2025 Annual Institute on Corporate Governance 

April 3-4, 2025

New York, NY 

Please save the date for our annual Institute on Corporate Governance. This is an in-person event and will be held in New York City. Dinner will be held on Thursday evening of April 3rd with the Institute to follow on Friday, April 4th. Registration and details will be posted soon. We hope to see everyone there! 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                     

October 1, 2024

The American College of Governance Counsel  

Contact: Jenna Ayala
646-846-3832

THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF GOVERNANCE COUNSEL ANNOUNCES
2024 CLASS OF FELLOWS

NEW YORK, NY – The American College of Governance Counsel, an organization of leading corporate governance lawyers from the U.S. and Canada, has elected its tenth class to include 21 new Fellows.

“I’m thrilled to welcome this distinguished group of experienced governance counsel as Fellows in the College. Their invitation acknowledges their status as leaders in the field, and we eagerly anticipate the valuable insights they will contribute to our discussions.” said Holly J. Gregory, Chair of the College. The election of the tenth group of Fellows will bring the ranks of the College to just over 180 Fellows and Honorary Fellows.

“I am delighted and honored to see the terrific new class of experienced practitioners, in-house counsel and scholars joining the ACGC. The skills and deep knowledge of this diverse group will greatly enhance the ability of the ACGC to promote its mission. We are proud to have such an outstanding group of governance leaders join the ACGC and I look forward to their active engagement in our activities as the preeminent body of corporate governance counsellors in North America,” added David J. Berger, President of the College.

The list of newly elected Fellows is appended.

The College is a professional, educational and honorary association organized to promote a high level of professional standards for those engaged in the governance practice along with a better understanding and broader adoption of best governance practices. Fellows and Honorary Fellows are chosen from the ranks of experienced lawyers in the United States and Canada who have displayed a high level of professionalism and a commitment to the advancement of the governance practice through a combination of practice and thought leadership activities. Through its programs, the College, which was established in 2014, explores the major governance issues facing business enterprises today and in the future.  

American College of Governance Counsel

Tenth Class of Fellows October 2024

The continuing dispute between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Disney Corporation spotlights the application of commercial speech protections under the First Amendment to ESG considerations. There’s an interesting history here, involving the SEC’s conflict mineral disclosure rule of about 10 years ago, which was successfully challenged on First Amendment grounds (see here). There are also three recent academic articles that provide interesting perspectives on the issues, which can be accessed through the Current Resources section of our website.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                     

June 29, 2023

The American College of Governance Counsel  

Contact: Jenna Ayala
646-846-3832

NEW YORK, NY – The American College of Governance Counsel, an organization of leading corporate governance lawyers from the U.S. and Canada, has elected its ninth class to include [16] new Fellows.

“We are again so proud to announce our new class of Fellows. A diverse and distinguished group of experts both in practice and in academia. Our College continues to set standards of excellence to further the advancement of knowledge and experience in the field of corporate governance”, said Larry W. Sonsini, Chair of the College. The election of the ninth group of Fellows will bring the ranks of the College to just over 150 Fellows and Honorary Fellows.  “I am so proud to see the terrific new class of experienced practitioners and scholars joining the ACGC. The skills and deep knowledge of this diverse group will greatly enhance the ability of the ACGC to promote its mission. I look forward to their active engagement in our activities as the preeminent body of corporate governance counsellors in North America,” added David J. Berger, President of the College.

The list of newly elected Fellows is appended.

The College is a professional, educational and honorary association organized to promote a high level of professional standards for those engaged in the governance practice along with a better understanding and broader adoption of best governance practices. Fellows and Honorary Fellows are chosen from the ranks of lawyers in the United States and Canada who have displayed a high level of professionalism and a commitment to the advancement of the governance practice through a combination of practice and thought leadership activities. Through its programs, the College, which was established in 2014, explores the major governance issues facing business enterprises including challenges to traditional models of governance, risk management, shareholder engagement, and an increasingly complex regulatory and enforcement environment. The College’s Honorary Founding Co-Chairs are Martin Lipton, Ira M. Millstein, and E. Norman Veasey.

