Law Commons^™

Retail Investors And Corporate Governance: Evidence From Zero-Commission Trading, Dhruv Aggarwal, Albert H. Choi, Yoon-Ho Alex Lee

Law & Economics Working Papers

We examine the effects of the sudden abolition of trading commissions by major online brokerages in 2019, which lowered stock market entry costs for retail investors, on corporate governance. Firms already popular with retail investors experienced positive abnormal returns around the abolition of commissions. Firms with positive abnormal returns in response to commission-free trading subsequently saw a decrease in institutional ownership, a decrease in shareholder voting, and a deterioration in environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) metrics. Finally, these firms were more likely to adopt bylaw amendments to reduce the percentage of shares needed for a quorum at shareholder meetings. …

The Limits Of Corporate Governance, Cathy Hwang, Emily Winston

Seattle University Law Review

What is the purpose of the corporation? For decades, the answer was clear: to put shareholders’ interests first. In many cases, this theory of shareholder primacy also became synonymous with the imperative to maximize shareholder wealth. In the world where shareholder primacy was a north star, courts, scholars, and policymakers had relatively little to fight about: most debates were minor skirmishes about exactly how to maximize shareholder wealth.

Part I of this Essay discusses the shortcomings of shareholder primacy and stakeholder governance, arguing that neither of these modes of governance provides an adequate framework for incentivizing corporations to do good. …

The Corporation In An Age Of Divisiveness, Peer Zumbansen

University of Pennsylvania Journal of Business Law

The debate around the public purpose of the corporation is not a new one. But it has flared up again recently due to widespread critique of deepening socio-economic inequality, corporate inequities regarding gender and race and the seeming inability of governments and businesses alike to adequately address the catastrophic impact of climate change. As the corporation holds a firmly established place in the universe of economic and financial affairs, it – like the markets in which it operates – is is typically depicted as a private affair. Any regulation of the corporation, thus, tends to be critiqued as an unjustified …

Asking The Right Questions: How Jill Fisch Debunks Narratives And Arrives At Solutions, Hillary A. Sale

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Without a doubt, Professor Jill E. Fisch is one of the most influential scholars in the corporate and securities law space. Whether we measure her contributions by awards, areas of influence, or volume, Professor Fisch’s work is at the top of the list. It is, indeed, no surprise that the Institute for Law and Economic Policy (ILEP) chose to honor Professor Fisch at this year’s corporate and securities symposium, hosted with the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Business Law. I am honored to write this introduction about Professor Fisch and explore her work and influence over time, with an emphasis …