Month: April 2022
Schemes of Arrangement: Dodgy Plots or Effective Ways to Purchase UK Companies?
1. What is a scheme of arrangement and when might you use it? While the word ‘scheme’ may give you pause, a scheme of arrangement is a well-trodden path to purchase UK companies via a court-approved process. A scheme of arrangement is the most common structure for acquiring a UK […]
Is the SEC process for SPAC registration statements Kafkaesque?
“Statement Regarding SPAC Matter,” is the latest from SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce. Seems completely anodyne, doesn’t it? But, as they say, looks can be deceiving. Instead, it’s a withering criticism of the SEC’s failure to declare a SPAC registration statement effective in time to allow a de-SPAC merger to go forward, […]
Delaware Advance Notice Decisions Highlight Move Toward Enhanced Scrutiny of Board Actions, Even Where Conflicts Exist
Like US constitutional law, Delaware courts apply a tiered standard of judicial review to actions taken by the board of directors of corporations: Business judgment deference (rational basis). Enhanced scrutiny under Unocal and Revlon (intermediate scrutiny). The compelling justification standard articulated in Blasius (strict scrutiny). In the constitutional arena, the […]
New SEC proposal takes on SPACs
Yesterday, the SEC voted, three to one, to propose new rules and amendments regarding SPACs, shell companies, the use of projections in SEC filings and a rule addressing the status of SPACs under the Investment Company Act of 1940. The proposal arrives in the context of calls from various corners, […]