The Informed Board Spring 2021 - Skadden, Arps, Slate ...

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The Informed Board Spring 2021 - Skadden, Arps, Slate ...
The Informed Board
Spring 2021

What questions do prospective SPAC directors need to ask?
What are the 10 most common misconceptions regarding
attorney-client privilege?

The Informed Board aims to provide insights into the key issues
directors face today. We flag potential challenges, explain trends
and provide directors with practical advice — without the usual
legal jargon.

Welcome to our second issue. We look forward to continuing
our discussions with you.

1   What Am I Getting Myself
    Into? Five Questions
    Prospective SPAC Directors
    Should Ask

6   Just Between You and Us

9   Shareholder Suits Demand
    More Progress on Diversity

13 The Search for Board
   Diversity: Practical Tips,
   Statistics on Progress
The Informed Board Spring 2021 - Skadden, Arps, Slate ...
The Informed Board / Spring 2021

     What Am I Getting Myself Into?
     Five Questions Prospective
     SPAC Directors Should Ask

The responsibilities,              With 247 special purpose acquisition                to monitor, the responsibilities of
                                   companies (SPACs) going public in                   directors and their time commitment
potential conflicts and            2020 and another 298 in the first                   are usually light until the board begins
risks of serving on a              quarter of 2021, SPAC sponsors                      considering targets.
                                   have knocked on many doors to
SPAC board differ from             find directors.                                     As SPAC management evaluates
those of most other                                                                    targets for a potential business
                                   If you are invited to join a SPAC                   combination (known as a “de-SPAC”
public companies.                  board, what questions should                        transaction) over the two-year life of
                                   you ask?                                            the SPAC, directors receive regular
                                                                                       updates and are actively involved in
                                   What will be required of me?                        reviewing proposed transactions. The
                                                                                       cadence accelerates when a target
                                   SPAC directors owe the same                         is identified, and directors often have
                                   fiduciary duties of care and loyalty                to adapt to fast-moving transaction
                                   as directors of other public operat-                timelines, with meetings scheduled
                                   ing companies subject to the same                   on short notice and important and
                                   governing law. The SPAC board’s                     complex information about potential
                                   primary function is overseeing the                  transactions that must be reviewed
                                   selection of an operating business                  quickly and carefully. Directors should
                                   with which the SPAC can merge and                   not expect to receive an investment
                                   ensuring full disclosure to the SPAC                bank’s fairness opinion for a SPAC
                                   shareholders about the proposed                     business combination, absent special
                                   business combination. However,                      circumstances, such as a conflict
                                   because there are no operations                     with the sponsor.

                                   1 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
The Informed Board Spring 2021 - Skadden, Arps, Slate ...
What Am I Getting Myself Into?
Five Questions Prospective
SPAC Directors Should Ask

                                           Practical note: If a potential SPAC                 Roughly 80% of SPACs are formed
                                           director’s employer is concerned that               in the Cayman Islands, where corpo-
                                           the SPAC will demand a great deal of                rate law may be more deferential to
                                           its directors’ time, the candidate can              directors than Delaware law. To date,
                                           explain that the workload is typically              there has been no Cayman litigation
                                           lighter than that of most public                    alleging breach of fiduciary duties by
                                           company boards, and the commit-                     SPAC directors.
                                           ment is no longer than two years.
                                                                                               Although nearly all of the lawsuits
                                                                                               involving Delaware SPACs have
                                           How can I judge whether any                         asserted only disclosure-based
                                           given SPAC is a “good SPAC”?                        claims against the SPAC (rather
                                           There may be a temptation to think                  than the directors), we expect that
                                           all SPACs are created equal apart                   directors will be named as defen-
                                           from their size and industry focus,                 dants more often in future litigation.
                                           but SPACs vary, including as to the                 One case filed in Delaware, Amo
                                           quality of their sponsors, their juris-             v. MultiPlan, alleges that directors
                                           diction of formation and their ability              breached their fiduciary duties merely
                                           to indemnify directors.                             by approving a business combina-
                                                                                               tion with common SPAC traits. The
                                           A SPAC is only as good as its spon-                 plaintiffs allege, among other things,
                                           sor, and those differ considerably                  that there were “strong (indeed,
                                           in sophistication, experience and                   overriding) incentives to get a deal
                                           reputation, so researching the                      done — any deal — without regard to
                                           sponsor is crucial. Potential SPAC                  whether it is truly in the best interest
                                           directors should also consider the                  of the SPAC’s outside investors (i.e.,
                                           backgrounds of their fellow directors               whether the target private company
                                           and whether they have the experi-                   is actually a good investment).” This
                                           ence and commitment required to                     case should be watched closely by
                                           oversee the SPAC.                                   any director or prospective director of
                                                                                               a Delaware SPAC.

