TheCorporateCounsel.net

April 15, 2009

Hotel Announced and Early Bird Closing: “4th Annual Proxy Disclosure Conference” & “6th Annual Executive Compensation Conference”

We just announced that our popular conferences – “Tackling Your 2010 Compensation Disclosures: The 4th Annual Proxy Disclosure Conference” & “6th Annual Executive Compensation Conference” – will take place at the Hilton San Francisco on November 9-10th (and via Live Nationwide Video Webcast). Here is the Conference registration form – and here is the agenda.

To make your reservations at the Hilton, register for the hotel online or call 800.445.8667. When you register for the hotel, it is important to mention the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals Conference, Executive Compensation Conference or the Proxy Disclosure Conference (or just mention the Group Code of “SPP”) to receive the discounted rate.

Special Early Bird Rates: Only One Week Left – Act by April 24th: We know that many of you are hurting in ways that we all never dreamed of – and going to a Conference is the last thing on your mind. But with huge changes afoot for executive compensation and the related disclosures, we are doing our part to help you address all these critical changes—and avoid costly pitfalls—by offering a “half-off” early bird discount rate for those that attend in San Francisco and nearly half-off for those that attend via the Web (both of the Conferences are bundled together with a single price).

You need to register by next Friday, April 24th, to obtain these reasonable rates.

SEC Staff Issues SAB 111 re: Temporary Impairment

Yesterday, Corp Fin and the Office of Chief Accountant jointly issued SAB 111 regarding impairments of equity and debt securities (i.e. OTTI). Here is the related press release.

Meanwhile, the PCAOB voted yesterday to issue a concept release regarding possible revisions to the board’s standard on audit confirmations. Learn more from FEI’s “Financial Reporting Blog.”

Survey Results: Advance Notice Bylaws

We recently wrapped up our Quick Survey on advance notice bylaw practices. Below are our results:

1. Has your company revised its advanced notice bylaw provisions this year?
– We reviewed them and decided no revisions were necessary – 11.9%
– We reviewed them and made revisions – 66.7%
– Our bylaws don’t contain advance notice provisions – 3.6%
– We haven’t reviewed our bylaws, but we plan to do so in the near term – 15.5%
– We haven’t reviewed our bylaws and have no plans to do so at this time – 2.4%

2. If your company revised its advance notice bylaw provisions, what changes did it make?
– We changed the deadlines for receipt of shareholder proposals – 40.7%
– We created separate provisions for shareholder proposals for director nominations and shareholder proposals for other business – 49.2%
– We added specific advance notice provisions for special meetings – 42.4%
– We added disclosure requirements for shareholder proponents to address derivative securities – 81.4%
– We made other changes to the advance notice provisions – 50.9%

3. Have (or will) your company submit the amended bylaws for shareholder approval?
– Yes – 6.9%
– No – 93.2%

4. How did (or will) your company disclose its amended bylaws?
– Form 8-K – 88.7%
– Form 10-Q – 5.6%
– Form 10-K – 1.4%
– Press Release – 2.8%
– We don’t intend to disclose the changes – 1.4%

Please take a moment to participate in our new “Quick Survey on Compliance Committees.”

– Broc Romanek