This week, I have been celebrating 50 years of The Corporate Counsel and all of the related publications by showcasing some of my favorite contributions to the newsletter over the years.

When I started working for Executive Press after leaving the SEC in May 2007, I was very excited to join the editorial staff of The Corporate Counsel newsletter, given my long history with the publication that I described in the blog this week. Up until this point in my career, I had never really had the unique experience of writing for a blog or a newsletter, having instead cut my teeth on writing legal memoranda and disclosure in SEC filings. The thing that I soon learned about blogs and newsletters is that they very much have a “voice,” and if you are writing for them, you need to adapt your writing style to that voice. While this may sound straightforward, I found it hard to adapt my writing style to the more casual, conversational approach that is associated with these publications. I greatly appreciate the patience and understanding of Mike Gettelman, Broc Romanek and Julie Hoffman, who successfully guided me to the “voice” of our publications that carries through to this day.

For today’s featured article from The Corporate Counsel, I highlight one that is less practical and more personal. Even though this piece does not really include any practical guidance, I definitely find myself referring back to it from time to time. In the July-August 2020 issue of The Corporate Counsel, I penned a tribute to my late friend Marty Dunn, who had been a big part of The Corporate Counsel family for almost a decade. I still have a very distinct memory of when I asked Marty to join me as an editor of The Corporate Counsel, and he was so excited to get a chance to collaborate with me and contribute to an iconic publication that he had also relied on for many years. We announced Marty’s arrival in the May-June 2011 issue of The Corporate Counsel, and over the course of his tenure Marty and I had a very healthy competition trying to come up with the most practical guidance in our contributions, and I have to say looking back that Marty usually won on that front! My tribute to Marty is as follows:

In Memoriam: Marty Dunn

We lost a securities law legend when Marty Dunn passed away on June 15, 2020. Marty was the most recognizable person in the securities bar, having spoken at so many conferences and events for so long that it is impossible to count them all. Marty was also a key contributor to our publications, serving as an Editor of The Corporate Counsel for the past nine years, as a co-host of “The Dave & Marty Radio Show” on TheCorporateCounsel.net and as a panelist, comedian and puppeteer at the annual Proxy Disclosure Conference. Marty loved the securities laws and spent his life sharing that love with others, always seeking to teach us something new, while at the same time making sure that we did not take it all too seriously.

Marty’s wit and good humor was legendary. He always had a funny story or witty retort when speaking on an otherwise dry panel, and audiences loved him for that. For many years, Marty and I would travel around the country, like a pair of securities law troubadours, bringing the Dave and Marty show to conferences and events. Although, I must admit, it was mostly the Marty show. We had such a great time on those trips. I will treasure those memories forever.

Marty had spent nearly 20 years at the SEC, where he was responsible for many of the SEC’s most significant initiatives on disclosure, governance and capital-raising, including, among many others, reforming the securities offering process, implementing the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, adopting plain English requirements, implementing electronic proxy delivery and easing capital formation for small businesses. Marty spent his entire government career in his beloved Division of Corporation Finance, where he held several key positions, including Associate Director, Chief Counsel, Deputy Director and Acting Director.

Marty truly loved the SEC and Corp Fin. I can distinctly recall sitting in his office, drafting some new rule, interpretation or regulatory relief, and Marty would say, with a mix of amazement and admiration, “We just made that up!” Marty was the best at taking something complex and making it understandable, as well as taking on the most difficult problem and finding a practical solution for it. These skills made him the great teacher, mentor, regulator and counselor that he was.

After leaving the government, Marty was in private practice at O’Melveny & Myers and Morrison & Foerster. Clients and colleagues sought Marty out for his wise counsel and his aforementioned ability to solve difficult problems with practical solutions. I had the pleasure of working with Marty again for the past seven years, and we were able to accomplish so much together, but yet we had so much more that we wanted to do. I am going to miss him as a valued friend, mentor and colleague.

Above all else, Marty was a family man. He loved his family so much, and he talked about them all the time. Marty is survived by his wife Linda and daughters Emily, Molly and Maggie, as well as many other family members, friends, colleagues and clients who loved him.

I hope you have enjoyed my celebration of 50 years of The Corporate Counsel, and if you are not a subscriber to The Corporate Counsel and The Corporate Executive newsletters, be sure to sign up today. Please email info@ccrcorp.com or call 1.800.737.1271 to subscribe.

– Dave Lynn