   Newly Formed                    300                                                                                                     $100

   SPACs Have Created
   Demand for Directors                                                                                                                    $75
                                   200

                                                                                                                                           $50

       Gross IPO Proceeds          100
       (in USD billions) (right)
                                                                                                                                           $25
       IPOs (left)

   Source: SPACInsider.com
   *Through April 2                      2009   2010    2011   2012    2013   2014    2015    2016     2017   2018   2019   2020   2021*

                                           2 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
The Informed Board Spring 2021 - Skadden, Arps, Slate ...
What Am I Getting Myself Into?
Five Questions Prospective
SPAC Directors Should Ask

                                 Finally, directors and officers (D&O)               pendent directors. By contrast, many
                                 liability insurance premiums for                    of the private companies combin-
                                 SPAC directors have skyrocketed in                  ing with SPACs have few, if any,
                                 recent months, and some insurers                    independent directors, so there are
                                 are unwilling to underwrite D&O                     natural opportunities for independent
                                 coverage. As a result, some SPACs                   SPAC directors (who have no interest
                                 are cutting back on the amount or                   in the business combination transac-
                                 duration of coverage, which could                   tion) to transition to the board of the
                                 leave directors exposed (including                  combined company. SPAC directors
                                 for litigation expenses) as litigation              are a ready-made pool of candidates
                                 increases. This is particularly note-               familiar with the business, and a
                                 worthy because most SPACs require                   sponsor does not need to engage a
                                 that directors waive any claim against              search firm to find them.
                                 the funds raised by the SPAC in its
                                 initial public offering and held in trust           In light of Nasdaq’s recent policy
                                 for the business combination. As                    favoring board diversity, women
                                 SPACs typically have little cash apart              and diverse SPAC directors may
                                 from those trust funds, an indemnity                find themselves in particularly high
                                 from the SPAC may provide little                    demand as candidates for boards
                                 comfort to directors.                               formed after a SPAC has merged into
                                                                                     an operating company.
                                 Practical note: The risk profile of
                                 a prospective SPAC board seat                       Practical note: Usually there is no (or
                                 depends on the quality and integrity                very nominal) cash compensation
                                 of the sponsor and the other board                  for SPAC directors, though a sponsor
                                 members. Other things being equal,                  will typically transfer a portion of its
                                 serving on a Cayman SPAC board                      “founder shares” to SPAC directors.
                                 offering appropriate D&O insurance                  However, underwriters increasingly
                                 is a much less risky proposition than               want SPAC directors to have “skin
                                 serving on a Delaware SPAC board                    in the game,” so a director may be
                                 with inadequate D&O coverage.                       expected to make an out-of-pocket
                                                                                     investment in the SPAC.

                                 What are the personal bene-
                                 fits of serving on                                  What conflicts of interest
                                 a SPAC board?                                       should I be aware of?

                                 SPAC directors gain visibility and                  SPAC directors must disclose any
                                 potentially valuable new contacts                   potential personal conflicts they have
                                 with sponsors, fellow board                         to fellow board members, and to
                                 members and deal professionals. In                  public shareholders when sharehold-
                                 addition, SPAC board service may                    ers are asked to approve a business
                                 be a path to a board seat on the                    combination transaction. SPAC
                                 combined public company board.                      directors should consider whether
                                                                                     the ownership of “founder shares”
                                 Public company boards are generally                 or private warrants in the SPAC
                                 required to have a majority of inde-                creates the appearance of a conflict

