They have a really good combination of corporate and public company expertise, and understand both regulatory questions and shareholder issues.
— Client Quote, Chambers USA
Vinson & Elkins’ Shareholder Engagement practice comprises a multidisciplinary group of highly experienced lawyers to assist in high-stakes shareholder engagements. Our shareholder engagement professionals are equipped to address the complexity of diverse investor landscapes involving business, regulatory and legal considerations – as well as adjacent practice areas including executive compensation and employee benefits, tax and dispute resolution.
Shareholder Engagement Solutions
Vinson & Elkins’ Shareholder Engagement practice covers the full spectrum of a company’s interactions with its shareholders and other stakeholders, and offers a full range of sophisticated solutions, including:
- Proactive “Peacetime” Engagement Strategies: Preparing companies for off-season shareholder engagement preparedness and reporting gap analyses as well as engagements with “activist” NGOs
- Activism Preparedness & Defense Planning: Reviewing defensive profiles and developing response plans
- Shareholder Activism Defense: Managing campaigns, proxy contests and negotiating settlements
- Hostile Takeover Defense: Developing and implementing responses to hostile acquisition proposals
- Securities Laws Compliance: Ensuring adherence to SEC rules and securities exchange regulations
- Tailored Corporate Governance Advisory: Implementing best practices based on specific company needs
- Proxy Season & Annual Meeting Preparation: Managing all aspects of a company’s shareholder meetings
- Strategic Alternatives Execution: Developing and executing strategies, such as capital raises and M&A
- Dispute Resolution: Managing, if necessary litigating, and favorably resolving shareholder-related disputes
Experience Highlights
Southwest Airlines in defense of the special meeting proxy fight of Elliott Management
Pitney Bowes Inc. in defense of the threatened proxy fight of Hestia Capital
Yelp Inc. in the defense of a shareholder activism campaign by TCS Capital Management
Targa Resources Corp with respect to shareholder proposal defense
Blackbaud, Inc. in its response to an unsolicited proposal from Clearlake Capital
Daktronics, Inc. with respect to PIPE, reincorporation into Delaware, and defense of an activism campaign from Alta Fox Capital