Struggles to Hire, Retain Staff

March 14, 2022  |  The Wall Street Journal

DOJ Delivers Stark Message About Corporate Cooperation

March 9, 2022  |  Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

TSR Modifiers Gain Popularity as a Gauge to Adjust Performance Grants

March 7, 2022  |  Thanks to MyLogIQ

Diversity Disclosure Ratings

March 2, 2022  |  Glass, Lewis & Co.

Private-Equity Firms Boost Pay as They Jockey for Talent

February 28, 2022  |  The Wall Street Journal

2021: A Spectacular Year for SPACs

February 24, 2022  |  White & Case LLP

Private Equity: 2021 Year in Review and 2022 Outlook

February 22, 2022  |  Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

Amazon, Apple, Google: Restricted Stock Grants Evolve To Retain Top Talent

February 16, 2022  |  Forbes

Investors Press for Progress on ESG Matters

February 14, 2022  |  Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

M&A Predictions for 2022

February 9, 2022  |  Thanks to Ethan Klingsberg

Bonuses Rain on Wall Street Bankers in Biggest Payout in Decade

February 7, 2022  |  Bloomberg

Theranos: The Limits of the “Fake It Till You Make It” Strategy

February 2, 2022  |  Morrison & Foerster LLP

4 Trends Shaping Corporate Governance in 2022

January 31, 2022  |  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Preparing for the Shareholder Proposal Season

January 26, 2022  |  Thanks to Marc Gerber

The SPAC Ship Is Sinking. Investors Want Their Money Back.

January 24, 2022  |  The Wall Street Journal

Key Proxy Statement Disclosure Trends: Board Evaluation

January 20, 2022  |  Thanks to Richard Fields (Russell Reynolds Associates) and Iain Poole (Argyle)

Compensation Season 2022

January 18, 2022  |  Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

Cash-Strapped 9/11 Museum Gave out Bonuses to Highest-Paid Executives

January 12, 2022  |  New York Post

Some Thoughts for Boards of Directors in 2022

January 10, 2022  |  Thanks to Martin Lipton

The Lasting, Positive Impact of Sarbanes-Oxley

January 5, 2022  |  McDermott, Will & Emery LLP

Taking Board Governance from Good to Great

January 3, 2022  |  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Making ESG Second Nature in Asset Allocation

December 29, 2021  |  AllianceBernstein

BlackRock’s 2022 Executive Compensation Policies: Director Accountability for Pay-for-Performance

December 27, 2021  |  CompensationStandards.com

SEC Continues Its Focus on Executive Compensation

December 20, 2021  |  Thanks to the National Law Review

Silicon Valley and S&P 100: A Comparison of 2021 Proxy Season Results

December 15, 2021  |  Fenwick & West LLP

ISS Updates FAQs on Pandemic-Related Pay Adjustments

December 13, 2021  |  Thanks to Liz Dunshee

2021 Annual Corporate Directors Survey

December 8, 2021  |  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

ESG Continues to Find its Way into Incentive Compensation Plans

December 6, 2021  |  Shearman & Sterling LLP

SEC Enforcement: New Perk Case Provides Primer on What Not to Do

December 1, 2021  |  Thanks to Liz Dunshee

Shareholders Begin to Discuss Fairness in Proxy Voting Guidelines

November 29, 2021  |  Thanks to Rosanna Weaver

Of Owners and Ownership

November 22, 2021  |  Thanks to Paul Singer

Elizabeth Holmes and The Mythology of Silicon Valley

November 17, 2021  |  Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP

Insurance Co’s: Accounting Change May Affect LTIPs

November 15, 2021  |  Thanks to Liz Dunshee

Carbon Zero and the Board

November 10, 2021  |  Thanks to Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

Navigating the Landscape of ESG-Related Shareholder Litigation

November 8, 2021  |  Thanks to Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

2022 Proxy Season: A Look Ahead to Executive Compensation Issues and Considerations

November 3, 2021  |  Thanks to Winston & Strawn LLP

SEC Revives Proposal to Claw Back Executive Pay

November 1, 2021  |  Wall Street Journal

Board Refreshment and Succession Planning in the New Normal

October 27, 2021  |  Russell Reynolds Associates

Director Pay Trends 2021

October 25, 2021  |  Equilar

IPO Impact On Equity Grants Of Private Equity Portfolio Companies

October 20, 2021  |  Jamieson

Proxy Season Climate-Related Voting Trends Report

October 18, 2021  |  Thanks to Subodh Mishra, Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc.

ISS Policy Survey Results: Lots of Support for a Longer-Term Pay-for-Performance Screen

October 13, 2021  |  Thanks to Liz Dunshee

SPACs: A New Frontier for Shareholder Activism

October 11, 2021  |  Sidley Austin LLP

The Audit Committee’s Role in Sustainability/ESG Oversight

October 6, 2021  |  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

How Democratic Legislature and the Biden Administration Are Changing Corporate Taxes and Executive Pay