                                 3 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
The Informed Board Spring 2021 - Skadden, Arps, Slate ...
What Am I Getting Myself Into?
Five Questions Prospective
SPAC Directors Should Ask

                                     of interest, since the sponsor, offi-               permitted to waive the sponsor’s
                                     cers and directors may enjoy benefits               and directors’ obligations to bring all
                                     that are not shared with the public                 opportunities to the SPAC (and most
                                     shareholders if a de-SPAC transaction               SPAC charters do so), this does not
                                     is completed.                                       override the duty of SPAC directors
                                                                                         to act in the best interests of the
                                                                                         corporation and its shareholders.
          Practical note: Usually there is no (or very nominal) cash
          compensation for SPAC directors, though a sponsor                              Practical note: Independent SPAC
                                                                                         directors may know little about
          will typically transfer a portion of its “founder shares”                      the sponsor’s activities vis-a-vis
          to SPAC directors. However, underwriters increasingly                          its other SPACs and should ask
          want SPAC directors to have “skin in the game,” so                             appropriate questions to become
          a director may be expected to make an out-of-pocket                            adequately informed.
          investment in the SPAC.
                                                                                         What could possibly
                                                                                         go wrong?
                                     Directors need to be fully aware of
                                     the financial interests of the spon-                In addition to attracting significant
                                     sor in any potential target. Many                   scrutiny and questioning by media
                                     sponsors are affiliated with venture                and other observers, and posing
                                     capital or private equity funds, which              the risk of private litigation, SPACs
                                     may have funds invested in potential                are on the radar at the Securities
                                     targets of the SPAC. Sometimes,                     and Exchange Commission (SEC),
                                     existing investors in the target                    which has shown concern about
                                     company or persons affiliated with                  the number of SPACs, the attention
                                     the SPAC seek to invest via a PIPE                  garnered by “celebrity sponsors” and
                                     (private investment in public equity)               the resulting flow of retail investor
                                     when the SPAC combines with an                      dollars into these vehicles. The SEC
                                     operating company. Any potential                    has also focused on disclosure of
                                     conflicts should be carefully analyzed              the sponsor’s economic incentives
                                     by the board and disclosed to share-                and how they may diverge from the
                                     holders. In some cases, directors                   interests of public shareholders, and
                                     representing the sponsor may recuse                 on potential conflicts between share-
                                     themselves or a special committee                   holders and the sponsor, officers and
                                     may be formed.                                      directors. In addition, the commis-
                                                                                         sion’s acting director of the Division
                                     Where the sponsor is a “serial                      of Corporation Finance recently
                                     SPACer” (i.e., a sponsor of multiple                addressed target company projec-
                                     SPACs), the sponsor may be search-                  tions, which are typically included
                                     ing for targets for more than one                   in de-SPAC registration statements.
                                     SPAC at the same time and could                     Although participants in ordinary
                                     steer opportunities to another of its               mergers are generally protected
                                     SPACs. Although SPACs are legally

                                     4 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
What Am I Getting Myself Into?
Five Questions Prospective
SPAC Directors Should Ask

                                 from private suits based on projec-                 reliable books and records, and
                                 tions in registration statements, the               sufficient internal controls to ensure
                                 acting director questioned whether                  investors receive reliable financial
                                 this “safe harbor” should apply to                  reporting. Because a target compa-
                                 de-SPAC transactions.                               ny’s capabilities in these areas may
                                                                                     be inadequate for a public company,
                                 The SEC also wants investors to                     it is important that a SPAC director
                                 know how thoroughly a SPAC                          who continues onto the public board
                                 has vetted potential targets so                     gets comfortable with the expertise
                                 shareholders can make an informed                   and skills of the combined company
                                 decision about any transaction                      board and management team.
                                 a board recommends. The SEC
                                 recently sent letters to underwriters               Practical note: The mere appearance
                                 requesting information about their                  of a conflict of interest, a lax due dili-
                                 due diligence processes, suggesting                 gence process or a board that is not
                                 a formal investigation in this area may             “public company ready” could result
                                 be imminent. SPAC sponsors and                      in litigation, unwanted attention from
                                 even directors may also be subject                  the media and/or SEC scrutiny.
                                 to scrutiny regarding their due
                                 diligence efforts.
                                                                                     Authors
                                 Upon completion of the de-SPAC
                                 transaction, the combined company                   Ann Beth Stebbins / New York
                                 will need the requisite expertise,                  Maxim Mayer-Cesiano / New York

