Practice Areas

In a period of increased concern about appropriate corporate disclosure, management self-interest and compensation issues, the independent directors and board committees of public companies may find themselves in need of services of independent counsel. In addition to a long history of representing public companies, many of our lawyers also have personal experience serving as public company directors and board committee members. As a result of the expertise and outstanding service of members of the Business & Securities Group, we advise board committees, independent directors and entire boards of directors (when evaluating risks associated with corporate governance or disclosure issues) on a wide-array of issues, including:

• Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and other legal requirements
• Risk management from a director's perspective
• Preparing committee charters, codes of ethics and disclosure policies
• Corporate governance legal audits
• Annual governance "check ups"
• Evaluating conflict of interest issues
• Internal investigations of improprieties
• SEC inquiries or investigations
• Evaluating the hiring or firing of independent auditors
• Shareholder lawsuits

When necessary, our Business & Securities lawyers also receive expert support from other practice groups within our firm, including lawyers providing securities litigation and insurance and risk management services.

For a more complete description of our services to Independent Directors, see attached.