Sky Blog
After Delaware prohibited fee-shifting provisions in corporate bylaws,[1] scholars considered alternate means by which corporations might use private ordering to limit the ability of stockholder plaintiffs to bring lawsuits challenging corporate actions. For instance, Professor Sean Griffith suggested that …
In early February, Justice Randy Holland, the longest-tenured member of the Delaware Supreme Court, announced his plans to retire at the end of March 2017. At the time of his appointment in 1986 by Governor Michael N. Castle, Justice Holland …
Over the past few years, interest in corporate social responsibility (“CSR”)[1] has increased significantly. The spotlight on CSR has led companies to expand and strengthen their CSR efforts. Many companies in turn have published sustainability reports, posted materials on …
The New York Stock Exchange requires that the board of each publicly traded corporation “conduct a self-evaluation at least annually to determine whether it and its committees are functioning effectively.” The purpose of this exercise is to ensure that boards …
Developments in private and public markets are changing the role equity plays in the United States, i.e., what “stock” means as a matter not only of investment and corporate governance, but also of political economy. For several generations, a broad …
In the past 20 years, many corporate law scholars have come to the view that governance arrangements protecting incumbents from removal are what really matter for firm value, arguing that such arrangements help entrench managers and harm shareholders. A major …
Professor Lynn LoPucki of UCLA School of Law speaks with Reynolds Holding about the competition among states for corporate charters. Many people assume that the game is over and Delaware — the corporate home of more than half of U.S. …
There is a certain immediate attractiveness associated with the idea of impact investing. The objectives of many impact investors are in some ways similar to those of many critics of capitalist societies: both groups want to contribute to the achievement …
In an article to be published in the Minnesota Law Review, I use systems-strategic analysis to explore the role of charter competition in corporate law. A systems-strategic analysis begins by identifying a law-related system for study, then describes how the …
President Trump has repeatedly used his Twitter account to single out companies for criticism of their business practices, raising the question for a broad range of public companies of how to prepare for and potentially respond to such criticism. Of …
Although U.S. corporate law has traditionally been left to the states, it is widely understood that a host of federal actors can and do affect the broader rules of corporate governance in fundamental ways. How might the corporate governance landscape …
Earnings management is the use of managerial discretion to apply accounting standards or construct business transactions in a way that alters reports on the financial health of an organisation [1]. Earnings management can include both legitimate and illegitimate methods “to …
Hedge funds have boosted shareholder activism worldwide. In my recent article, I discuss the policy response to hedge fund activism. I argue that the short-termism debate cannot shed light on the desirability of such activism. Rather, hedge fund activism should …
Much of the public has long believed that executives are overcompensated, a sentiment that has occasionally crept into legislation. In one case, Congress voted to impose punitive excise taxes on managers who received excessive golden parachute payments. Unlike most taxes …
President Donald Trump’s campaign proposals included changes to tax rates and a promise to repeal the Dodd-Frank Act. If enacted, these proposals could have a significant impact on the way businesses handle executive compensation, permitting companies greater flexibility in structuring …
In 2016, companies, governments, and consumers were again challenged to navigate an evolving landscape of cybersecurity and privacy issues. This year saw flash points impacting the trajectory for data breach litigation, the future for privacy class actions, and the scope …
Multiple recent developments suggest that governing boards will continue to be called upon to address the personal liability concerns of corporate gatekeepers and other executives. There may be no clear indication yet of whether the Trump administration will endorse government …
A central goal of corporate law is to prevent managers from putting their own interests ahead of those of shareholders. Such self-serving behavior can take many forms, ranging from illegal self-dealing transactions to self-entrenchment in the face of hostile takeover …
This past year witnessed a number of new corporate governance initiatives. Among the most significant:
The pressure to meet earnings expectations has grown intense for U.S. companies, and may be damaging the health and safety of workers. Missing analyst estimates, even by a small amount, can lead to significant negative reactions from investors. For example, …