S&C Critical Insights

Safely Navigating a Liquidity Crisis as a Public Company Director

In this episode of S&C’s Critical Insights, Andy Dietderich and Melissa Sawyer discuss how their disciplines of M&A, corporate governance and restructuring combine to protect public company directors during a liquidity crisis. They explore director duties in what used to be called the “Zone of Insolvency,” with a focus on current Delaware law. They also discuss hypothetical situations in which directors might find themselves while steering a distressed company through a storm.

The Impact of Brexit on Choice of Law

In this episode of S&C’s Critical Insights, Vanessa Blackmore, Ben Perry and Kirsten Rodger discuss whether Brexit has changed thinking about which law should govern a contract, and which courts should have jurisdiction over disputes. They explore why English governing law remains just as valid a choice as it did before Brexit and why the English courts continue to be well placed to handle disputes that arise.

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Developments Affecting 10b5-1 Trading Plans

In this episode of S&C’s Critical Insights, Sarah Payne and Cathy Clarkin discuss the latest developments relating to 10b5-1 trading plans. They explore several proposed reforms by the SEC, which include a cooling off period between entering a newly adopted or modified plan and making an initial trade, a prohibition on overlapping plans and mandatory disclosure requirements. They also discuss considerations relating to current plans given the prospect of these pending rules.

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Proposed Tax Changes under the Build Back Better Act and the Potential Impact on Tech and Silicon Valley

In this episode of S&C’s Critical Insights, Sarah Payne, managing partner of S&C’s Palo Alto office, and M&A partner Matt Goodman are joined by Davis Wang, co-head of the Firm’s Tax Group, and Bachir Karam, a partner in the Firm’s Estates & Personal Group, to discuss proposed tax changes under the Build Back Better Act.

The Build Back Better Act passed in the House on November 19 and is now before the Senate. The partners discuss how proposed tax changes in the bill might have significant impacts on founders, companies and venture capital firms in Silicon Valley.

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S&C Critical Insights – Refreshing the Director Onboarding Process

In this episode of S&C’s Critical Insights, Sarah Payne and John Savva explore director onboarding, a process that may need to be refreshed in light of increased board turnover and expansion as companies seek to increase board diversity, as well as the increase in newly public companies.  John and Sarah discuss four areas in particular that should be reviewed and updated:  roles of directors, fiduciary duties, communications and risk oversight. 

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New DOJ Initiatives Address Nation’s Cybersecurity Infrastructure

In this episode of S&C’s Critical Insights, Tony Lewis and Kamil Shields discuss two Department of Justice announcements—the launch of a Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative and the creation of a National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team. They also explore how these measures, alongside a series of recent high-profile cybercrime incidents and enforcement actions, fit into the DOJ’s comprehensive cyber strategy following the issuance of recent DOJ policy related to cryptocurrency enforcement and President Biden’s executive order to strengthen the nation’s cybersecurity infrastructure.

Managing Cheap Stock in an Initial Public Offering

In this episode of S&C’s Critical Insights, John Savva and Sarah Payne discuss cheap stock, a significant factor in many initial public offerings. They explore how the issue arises in the context of an IPO, the types of cheap stock comments typically issued by the SEC, and how a company might navigate these comments.  They also discuss steps to take to reduce the likelihood of a cheap stock issue.

 

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Lessons From the 2021 Proxy Season: Governance Proposals

Marc Treviño and Melissa Sawyer, co-heads of S&C’s Corporate Governance and Activism practice, continue their discussion of shareholder proposal trends from the 2021 proxy season. In this episode of S&C’s Critical Insights, they explore developments in governance proposals, which went to a vote more often than any other category of proposal this year despite a decline in prevalence.

 

Lessons From the 2021 Proxy Season: Social and Political Proposals

 Marc Treviño and Melissa Sawyer, co-heads of S&C’s Corporate Governance and Activism practice, discuss prevalent shareholder proposal trends from the 2021 proxy season. In this episode of S&C’s Critical Insights, they explore developments in social and political proposals, including proposals related to human rights, racial justice, and employee-related diversity, equity and inclusion.

Click here to learn more about S&C’s 2021 Proxy Season Review and watch our recent webinar.

Recent SEC Cybersecurity Enforcement Actions

In this episode of S&C’s Critical Insights, Bob Downes, Tony Lewis and Chas Kerin discuss five recent SEC cybersecurity enforcement actions, with a focus on deficient corporate procedures and disclosure controls. They cover the background of the actions, including noteworthy aspects and common issues between them. They also explore how the SEC is addressing cybersecurity issues outside of enforcement, including from the examination and rulemaking perspectives. They conclude with a few takeaways and best practices.