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The Isolated Offering, Vol 9, Issue 7

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The Isolated Offering
A Newsletter of The Lebrecht Group, APLC
July 14, 2009
Volume 09, Number 7

In This Issue

Is the PCAOB Unconstitutional?

Small-Cap Securities Suits - Are you Covered?

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How to Choose a Corporate Securities Attorney

5 Ways to Help Maintain '34 Act Reporting Compliance

Seven Tips for Companies Going Public Through a Management-Underwritten Initial Public Offering

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Is the PCAOB Unconstitutional?

On May 18, 2009, the United States Supreme Court agreed to hear Free Enterprise Fund v. PCAOB, a case that challenges the structure of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board as unconstitutional. The PCAOB has been called many things, but is it unconstitutional, and if it is, what then?

PCAOB Structure

Formation of the PCAOB

In 2002, in response to a series of accounting scandals including Enron and WorldCom, Congress hastily passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“SarBox”), which created the PCAOB (the “Board”) as a new entity to oversee the audits of public companies. Specifically, the Board’s purpose is “to protect the interests of investors and further the public interest in the preparation of informative, accurate, and independent audit reports for companies the securities of which are sold to, and held by and for, public investors.”

Appointment and Removal of Board Members is Vested with the SEC

The Board consists of five members who are appointed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), after consultation with the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (currently Ben Bernanke) and the Secretary of the Treasury (currently Tim Geithner). Appointment is by a majority vote of the five SEC Commissioners.

A member of the Board may be removed only upon a finding of good cause by the SEC...[more]

Small-Cap Securities Suits – Are you Covered?

Regan Guth – Vice President, Diversified Insurance Group

Want to Sleep Better at Night? Consider Buying D&O Insurance

All publicly traded companies, regardless of size, are exposed to risks arising out of the company’s securities. Companies are subject to SEC oversight, securities regulations, and reporting requirements, all of which expose organizations to risk. Further, the actions of providing guidance to the street, conducting road shows, and having non-director shareholders create additional risk and potential liability for a firm. Any one of these items can be the impetus for a securities-based lawsuit. Additionally, directors and officers are held personally liable for their actions in running a company. This means that personal assets and wealth are potentially exposed in the event of a lawsuit against the firm that also names the individual director or officer. Directors & Officers (D&O) liability insurance is designed to protect individuals and companies from such exposures.

Trends in Litigation – Driving the Need for D&O Insurance

Of the 521 securities lawsuits settled between 2004 and 2009, 239 involved firms with market caps under $500M. Companies with market capitalizations under $500M represent 46% of all suits. Within the sub-$500M market cap subset, the average settlement was $7.1M and the median was $3.9M. Though historical settlements may not predict future settlements, looking at past trends gives a sense of the risk your company faces. With an average settlement of $7.1M and a median of $3.9M, can your company afford to not insure ...[more]

 

 

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