October 4, 2021  |  Politico

The Role of the CEO in Mergers and Acquisitions

September 29, 2021  |  Thanks to PJ Neal, Russell Reynolds Associates

Wall Street Pay Clawback Rule to Get New Push at SEC

September 27, 2021  |  Bloomberg

How the Best Boards Approach CEO Succession Planning

September 22, 2021  |  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

The Small, Young Company Board of Directors

September 15, 2021  |  Deloitte LLP

Spotlight on Boards

September 13, 2021  |  Thanks to Martin Lipton

ISS’s Compensation Proxy Season Review: Director Pay Disclosures Are Improving

September 9, 2021  |  Thanks to Liz Dunshee

11 Habits of Ridiculously Likeable People

September 7, 2021  |  Thanks to Dr. Travis Bradberry

The Pre-IPO Board

September 1, 2021  |  Thanks to Mark A. Pfister

ESG Trends and Hot Topics

August 30, 2021  |  Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

BlackRock Voted Against 255 Directors Because Of Climate Issues

August 25, 2021  |  InvestmentNews

What Boards Need to Know Before, During, and After an Acquisition

August 23, 2021  |  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Don’t Wait to Prepare for an Emergency Succession

August 18, 2021  |  Spencer Stuart

Bad News CEOS: You’re Less Important For Your Company’s Success Than You Think

August 16, 2021  |  CEOWORLD Magazine

SEC Approves Nasdaq Board Diversity Proposal – Comply or Explain Why Not

August 11, 2021  |  Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP

Public Company Guide – Planning for Shareholder Engagement

August 9, 2021  |  Fenwick & West LLP

ISS Policy Survey: ESG Metrics, Longer-Term Pay-for-Performance Screen, & Mid-Cycle Pandemic Adjustments

August 4, 2021  |  Thanks to Liz Dunshee

ISS Revises Its Rules on Company Stock Ownership Guidelines and Pledging

August 2, 2021  |  CompensationStandards.com

Corporate Governance in the Face of an Activist Investor

July 28, 2021  |  Thanks to Jonathan R. Macey

JPMorgan Awards Jamie Dimon Surprise Retention Bonus

July 26, 2021  |  The Wall Street Journal

Wall Street Is Paying Bankers More Than Ever to Cloak a Brutal Work Life

July 21, 2021  |  Bloomberg

Say on Pay: Approval Slides as CEO Pay Rises

July 19, 2021  |  Thanks to Samar Feghhi

Why Companies Shouldn’t Tie CEO Pay to ESG Metrics

July 14, 2021  |  The Wall Street Journal

ISS Publishes U.S. Procedures & Policies (Non-Compensation) FAQs

July 12, 2021  |  Thanks to Alex Dolan

Why ExxonMobil’s Proxy Contest Loss is a Wakeup Call for all Boards

July 8, 2021  |  Russell Reynolds Associates

Key Corporate Governance Issues at Mid-Year 2021

July 6, 2021  |  Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

Peer Groups: ISS Window Opens Next Tuesday, Equilar’s Closes Today

June 30, 2021  |  Thanks to Liz Dunshee

DOL Ups Its Game on Cybersecurity Program Oversight, Begins Audit Initiative

June 28, 2021  |  Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

How to Accelerate Board Effectiveness Through Insight and Ongoing Education

June 23, 2021  |  Thanks to Steve Klemash and Jamie Smith, EY

SEC Announces Latest Amendments to Proxy Advisor Rules Will Not Be Enforced, Pending Additional Review

June 21, 2021  |  Fenwick & West LLP

Vanguard Insights on Evaluating Say on Climate Proposals

June 16, 2021  |  Vanguard, Inc.

Court Clarifies 7-Year Rule for Employment Contracts, Finally

June 14, 2021  |  Proskauer Rose LLP

Your Board Needs a People Committee

June 9, 2021  |  Thanks to Reshmi Paul and Jeff McLean

Recent Claims SPAC Board Structures are a “Conflict-Laden” Invitation to Fiduciary Misconduct

June 7, 2021  |  Thanks to Frank M. Placenti, Squire Patton Boggs LLP

Directors’ Oversight Role Today: Increased Expectations, Responsibility and Accountability—A Macro View

June 3, 2021  |  Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Human Capital Disclosures Findings From 2020 10-Ks

June 1, 2021  |  Thanks to Neri Bukspan and Marc Siegel, EY

Incorporating ESG Measures Into Executive Compensation Plans

May 26, 2021  |  Thanks to Kristen Sullivan and Maureen Bujno, Deloitte LLP

Human Capital Disclosure: What Do Companies Say About Their “Most Important Asset”?

May 24, 2021  |  Thanks to Andrew Gordon, David F. Larcker, and Courtney Yu

Early Say-on-Pay Voting: BlackRock’s Votes “Against” Increase

May 19, 2021  |  Thanks to Lynn Jokela

When a Company Takes a Stand, What is the Board’s Role?

May 17, 2021  |  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Proxy Season: Early Highlights and Emerging Themes

May 12, 2021  |  King & Spalding LLP

Why the Form of a Transaction is so Critical to Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Strategy

May 10, 2021  |  Foley & Lardner LLP

Struggling with who should be on your board? Call an electrician.

May 3, 2021  |  Call an electrician.

Employee Engagement: The Next Frontier of Compensation Performance Goals

April 28, 2021  |  National Association of Corporate Directors

Say-on-Pay: CalPERS’ Eye-Popping Trend Line

April 26, 2021  |  Thanks to Liz Dunshee

How Boards Can Get Human Capital Management Right in Five (Not So) Easy Steps

April 21, 2021  |  The Conference Board

Trusting What You Can’t See: Audit Oversight and the PCAOB

April 19, 2021  |  Thanks to J. Robert Brown

What Boards Need to Know About Shareholder Activism

April 14, 2021  |  Thanks to Steve Klemash and David Hunker, EY

Equity Incentive Plans: Return of “Evergreen” Provisions?

April 12, 2021  |  Thanks to Liz Dunshee