                                 5 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
The Informed Board / Spring 2021

     Just Between You and Us

The technical                      The 10 most common client                           clients refuse to turn over documents
                                   misconceptions about the                            or testify about their communications
requirements of the                attorney-client privilege                           with counsel.
attorney-client privilege                                                              The easiest way to grasp these rules
                                   Protecting corporate confidences
can trip up clients who            has become more challenging in the                  is to review common misconceptions
aren’t careful. Here’s             COVID-19 world, as directors and                    about the privilege:
                                   executives work from home and
a list of common                   other locales where it can be hard to               1. “If I copy our lawyer on an email
misconceptions and                 control who is privy to discussions.                    to my fellow board members,
                                                                                           that will make it attorney-client
real-world foot faults             Among the most sensitive corporate                      privileged.”
we’ve seen.                        confidences are communications
                                                                                               No. Merely including a lawyer
                                   with the company’s lawyers, which
                                                                                               does not protect the commu-
                                   are protected from disclosure to
                                                                                               nication. It has to meet all four
                                   third parties by the attorney-client
                                                                                               requirements.
                                   privilege. A client can inadvertently
                                   do things that prevent assertion of                 2. “If I write ‘attorney-client privileged’
                                   the privilege, so it is worth reviewing                 at the top of the email, address it
                                   common misconceptions about how                         to our lawyer and copy the rest
                                   it works.                                               of the board when I discuss the
                                                                                           business merits of an M&A deal,
                                   Four basic requirements must be
                                                                                           that ought to work.”
                                   met: (1) There must be a communi-
                                   cation (2) between counsel and client                       No. If the subject is the business
                                   (3) in confidence (4) for the purpose                       merits of the deal, it would not
                                   of seeking, obtaining or providing                          satisfy the fourth requirement for
                                   legal assistance to the client. Only if                     attorney-client privilege. Conver-
                                   all four conditions are satisfied can                       sations with lawyers that do not

                                   6 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
Just Between You and Us

                                       relate to the seeking, obtaining or                     excuse the bankers from those
                                       providing of legal advice are not                       discussions to avoid any risk of
                                       protected.                                              waiving the privilege.

                                   3. “I described a confidential,                     5. “If we have our law firm hire our PR
                                       off-the-record call with a counter-                 firm to draft alternative responses
                                       party to our outside counsel. The                   to a potential activist attack, the
                                       back-channel conversation will be                   draft releases will be privileged
                                       privileged and confidential, right?”                because the lawyers hired the PR
                                                                                           firm.”
                                       No. The call with the counterparty
                                       is not privileged, and recounting                       No. If the PR firm’s input is not
                                       it to the attorney does not create                      required to provide legal advice,
                                       a privileged communication with                         the fact that outside counsel
                                       the lawyer unless the client asks                       hired it would not matter, and
                                       for advice about the exchange                           sending draft releases to counsel
                                       with the counterparty or some                           would not make them privileged.
                                       other subject.                                          There are some circumstances in
                                                                                               which it may be easier to protect
                                                                                               confidences if outside counsel
         Simply cc’ing your lawyer on a note to others, even if                                hires third parties, but one should
         you write “privileged” on the top of a document, will                                 not assume that the privilege
                                                                                               will apply simply because of who
         not ensure that the communication is protected.
                                                                                               hired the third party.

