Law Commons^™

From Public Health To Public Wealth: The Case For Economic Justice, Barbara L. Atwell

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

This Article examines how we can overlay the principle of serving the common good, which undergirds public health law, onto financial well-being. It suggests that we apply public health law principles to corporate law and culture. In matters of public health, we view quite broadly states' police power to protect the public good. Government is also empowered to protect the general welfare in matters of financial well-being. Using the “general welfare” as a guidepost, this Article challenges the conventional wisdom that corporations exist solely to maximize profit and shareholder value to the exclusion of virtually everything else. It proposes two …

The Futility Of Walls: How Traveling Corporations Threaten State Sovereignty, Darren Rosenblum

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

Inversions--mergers in which one firm merges with another abroad to avoid taxes in its home country--have spread as globalization has reduced many of the transactional costs associated with relocating. As firms acquire the power to choose the laws that govern them, they challenge the sovereignty of nation-states, who find their ability to tax and regulate firms depleted. States and firms compete in a game of cat and mouse to adapt to this new global reality. The subversion of state power by these firms reveals the futility of walls, both literal and regulatory. This Essay describes the phenomenon of these “traveling …

When Social Enterprises Fail, Jonathan Brown

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

This Article identifies the conflicts between social enterprise legislation and bankruptcy law and presents a normative argument for a legal regime that would harmonize the two. Focusing on benefit corporations, the most widely adopted social enterprise form, this Article observes that existing law leaves uncertainty as to the role of directors at a time of financial distress and will produce outcomes that are at odds with the core goals of social enterprise legislation. Then, drawing on academic proposals for contract-based systems of bankruptcy, this Article argues that just as a firm may opt out of a corporate governance norm of …

Feminizing Capital: A Corporate Imperative, Darren Rosenblum

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

This Article argues that Norway’s Corporate Board Quota Law (“CBQ”) fosters a productive symbiosis between the public and private spheres. Recent studies indicate that higher numbers of women in executive positions result in stronger rates of corporate return on equity (“ROE”). Countries with higher levels of women's political representation also tend to have higher levels of economic growth. Increasing women's workforce participation outside the home can drive overall economic growth. These factors prompted the CBQ's proponents to argue for the economic imperative of women's corporate leadership. The CBQ will not only ameliorate gender inequality, but will bring new life to …

To Disclose Or Not To Disclose. That Is The Question For The Corporate Fiduciary Who Is Also A Pension Plan Fiduciary Under Erisa: Resolving The Conflict Of Duty, Shelby D. Green

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

This Article examines the seeming irreconcilable conflict faced by the pension plan fiduciary, who is a corporate insider, to disclose or not to disclose material, inside information to plan participants, who would use the information to divest investments in company stock, without disclosing the same information to persons on the other side of these trades. The Article begins with a general discussion of the regulation of trade in securities and the history of the insider trading laws under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Part III discusses the soundness of the prohibition against insider trading. Part IV explains the duties …

Crime, War & Romanticism: Arthur Andersen And The Nature Of Entity Guilt, David N. Cassuto

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

In 2002, Arthur Andersen, LLP stood trial for obstruction of justice. The prosecution offered several theories as to who at the firm had committed the crime but no one theory satisfied all twelve jurors. In an attempt to break its deadlock, the jury asked whether it could convict i f some jurors thought Person A at Andersen had done it and some thought it was Person B. Following argument, the judge ruled that it could convict.

This article argues that the court's response to the jury's query was wrong as a matter of law and policy. The ruling misconstrues the …

Improving Charitable Accountability, James J. Fishman

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

This Article focuses upon a persistent problem of the nonprofit sector--its lack of accountability to the public. Director, officer, and organizational responsibilities will be analyzed. Past and current approaches to secure accountability of charitable assets will be discussed, and a proposal for improving charitable accountability will be suggested through the creation of public-private charity commissions at the state level under the aegis of the attorney general.

