Business Law Newsletters

Business Conduct Codes

Business Conduct Codes for New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Listed Companies

Directors’ Ignorance of Corporate Affairs

To carry out fully their duties and responsibilities to shareholders and the corporation, directors must be reasonably familiar with the workings of the corporation and have a general knowledge of how the corporation conducts its business. Directors are not expected to have superior knowledge about all business and financial aspects of the corporation, but they are assumed to have competent knowledge of the duties they have taken on when named to the board.

The Regulation A Registration Exemption for Small Securities Offerings

Under section 3(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities and Exchange Commission has established Regulation A to exempt small offerings of securities from registration requirements. While the exemption does not relieve a company from its obligation not to use false or misleading statements or from state law requirements, Regulation A allows companies to issue and sell securities with less burden and expense than normally required.

The Rule 505 Exemption from Registration Requirements for Small Securities Offerings

Before selling shares of stock to the public, a company normally must file a detailed registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The usual registration statement must contain a prospectus with audited financial statements and other information required for review by Commission staff. However, several exemptions from registration requirements are available for stock offerings that are of lesser value or sold to restricted categories of purchasers.

Types of Mergers Analyzed Under Section 7 of the Clayton Act

Mergers which are likely to substantially lessen competition or tend to create a monopoly in any line of commerce are illegal under Section Seven of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C.S. § 18. The type of merger — horizontal, vertical, or conglomerate — will affect consideration of the potential illegality of the merger.