                                   4. “If it’s just our outside counsel,               6. “Texts typically don’t need to be
                                       internal counsel, the board and                     turned over in litigation, unlike
                                       our bankers in the boardroom                        emails.”
                                       when we discuss legal issues
                                                                                               No. In discovery, “document” is
                                       surrounding the deal, that should
                                                                                               defined broadly and may cover
                                       be privileged.”
                                                                                               everything from letters and emails
                                       The answer will vary by state. The                      to doodles and text messages.
                                       Delaware courts have recognized                         Most texts are written quickly,
                                       that financial advice is intertwined                    without reflection on how they
                                       with issues of regulation, legal                        may look later with the benefit
                                       structure and legal consequences,                       of hindsight, and they are often
                                       and have held that the privilege                        more revealing than more formal
                                       is not waived simply because                            types of communication. Hence,
                                       bankers are present. Other states                       they can provide ammunition to
                                       might apply the privilege more                          adversaries in litigation. It’s best
                                       narrowly. Beware, too, that if the                      for directors to avoid texting about
                                       topics extend to issues unrelated                       substantive matters generally.
                                       to the deal, the best practice is to

                                   7 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
Just Between You and Us

7. “If I ask our attorney for legal          over in discovery if it went to a                       Not necessarily. Communications
    advice in an email and our attor-        third party, like auditors who were                     exchanged on third-party email
    ney responds, the existence of           not involved in the legal advice                        systems or electronic devices
    those emails won’t be disclosed          process. For that reason, compa-                        may not be privileged if the user
    to anyone.”                              nies should consider redacting                          did not have a reasonable expec-
                                             privileged portions of records they                     tation of privacy. Whether there
   No. In litigation, the parties
                                             share with people outside the                           is reasonable expectation may
   often must prepare lists of any
                                             circle of privilege.                                    hinge on the policies of the email
   communications they contend
                                                                                                     provider. (Some businesses main-
   are privileged, listing the date,     9. “A lawyer was retained to advise                         tain the right to monitor employ-
   subject matter and participants           a special committee of the board                        ees’ communications on their
   — including third parties — in            investigating potential wrongdo-                        systems.) To protect the privilege,
   order for the other side to eval-         ing by a member of management.                          directors need to examine the
   uate and possibly challenge the           She sent me an email with prelim-                       policies for the email they want to
   claim of privilege. Hence, the            inary findings, which I shared                          use. Companies may want to give
   existence of the emails and the           with directors who are not on the                       outside directors company email
   recipients may be disclosed even          committee, because they should                          accounts or require them to use
   if their substance is protected by        know what’s going on. I assumed                         dedicated, secure personal email
   the privilege.                            that will stay privileged.”                             accounts for all communications
8. “If we have a presentation from our       Not necessarily. The special                            related to their board work.
    litigation counsel about potential       committee is the client here,
    damages the company may face             not the full board. Sharing the
    in a suit and a summary becomes          lawyer’s findings with directors                Authors
    part of the board record, I assume       not on the special committee                    Edward B. Micheletti / Wilmington
    that remains privileged even             could waive the privilege,                      Sonia K. Nijjar / Palo Alto
    though our auditors review the           because the other directors are
                                                                                             Patrick G. Rideout / New York
    board minutes, because the audi-         outside the attorney-client rela-
    tors were not given the lawyers’         tionship of the special committee.
    presentation.”
                                         10. “If an outside board member
   No. Although the report itself may        receives privileged email at
   be protected by the privilege, a          another business email address, it
   summary such as the minutes               remains privileged.”
   would probably have to be turned

                                         8 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
The Informed Board / Spring 2021