More about the College can be found at www.amgovcollege.org.

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American College of Governance Counsel Ninth Class of Fellows June 2023

Joseph Allerhand
Allerhand and Odoner

Robert Bartlett
Berkeley Center for Law and Business

Myra Bierria
Southern Company and Evolution Petroleum

Aaron Briggs
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher

Jennifer M. Daniels
Colgate – Palmolive

Crystal Gordon
Gogo

Rick Hansen
HP, Inc

Allison Herren Lee
Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto

Shelly Heyduk
O’Melveny

Adé Heylinger
Weil

Colleen Honingsberg
Stanford Law School

Ethan Klingsberg
Freshfields

William Lafferty
Morris, Nichols, Arhst & Tunnell

Amy Simmerman
Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati

Steven Solomon
UC Berkeley School of Law

Holly Youngwood
JP Morgan Chase & Co

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 3, 2023

Contact: Jenna Ayala
646-846-3832

New York, NY — The Board of Trustees of the American College of Governance Counsel (ACGC) is pleased to announce that David J. Berger has been elected to serve as President.  Mr. Berger is a partner at the law firm of Wilson Sonsini, specializing in corporate governance advisory work and litigation.   The Board is also pleased to announce that Patricia Vella, a partner at Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell who advises corporations on corporate governance matters and a variety of corporate transactions, has been elected Vice Chair and that outgoing President Holly J. Gregory, co-head of Sidley Austin’s corporate governance practice, has been named the ACGC’s Chair-Elect. 

“We are very pleased to have David Berger as our next President and honored that Holly Gregory will replace me as Chair as my term ends this year” said Larry Sonsini, Chair of the ACGC Board of Trustees.  “David will bring energy, commitment and thoughtful leadership to the ACGC, following in the footsteps of Holly’s outstanding tenure as President. The leadership of the College will be in a very good place.”

“I am grateful and humbled by the Board of Trustee’s decision to appoint me as President, and excited to work with the Board and our distinguished Fellows to lead ACGC over the next three years,” said Berger.  “I look forward to working with Holly and Tricia, and wish to especially thank Larry Sonsini for his mentorship to me during my career.” 

“I have been honored to serve as President of the College and know the College is in excellent hands under David’s leadership and with the addition of Tricia in the Vice Chair role” said Gregory.”

 ACGC is a professional, educational, and honorary association of leading corporate governance lawyers from the U.S. and Canada who are widely recognized for their achievements in the field of governance. The mission of ACGC is to promote a high level of professional standards among governance lawyers, along with a better understanding and broader adoption of best practices within business organizations. Through its programs, ACGC addresses major governance issues facing business enterprises, including developing challenges to traditional models of governance, risk management, shareholder engagement, and an increasingly complex regulatory and enforcement environment.

Membership is extended by invitation only to lawyers who have practiced law for a minimum of 15 years, and have focused their practice on the field of governance for at least 10 of those years. The college is currently comprised of 155 individuals who have made significant, sustained contributions to the governance community through their practices, speaking, writing, and thought leadership. Martin Lipton, Ira M. Millstein, and E. Norman Veasey are honorary founding chairs of the College.

To learn more about the ACGC, please click here.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 10, 2022                                                                                                                                    

NEW YORK, NY – The American College of Governance Counsel, the organization for leading corporate governance lawyers from the U.S. and Canada, has elected 12 lawyers to its 2022 Class of Fellows.

“I am pleased to welcome this highly accomplished group of experienced governance counsel as Fellows in the College. Invitation to the College recognizes that these lawyers are at the top of their profession and we look forward to the insights that they will bring to our discussions, ” said Larry W. Sonsini, Chair of the College. The election of the eighth group of Fellows will bring the select ranks of the College to just over 150 Fellows and Honorary Fellows.  “I join our Chair in celebrating the new class of leading practitioners in our field, and invite their active engagement in our activities as the preeminent body of corporate governance counsellors in North America,” added Holly J. Gregory, President of the College.

