On July 24, 2025, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) announced the launch of its Annual Global Benchmark Policy Survey. In its announcement, ISS notes: This year’s survey begins with core governance topics, including shareholder rights in relation to multi-class capital structures, considerations with regard to shareholder proposals, and board governance, with…
On March 6, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC or Commission) adopted final rules requiring expansive new climate-related disclosures in Form 10-K and Form 20-F annual reports and most registration statements (the Rules). The disclosure requirements quickly became the subject of litigation challenging their validity; federal lawsuits were…
On July 21, 2025, the SEC announced that it has designated George R. Botic to serve as Acting Chair of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, effective July 23, 2025. The PCAOB announced last week that Chair Erica Williams will depart the Board on July 22. The SEC’s announcement notes…
On July 16, 2025, the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”) announced the withdrawal of its draft Corporate Governance Framework (“CGF”). The announcement notes that “[t]he draft CGF has been withdrawn from public comment as COSO takes time to evaluate the extensive feedback received to date and…
On May 16, 2025, the SEC announced that it will hold a roundtable on June 26, 2025 to discuss the SEC’s executive compensation disclosure requirements. The roundtable will be open to the public at the SEC’s headquarters and through a live stream available on www.sec.gov. The SEC encourages members of…
As the Trump Administration approaches 100 days in office, we explore the key policy shifts and regulatory changes affecting business and markets across industries in our New Directions Audio Series. For public companies and companies seeking to raise capital, we discuss the SEC’s latest initiatives on capital raising, and we also…
Paul Atkins was confirmed as the Chairman of the SEC on Wednesday by a vote of 52-44. He will serve during the remainder of former Chair Gary Gensler’s term, which expires on June 5th, 2026. Paul Atkins served as an SEC Commissioner from 2002 to 2008, and prior to that…
On December 11, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated the Securities and Exchange Commission’s order related to the rule that required companies listed on Nasdaq to include a board diversity matrix in their proxy filing or on their website. Despite the Nasdaq board diversity matrix…
The SEC has announced that the Division of Corporation Finance issued updated guidance that enhances the accommodations available to companies for nonpublic review of draft registration statements. The updated guidance specifies the following changes to the Staff’s approach for reviewing nonpublic draft registration statements: The Division is expanding the accommodations…
On February 20, 2025, the SEC announced the creation of the Cyber and Emerging Technologies Unit (CETU) “to focus on combatting cyber-related misconduct and to protect retail investors from bad actors in the emerging technologies space.” The CETU’s focus on protecting retail investors harkens back to similar SEC initiatives under former…