"Reasonable Expectations" Define Board Power To Liquidate A Solvent Close Corporation In Bankruptcy, Shelby D. Green

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

This Article will argue that, in the absence of contrary provisions in the articles of incorporation, the power of the board of directors of a solvent close corporation to file a voluntary petition for liquidation in bankruptcy must be determined by the theory of “reasonable expectations.” This doctrine not only addresses wrongdoing by those in control, but also defines the power and rights of close corporation participants. Part II briefly considers the uses of bankruptcy in recent years and comments on the peculiar occasion of a solvent corporation deciding to liquidate in bankruptcy. Part III summarizes the facts and identifies …

Defending The "Time Culture": The Public And Private Interests Of Media Corporations, Shelby D. Green

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

Part I of this essay discusses the “public interest” standard under the Federal Communications Act and describes parallels in corporation doctrine. Part II considers whether broadcasters satisfy their public interest obligations by addressing audience interest. Part III discusses the prerogatives of the management of the corporate broadcaster to consider non-financial factors in selecting programming. Part IV describes the non-traditional philosophy of the corporation's legitimate object, which led to the subject case. Part V discusses the central legal issues of the cognizable business interests of corporations. Finally, the Conclusion offers a view on desirable public interest objectives of media corporations.

The Illusion Of Fairness Through Special Committees In Management Buyouts, Shelby D. Green

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

This essay will explore these deficiencies and argue for real, and not illusory, safeguards against directors' self-dealing in management buyouts. Part II provides an overview of corporation law regarding the decisionmaking authority of the board. Part III discusses self-dealing transactions as exceptions to the normal judicial deference accorded board decisions. Part IV discusses the flaws in the use of the special committee to address conflict of interest problems. Part V provides an analysis of the case introducing this essay and Part VI offers conclusions and suggestions for reform.

Corporate Philanthropy And The Business Benefit: The Need For Clarity, Shelby D. Green

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

The need for clarity or harmony is the subject of this essay. Part II summarizes a philosophical debate between two scholars on the mission of the corporation. Part III briefly traces the historical development of the relevant principles and Part IV examines the actual philanthropic practices of several large publicly held corporations. Finally, Part V considers the continuing significance of the common law rule in light of these practices and urges support for the ALI proposal.

Standards Of Conduct For Directors Of Nonprofit Corporations, James J. Fishman

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

This Article analyzes the standards of care and loyalty that should apply to directors of nonprofit corporations. It suggests that the movement toward corporate law principles neither reflects the differences in the types of nonprofit corporations nor provides a coherent rationale for the conduct regulated. The "trust law"-"corporate law" distinction has often centered upon the label to be applied rather than on an analysis of the principles involved. Too often the selection of the label has determined the result. At other times, the label has been used as a convenient rationalization of a socially desirable conclusion. This Article will attempt …

The Development Of Nonprofit Corporation Law And An Agenda For Reform, James J. Fishman

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

This article examines the development of the law of “charitable corporations”' and attempts to explain why the charitable corporation rather than the charitable trust became the predominant organizational form for charitable and benevolent activities in the United States. It then discusses some of the inconsistencies of nonprofit corporation law and provides an agenda for future reform.

New Dimensions In Corporate Counseling In Environmental Law, Nicholas A. Robinson

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

This article's thesis is that attorneys cannot wait any longer to begin practicing environmental law. The bar has a responsibility to insure that our laws are obeyed and implemented. In advising a client regarding compliance with environmental laws, the legal counselor has unique opportunities to advance not only the client's interests, but also the public's interest in environmental protection.

Review Of Close Corporations By F. Hodge O'Neal, John A. Humbach

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Canadian Corporation And Wall Street: Application Of United States Securities Laws To Canadian Issuers, Merril Sobie

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

The purpose of this article is to present the Canadian legal practitioner with a summary of those sections of American securities laws which are applicable to foreign issuers. Discussion, for the most part, will be limited to a brief outline of the more salient aspects of securities regulation; a complete presentation of any one feature would be impossible within the confines of a single article. Wherever possible, relevant authorities will be cited and counsel would be wise to examine their more detailed treatment. Moreover, though federal legislation in this area is not exclusive, discussion will be limited to the national …