The list of newly elected Fellows is appended.

The College is a professional, educational and honorary association organized to promote a high level of professional standards for those engaged in the governance practice along with a better understanding and broader adoption of best governance practices.  Fellows and Honorary Fellows are chosen from the ranks of lawyers in the United States and Canada who have displayed a high level of professionalism and a commitment to the advancement of the governance practice through a combination of practice and thought leadership activities. Through its programs, the College, which was established in 2014, explores the major governance issues facing business enterprises including challenges to traditional models of governance, risk management, shareholder engagement, and an increasingly complex regulatory and enforcement environment.  The College’s Honorary Founding Co-Chairs are Martin Lipton, Ira M. Millstein, and E. Norman Veasey.

More about the College can be found at www.amgovcollege.org.

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American College of Governance Counsel Eighth Class of Fellows September 2022

Bradley R. Aronstam
Ross Aronstam & Moritz LLP

Lucy Fato
American International Group

D. Cameron Findlay
Archer Daniels Midland Company

Raquel Fox
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

John P. Kelsh
Sidley Austin LLP

Lori B. Marino
previously at New Senior Investment Group Inc.

Lona Nallengara
Shearman & Sterling LLP

Francesca L. Odell
Cleary Gottlieb

Aabha Sharma
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

Robert B. Stebbins
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

Joseph R. Slights III
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Mark Lebovitch
Berstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman LLP

NEW YORK, NY – The American College of Governance Counsel, the organization for leading corporate governance lawyers from the U.S. and Canada, has elected 14 new Fellows in its class of 2021.

“The addition of this outstanding group of experts reflects the growth and specialization of corporate governance as a distinct field of law and the valuable contributions to the field that each of these accomplished individuals has made and are expected to continue to make. Never before has there been such a need for collaboration by the distinguished members of the College on the issues facing corporate enterprises,” said Larry W. Sonsini, Chair of the College. 

“It is gratifying to see the College continue to expand as the preeminent body of corporate governance counsellors in North America,” added Holly J. Gregory, President of the College. “We are excited to welcome this distinguished group of leading practitioners and jurists to the College, and look forward to the perspectives and energy they will bring to our discussions. We know that they will make important contributions to our work.” The list of newly elected Fellows is appended.

The College was founded with the guidance of Honorary Co-Chairs Martin Lipton, Ira M. Millstein, and E. Norman Veasey as a professional, educational and honorary association organized to recognize distinguished professionals who excel in counseling boards and directors, officers and others charged with governance responsibilities. The College seeks to promote a high level of professional standards for those engaged in the governance practice along with a better understanding and broader adoption of effective governance practices. 

Fellows are chosen from the ranks of lawyers in the United States and Canada who have displayed a high level of professionalism and a commitment to the advancement of corporate governance practice through a combination of practice and thought leadership activities. Through its programs, the College, which was established in 2014, explores the major governance issues facing business enterprises including challenges to traditional models of governance, risk management, shareholder engagement, and an increasingly complex regulatory and enforcement environment. John Olson served as the College’s Founding Chair.

More about the College can be found at www.amgovcollege.org.

American College of Governance Counsel 2021 Class of Fellows

Andre Bouchard
Former Chancellor
Delaware Court of Chancery

John Cafiero
Prudential Financial, Inc.

Elizabeth Dunshee
CCRcorp

Michelle Earley
Locke Lord

Margee Elias
Gogo Inc.

John Emanoilidis
Torys LLP

Lyuba Goltser
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP

Rebecca Grapsas
Sidley Austin LLP

Joel Greenberg
Arnold & Porter

Doreen Lilienfeld
Shearman & Sterling LLP

Laura McIntosh
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

Arthur Kohn
CitiGroup, Inc

Dannette Smith
UnitedHealth Group

Spencer Smul
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 28, 2020

NEW YORK, NY – The American College of Governance Counsel, the organization for leading corporate governance lawyers from the U.S. and Canada, has elected its sixth class to include 22 new Fellows.

