Shareholders’ Rights & Shareholder Activism 2020 — Trends and Developments

As life changed in 2020, so did shareholder rights. In the United States, there was a substantial change in how companies conduct annual meetings, a reignited debate on the purpose of the corporation, new defensive strategies for companies, as well as a reshaping of the shareholder activist model, as some activists adopted tactics historically associated with private equity. In this article, partners Ele Klein and Michael Swartz and former Schulte lawyer Aneliya Crawford discuss the notable developments in shareholder activism and shareholder rights. Brandon Gold assisted in the preparation of this article.