     Shareholder Suits Demand
     More Progress on Diversity

Your board has women               In a striking illustration of today’s                   members, the disgorgement of
                                   significant and increasing focus on                     some directors’ fees and the
and underrepresented               diversity and inclusion in corporate                    filling of a set percentage of new
minorities. Yet you                America, at least 12 public compa-                      employee positions with members
                                   nies recently have been sued by                         of certain demographic groups.
may still be targeted              their own shareholders, who accuse
by a new wave of                   directors and officers of failing to                –– Because derivative suits are
                                                                                          brought by shareholders in
shareholder derivative             diversify their boards and C-suites
                                                                                          the company’s name, directors
                                   and comply with anti-discrimination
suits pressing                     laws. The suits also typically allege                  and executives frequently are
companies to take                  that the companies falsely touted                      named individually as defendants
                                                                                          based on allegations that they
aggressive actions                 their commitment to diversity. The
                                   claims are cast as derivative suits, in                violated their fiduciary duties to
to further promote                 which a shareholder seeks to bring                     the company.
diversity and inclusion.           claims on behalf of the corporation.                To date, there has been only one
                                   The companies sued have spanned                     court ruling in these cases (see
                                   a wide range of industries, from Big                our March 31, 2021, client alert
                                   Tech to health care and retail.                     “California District Court Dismisses
                                   These suits warrant particular                      Derivative Suit Against Facebook
                                   attention because:                                  Board Members and Executives
                                                                                       Challenging Alleged Lack of Diver-
                                   –– Companies with women and/or                      sity”), so it is too early to gauge their
                                      minorities on boards and senior                  full impact. But they highlight the
                                      executive teams have been sued.                  need for boards to consider sound
                                                                                       diversity and inclusion policies, docu-
                                   –– The remedies sought are ones                     ment them appropriately and portray
                                      rarely, if ever, pursued in share-               them accurately in public statements.
                                      holder derivative suits, such as
                                      the replacement of specific board

                                   9 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
Shareholder Suits Demand
More Progress on Diversity

                                   What the Plaintiffs Demand                              advancement of Black people and
                                                                                           minorities in corporate America”
                                   Some of the complaints appear to
                                   be framed to garner maximum press                   –– “Creation of a $1 billion fund
                                   attention. One calls management                        to hire Black and minority
                                   of the target company “one of the                      employees”
                                   oldest and most egregious ‘Old
                                   Boys’ Club’ in Silicon Valley,” and                 –– Investment of “$100 million
                                   another alleges that the company’s                     in economic and social justice
                                   CEO “wants Blacks to be seen but                       programs for the African American
                                   not heard.”                                            community designed to address
                                                                                          historical racial disparities”

                                                                                       –– Financing of “100 education schol-
          Some suits demand the removal of directors and                                  arships valued at $100,000 each
          would force some to repay their fees for serving.                               for K-12 African-American students
          Others would mandate hiring fixed percentages of                                annually at partner schools located
                                                                                          in the communities in which the
          underrepresented minorities.
                                                                                          company does business”

                                                                                       –– Publication of annual reports
                                   The suits aim to force specific                        containing detailed information
                                   changes at the companies them-                         about hiring, advancement, promo-
                                   selves and, in some cases, to require                  tion and pay equity of all minorities
                                   them to contribute to or participate                   at the company
                                   in diversity and inclusion efforts
                                   outside the corporation. Some of the                –– Filling of “15% of all new posi-
                                   more unusual forms of relief sought                    tions in the United States with
                                   include:                                               African-Americans”

                                   –– Replacement of the board                         –– Mandatory annual training
                                      chairman                                            for directors and executives
                                                                                          on “diversity, affirmative
                                   –– Resignation of at least three                       action, anti-discrimination and
                                      current directors and “a resolution                 anti-harassment”
                                      to replace such directors with
                                      two Black persons and one other                  –– Replacement of the company’s
                                      minority”                                           auditor for allegedly “failing to
                                                                                          point out ... that the company
                                   –– Return of all director defendants’                  lacks an effective system of
                                      compensation, including any                         internal controls to ensure [it] is not
                                      stock grants, to be donated to                      discriminating against minorities
                                      “an acceptable charity or organi-                   and is complying with its stated
                                      zation whose efforts include the                    goals and initiatives.”

                                   10 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
Shareholder Suits Demand
More Progress on Diversity

  Women Are Leading
  More Key Board

                                                                                                                                                         31.6%
  Committees

                                                                                                                                 30.1%
                                                                                                         27.4%

                                                                                                                                                 26.3%
                                                                                                                                         25.6%
                                                         25.1%

                                                                                 24.9%

                                                                                                                 22.9%
                                                                                                                         22.8%
                                                                                         20.5%
                                                                 19.7%
       Audit

                                                                                                 18.3%
                                        18.2 %

                                                                         15.6%
       Compensation
                                                 14.3%

       Governance

  Source: Equilar Board Factbook
  Figures for Equilar 500
  (largest U.S. companies by revenue)
                                                 2016                    2017                    2018                    2019                    2020