“We are excited to have this distinguished group join the ranks of the College and are gratified that they have chosen to do so. We know that they will make important contributions to our work,” said Larry W. Sonsini, Chair of the College. The election of the sixth group of Fellows will bring the ranks of the College to 135 Fellows and Honorary Fellows.  “It is gratifying to see the College continue to expand as the preeminent body of corporate governance counsellors in North America,” added Holly J. Gregory, President of the College. “I join our Chair in welcoming the new class drawn from the United States and Canada of leading practitioners, general counsel, academics, and a former chief justice.”

The list of newly elected Fellows is appended.

The College also announced the appointment of the following Fellows to the Board of Trustees effective in January 2021:

Margaret M. (Peggy) Foran, Chief Governance Officer, Senior Vice President and Corporate Secretary of Prudential Financial Inc. (United States)

Steven M. Haas, Partner and Co-head of Mergers & Acquisitions at Hunton Andrews Kurth (United States)

Cornell Wright, Chair of the Corporate Department at Torys LLP (Canada)

Mr. Sonsini stated: “We are pleased to add Peggy, Steven and Cornell to the ranks of our Board of Trustees, and look forward to their guidance and stewardship.  Their commitment to the College is greatly appreciated.”   

The College is a professional, educational and honorary association organized to recognize distinguished professionals who excel in counseling boards and directors, officers and others charged with governance responsibilities. The College seeks to promote a high level of professional standards for those engaged in the governance practice along with a better understanding and broader adoption of best governance practices.  Fellows and Honorary Fellows are chosen from the ranks of lawyers in the United States and Canada who have displayed a high level of professionalism and a commitment to the advancement of the governance practice through a combination of practice and thought leadership activities. Through its programs, the College, which was established in 2014, explores the major governance issues facing business enterprises including challenges to traditional models of governance, risk management, shareholder engagement, and an increasingly complex regulatory and enforcement environment.  The College’s Honorary Co-Chairs are Martin Lipton, Ira M. Millstein, and E. Norman Veasey.

More about the College can be found at www.amgovcollege.org.

American College of Governance Counsel
Sixth Class of Fellows
October 2020

Lillian Brown
WilmerHale

Rob Evans
Locke Lord

Mary A. Francis
Chevron

Eduardo Gallardo
Gibson Dunn

Marc S. Gerber
Skadden

James D. Honaker
Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell

Robert J. Jackson, Jr.
NYU School of Law

Kai H.E. Liekefett
Sidley Austin

Susan S. Muck
WilmerHale

Sabastian V. Niles
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

Barak Orbach
University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law

Emmanuel Pressman
Osler

Simone Sepe
University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law

Claudius O. Sokenu
Cognizant

David E. Sternberg
Brown Brothers Harriman

Leo E. Strine, Jr.
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

Sarah Teslik
JoeleFrank

Lizanne Thomas
Jones Day

Sean Vanderpol
Stikeman Elliott

Kellye Walker
Eastman Chemical Company

Carol J. Ward
Foresight Board Operations

R. Daniel Witschey, Jr.
Bracewell LLP

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THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF GOVERNANCE COUNSEL ANNOUNCES 2019 CLASS OF FELLOWS

NEW YORK, NY – The American College of Governance Counsel, an organization of leading corporate governance lawyers from the U.S. and Canada, has elected its fifth class to include 11 new Fellows.

“We are excited to have this distinguished group join the ranks of the College and are gratified that they have chosen to do so. We know that they will make important contributions to our work,” said Larry W. Sonsini, Chair of the College. 
 
The election of the fifth group of Fellows will bring the ranks of the College to 120 Fellows and Honorary Fellows.
 
