Implementing Best Practices
Since the passage of Sarbanes-Oxley and changes in stock exchange listing standards, compliance with more rigorous corporate governance requirements has become critical for all public companies. Beyond compliance with these requirements, companies and their directors have increasingly recognized that corporate performance and leadership can be improved through the adoption of appropriate corporate governance practices.
Our Corporate Governance Practice Group consists of more than 40 lawyers from a number of practice areas, including corporate, securities, M&A, tax, compensation and benefits, employment law and litigation. Our clients benefit from our reputation for integrity, effectiveness and thorough knowledge of the applicable laws and stock exchange listing standards and our practical experience in assisting clients with corporate governance matters.
Lead Director Network
In recent years, the boards of most public companies have appointed a "lead" director, a "presiding" director or a non-executive chairman. While boards were quick to appoint these new leaders, there has been little consensus or common practice on the questions of which responsibilities lead directors should undertake and how they should interact with other groups (such as senior management and shareholders). In order to consider such issues, King & Spalding and Tapestry Networks have created the Lead Director Network( LDN). The LDN brings together a select group of lead directors, presiding directors, and non-executive chairmen from many of America's leading companies for private discussions about how to improve the performance of their corporations and earn the trust of their shareholders through more effective board leadership.
National Recognition
King & Spalding is the nation’s best law firm in dealing with general corporate governance issues according to a 2008 survey released by Directors & Boards magazine. In addition, we placed No. 2 in handling director liability matters and No. 3 in board-level M&A.