                                        Expect More                                                        What To Do:
                                        Shareholder Demands                                                Preventive Measures
                                        The plaintiffs generally have not                                  In addition to employing effective
                                        exercised their rights as shareholders                             diversity and inclusion policies,
                                        to inspect the company’s books and                                 companies can minimize the risks
                                        records before filing suit. As a result,                           of these sorts of derivative suits by
                                        the complaints have contained few                                  taking certain actions, including:
                                        details about the boards’ internal
                                        processes and deliberations, and                                   –– Considering diverse candidates
                                        are vulnerable if defendants move                                     in board refreshment. New or
                                        to dismiss them. Indeed, one suit                                     newly open board seats can create
                                        was dismissed on several grounds,                                     opportunities to diversify the
                                        but the court gave the plaintiff the                                  board.
                                        opportunity to refile it to correct the
                                                                                                           –– Documenting board or commit-
                                        shortcomings, some of which might                                     tee discussions on diversity
                                        have been addressed if the plaintiffs                                 and inclusion. Engage in and
                                        had first requested and reviewed                                      memorialize board discussions
                                        company records. Accordingly, we                                      on diversity and inclusion, and
                                        predict there will be more share-                                     consider setting appropriate goals
                                        holder demands to inspect corpo-                                      and measuring progress toward
                                        rate books and records so future                                      them. Documentation of these
                                        complaints can include more particu-                                  discussions can be provided in
                                        larized allegations.

                                        11 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
Shareholder Suits Demand
More Progress on Diversity

                                response to shareholder requests                 (See other practical suggest-
                                and may persuade plaintiffs’                     ions in “The Search for Board
                                lawyers that a claim would not be                Diversity: Practical Tips, Statistics
                                successful.                                      on Progress.”)

                             –– Monitoring public disclosures
                                on commitments to diversity.
                                                                                 Conclusion
                                Boards and companies may                         Supporting diversity and inclusion
                                wish to disclose the efforts and                 has become a priority in the business
                                commitments they make, but they                  world, and companies and their
                                should avoid overly aspirational                 boards are under great scrutiny with
                                statements that could later be cast              respect to their commitments to
                                as false or misleading.                          these goals. As we noted, even some
                                                                                 companies with relatively diverse
                             –– Recognizing that prior alle-
                                                                                 boards and senior management
                                gations of racial or gender
                                                                                 have been sued. Companies should
                                discrimination can be cited in a
                                                                                 consider taking steps to help reduce
                                derivative suit. Prior governmental
                                                                                 the risk of a suit and facilitate the
                                enforcement actions, civil suits
                                                                                 defense of any that are filed.
                                and settlements have been cited
                                in some derivative complaints
                                as evidence that directors have
                                breached their fiduciary duties                  Authors
                                to ensure compliance with                        Jessie Liu / Washington, D.C.
                                anti-discrimination laws and have                Susan Saltzstein / New York
                                endorsed false or misleading                     Tansy Woan / New York
                                statements about their companies’
                                policies and conduct.

                             12 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
The Informed Board / Spring 2021

     The Search for Board Diversity:
     Practical Tips, Statistics on Progress

Corporate governance               A panel of corporate governance                         of candidates if they consider
                                   thought leaders and public company                      people who have held other exec-
thought leaders offer              directors at a recent webinar on diver-                 utive positions that involve contact
pragmatic suggestions              sity and inclusion within corporate                     with boards.
                                   boards offered practical guidance
for companies and                  for boards on ways to meet their                    –– Use recently created databases
directors aiming                   companies’ goals, as well as some                      that include tens of thousands
                                                                                          of candidates, sourced in part
to diversify their                 statistics about the progress made
                                                                                          from groups promoting diversity.
                                   in recent years.
boards, C-suites and                                                                      Consider instructing recruiters to
employee ranks.                    Suggestions To Improve
                                                                                          focus on diversity criteria or engag-
                                                                                          ing recruiters who make diversity
                                   Diversity and Inclusion                                and inclusion a priority.
                                   –– Don’t begin your search for new
                                                                                       –– Consider adopting a version of
                                      directors by polling the existing
                                                                                          the “Rooney Rule,” following the
                                      board for people they might
                                                                                          NFL’s lead, and require that diverse
                                      recommend and assessing candi-
                                                                                          candidates be included in at least
                                      dates supplied by recruiters who
                                                                                          the first round of any management
                                      have not received direction on
                                                                                          hiring process.
                                      diversity criteria. This approach
                                      may limit the potential range of
                                      candidates at the outset.                        Statistics