“As the College nears its 5th Anniversary, it has grown to become the preeminent group of governance practitioners in North America and is contributing measurably to thought leadership in the governance field,” added Frank M. Placenti, Founding President of the College. “The latest class includes leading  practitioners, general counsel and academic leaders from both the United States and Canada.”

The list of newly elected Fellows is available to download here.
​
The College also announced the appointment of several new members of its Board of Trustees, who will be joining the Board immediately. Mr. Sonsini stated: “We are pleased to add Frederick Alexander, Michelle Mayes and Patricia Vella to the ranks of our Board of Trustees, all of whom are highly-accomplished governance professionals.”

Through its programs, the College, which was established in 2014, addresses the major governance issues facing business enterprises including challenges to traditional models of governance, risk management, shareholder engagement, and an increasingly complex regulatory and enforcement environment. On March 18 and 19, 2020, The College will conduct its 2020 Governance Institute at the New York University School of Law where participants will be examining The Purpose of the Corporation in a day-long series lectures and panel discussions.

THIRD ANNUAL MEETING AND COLLOQUIUM EXAMINES THE “DEMISE OF THE U.S. PUBLIC COMPANY”

The American College of Governance Counsel conducted its Third Annual Meeting and Colloquium on November 2 and 3, 2017 at the New York offices of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.  The Colloquium addressed the “Demise of the U.S. Public Company,” as well as governance of the increasing number of larger and more broadly-held  private companies resulting from that trend.

In an interview conducted by College Chair, John F. Olson, Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman, Walter J. Clayton, discussed his concerns regarding the decreasing number of U.S. public companies,  the impact of that development on  “main street” investors and other issues affecting the U.S. capital markets.

The Colloquium included panel discussions chaired by Larry W. Sonsini and Stanford Law Professor Joseph Grundfest. Panels featured  Ken Bertsch (Executive Director of the Council of Institutional Investors), Barry McCarthy (Chief Financial Officer of Spotify), Elisabeth D. de Fontenay  (Professor at Duke Law) and Matt Levine (Columnist at Bloomberg View).

A full Report of the Proceedings of the Colloquium will be prepared and published on this website.

At the College’s  Annual Meeting, it was  also announced that Lawrence W. Sonsini will assume the role of Chairman of the College, effective January 1, 2018, at the conclusion of the successful tenure of the College’s Founding Chair, John F. Olson.

In conjunction with the Colloquium, the College conducted its inaugural Masters Academy held on November 1, 2017 at the New York offices of Weil, Gotshal & Manges. 

The Academy was attended by lawyers with an expressed intention of pursuing a career in the governance field chosen for participation from a group nominated by Fellows of the College.

Founding Co-Chair Ira M. Millstein served as Convenor for the program and delivered a keynote address focusing on the pivotal role that lawyers play in promoting the proper governance of their clients.

The Academy was co-chaired by Founding Trustee Gregory V. Varallo and John Mark Zeberkiewicz of Richards, Layton & Finger.

In addition to presentations by Messrs. Varallo and Zeberkiewicz concerning litigation issues that commonly serve as a backdrop for governance advice, case studies were presented by Founding Trustees Holly J. Gregory and Frank M. Placenti.

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF GOVERNANCE COUNSEL ANNOUNCES THIRD CLASS OF FELLOWS

The American College of Governance Counsel, an organization of leading corporate governance lawyers from the U.S. and Canada, has elected its third class to include 20 Fellows, three Academic Fellows, two General Counsel, and one Honorary Fellow.

“The election of this group of distinguished lawyers from private practice as well as several prominent general counsel and respected academics, will enhance the ability of the College to pursue its mission of promoting a high level of professional standards among governance practitioners and a better understanding and broader adoption of best governance practices,” said John F. Olson, Chair of the College. 

The election of the third group of Fellows will bring the ranks of the College to just over 100 Fellows and Honorary Fellows.

“The newly-elected Fellows were elected following a rigorous selection process that considered the candidates’ professional accomplishments as well as their contributions to the field of governance through speaking, writing or other thought leadership activities,” added Frank M. Placenti, President of the College.

