Author: Kimberley R. Anderson

Kimberley helps clients achieve key business goals through securities offerings and acquisitions and guides public companies through corporate governance and disclosure requirements.

Impact of COVID-19: SEC Issues Guidance on Conduct of Annual Meetings

Impact of COVID-19: SEC Issues Guidance on Conduct of Annual Meetings

I live and work in the Seattle area. As a result of COVID-19, school districts are now closed for 6 weeks, Seattle public libraries are closed for a month, a number of restaurants have closed for the time being and my beloved Mariners’ baseball season has been postponed (along with most other sporting events). As we adjust to the current realities of dealing with COVID-19,...

SEC Adopts Hedging Disclosure Rules

SEC Adopts Hedging Disclosure Rules

The SEC adopted new rules today that will require disclosure of a company’s hedging policies in proxy statements or information statements relating to the election of directors. The new rules are set forth in new Item 407(i) of Regulation S-K and require a company to describe any practices or policies it has adopted regarding the ability of its employees, officers or directors to engage in...

Effective Date for Disclosure Simplification

Effective Date for Disclosure Simplification

On August 17th, the SEC adopted amendments updating and simplifying disclosure rules.  See our prior summaries here and here.  The rules have finally been posted today in the Federal Register, which makes them effective November 5, 2018.    Among the amendments is the extension of a previously annual requirement to interim periods, to present a statement of changes in shareholders’ equity and to disclose the...

Discretionary Equity Awards to Directors Subject to “Entire Fairness” Standard of Review

Discretionary Equity Awards to Directors Subject to “Entire Fairness” Standard of Review

Human nature being what it is, the law, in its wisdom, does not presume that directors will be competent judges of the fair treatment of their company where fairness must be at their own personal expense.[1] According to the Delaware Supreme Court in In re Investors Bancorp, Inc. Stockholder Litigation, when equity awards are granted to directors under a stockholder-approved equity incentive plan that gives...

Upcoming CLE Seminar: Preparing for the 2018 Proxy Season

Upcoming CLE Seminar: Preparing for the 2018 Proxy Season

On Tuesday, December 12, Dorsey will present our annual review of developments and disclosure requirements for the upcoming proxy season, including practical advice on how to prepare your proxy statement and annual report in 2018. Click here for more information or to register to attend in-person or via webinar: https://sites-dorsey.vuture.net/76/665/november-2017/12-12-preparing-for-the-2018-proxy-season(2).asp.

Do You Need a Risk Factor for Proposed U.S. Federal Income Tax Reform?

Do You Need a Risk Factor for Proposed U.S. Federal Income Tax Reform?

Tax reform efforts by Congress are ongoing, and the substance of the tax bills remains fluid. However, for foreign corporations with U.S. operations, there are some specific potential risks to consider, such as additional limitations on the deductibility of interest, the migration from a “worldwide” system of taxation to a territorial system, and the use of certain border adjustments. Foreign corporations with U.S. operations may...

Smaller Issuer Relief in the Financial CHOICE Act

Smaller Issuer Relief in the Financial CHOICE Act

As noted in the earlier post, the House passed the Financial CHOICE Act yesterday. While the headline-grabbing aspects of the Financial CHOICE Act relate to a repeal of the Volcker Rule and reducing the authority of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, there are some other interesting tidbits relating to public company disclosure, including two that would provide significant relief for smaller issuers. However, the Financial...

Say-on-Pay Voting Frequency ― The Financial CHOICE Act Adds Uncertainty to the Process

Say-on-Pay Voting Frequency ― The Financial CHOICE Act Adds Uncertainty to the Process

The House passed the Financial CHOICE Act on Thursday as part of the new administration’s bid to overhaul Dodd-Frank. It is not expected to get through the Senate in its current form, but it does provide an interesting read. While current disclosure requirements have become too lengthy and cumbersome in many respects, the proposed change to Say-on-Pay voting frequency requires a materiality determination that may...