                                   –– Don’t restrict the search to current             –– Women now comprise about
                                      or former CEOs and chief financial                  23% of directors at Russell
                                      officers. Companies can tap into                    3000 companies, up from 15%
                                      a much larger, more diverse pool                    three years ago, according to data
                                                                                          from Equilar, and underrepre-

                                   13 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
The Search for Board Diversity:
Practical Tips, Statistics on Progress

   The Proportion of
   Women Directors
   Has Risen                                                                                                                23.5%
                                                                                                            21.5%
                                                                                          18.5%
                                                                     16.5%
                                                 15.1%

       Women Directors

   Source: Equilar Board Factbook
   Figures for Russell 3000, Q4 of each year
                                                   2016                 2017                2018             2019             2020

                                                  sented racial groups hold 12.5%                  Panelists:
                                                  of all seats. New board appoint-
                                                  ments are currently about 50-50                  Raquel Fox, SEC Reporting and
                                                  men and women.                                   Compliance partner at Skadden
                                                                                                   (moderator), and former director of
                                               –– The gender balance at California                 the Office of International Affairs
                                                  companies has improved since                     at the Securities and Exchange
                                                  the state enacted a law mandat-                  Commission (SEC) and senior adviser
                                                  ing diversity on boards of public                to then-SEC Chairman Jay Clayton.
                                                  companies headquartered there.
                                                  California has risen from 35th                   David Chun, founder and CEO of
                                                  place to 13th place nationally,                  Equilar, which provides corporate
                                                  based on the number of women                     leadership data and is a source of
                                                  on California corporate boards.                  potential board candidates.
                                                  Assuming all California companies
                                                                                                   Joseph Grundfest, professor,
                                                  are in full compliance with the law
                                                                                                   Stanford Law School, a former SEC
                                                  by the end of 2021 and there are
                                                                                                   commissioner and current director
                                                  no major changes in other states,
                                                                                                   of KKR & Co. Inc. who specializes
                                                  California is projected to move up
                                                                                                   in capital markets, corporate gover-
                                                  to second place.
                                                                                                   nance and securities litigation.
                                               –– At least 11 other states have
                                                                                                   Robin Washington, a director of
                                                  passed or are considering laws
                                                                                                   Alphabet, Inc., Honeywell Interna-
                                                  similar to California’s, though most
                                                                                                   tional, Inc. and Salesforce Inc., and
                                                  have less rigid targets, in part
                                                                                                   former executive vice president and
                                                  because of concerns that Califor-
                                                                                                   CFO of Gilead Sciences, Inc.
                                                  nia’s law may be vulnerable to a
                                                  constitutional challenge.                        Click here for audio of the webinar.

                                               14 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
Contacts

Jessie K. Liu                                               Sonia K. Nijjar                                        Ann Beth Stebbins
Partner / Washington, D.C.                                  Partner / Palo Alto                                    Partner / New York
202.371.7340                                                650.470.4592                                           212.735.2660
jessie.liu@skadden.com                                      sonia.nijjar@skadden.com                               annbeth.stebbins@skadden.com

Maxim Mayer-Cesiano                                         Patrick G. Rideout                                     Tansy Woan
Partner / New York                                          Partner / New York                                     Associate / New York
212.735.2297                                                212.735.2702                                           212.735.2472
maxim.mayercesiano@skadden.com                              patrick.rideout@skadden.com                            tansy.woan@skadden.com

Edward B. Micheletti                                        Susan L. Saltzstein
Partner / Wilmington                                        Partner / New York
302.651.3220                                                212.735.4132
edward.micheletti@skadden.com                               susan.saltzstein@skadden.com

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                                                            15 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
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