The list of newly elected Fellows is available to download here.

Through its programs, the College, which was established in 2014, addresses the major governance issues facing business enterprises including challenges to traditional models of governance, risk management, shareholder engagement, and an increasingly complex regulatory and enforcement environment.

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF GOVERNANCE COUNSEL ANNOUNCES SECOND CLASS OF FELLOWS

The American College of Governance Counsel, an organization of leading corporate governance lawyers from the US and Canada, has elected its Second Class of 20 Fellows and one Honorary Fellow.

“The election of this group of distinguished lawyers from private practice, as well as several prominent general counsel and respected academics, will enhance the ability of the College to pursue its mission of promoting a high level of professional standards among governance practitioners and a better understanding and broader adoption of best governance practices,” said John F. Olson, Chair of the College.

The election of the second group of Fellows will bring the ranks of the College to 69 Fellows and Honorary Fellows.

“The newly-elected Fellows were elected following a rigorous selection process that considered the candidates’ professional accomplishments as well as their contributions to the field of governance through speaking, writing or other thought leadership activities,” added Frank M. Placenti, President of the College.

The list of newly elected Fellows is available to download here.

Through its programs, the College, which was established in 2014, addresses the major governance issues facing business enterprises, including challenges to traditional models of governance, risk management, shareholder engagement, and an increasingly complex regulatory and enforcement environment.

LEADING GOVERNANCE LAWYERS LAUNCH THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF GOVERNANCE COUNSEL

College Announces Inaugural Fellowship Class

Leading corporate governance lawyers from the US and Canada have founded the American College of Governance Counsel, a professional, educational and honorary association of lawyers widely-recognized for their achievements in the field of governance. The mission of the College is to promote a high level of professional standards among governance practitioners and a better understanding and broader adoption of best governance practices within business organizations.

“Globalization has made it extremely important for organizations to maintain a competitive advantage, which cannot be achieved without strategic decision making grounded in strong governance practices. Recognizing this need, North America’s top governance attorneys collaborated to establish the College,” said John F. Olson, the inaugural Chair of the College and a partner at global law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

Frank M. Placenti, the inaugural President of the College and a partner at global law firm Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP stated: “The College intends to be of service to the legal profession as well as our clients by helping to encourage and foster a strong commitment to professionalism among governance practitioners.”

Through its programs, the College will address the major governance issues facing business enterprises including developing challenges to traditional models of governance, risk management, shareholder engagement, and an increasingly complex regulatory and enforcement environment.

The College (a Delaware nonprofit corporation) has elected as Fellows an initial class of accomplished professionals from the US and Canada who have made significant, sustained contributions to the governance community through their practice activities, speaking, writing and thought leadership.

The honorary founding Chairs of the College are: Martin Lipton (Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz); Ira M. Millstein (Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP); and the Honorable E. Norman Veasey (Gordon, Fournaris & Mammarella, P.A. and Former Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court.)

The Board of Trustees is comprised of eleven members: John F. Olson, Chair (Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP); Frank M. Placenti, President (Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP); Gregory V. Varallo, Vice President and Secretary (Richards, Layton & Finger P.A.); Carol Hansell, Vice President and Treasurer (Hansell LLP); James H. Cheek (Bass, Berry & Sims PLC); H. Rodgin Cohen (Sullivan & Cromwell LLP); Holly J. Gregory (Sidley Austin LLP); Robert Mundheim (Shearman & Sterling LLP); Larry W. Sonsini (Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati); the Honorable Myron T. Steele, (Potter Anderson & Corroon, LLP and Former Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court); and Herbert Wander (Katten Muchin Rosenman, LLP). The Honorary Chairs and the members of its Board of Trustees comprise the 14 founding Fellows of the College.

Membership in the College is extended by invitation only to lawyers who have practiced law for a minimum of 15 years, while devoting at least 10 of those practice years focused on the field of governance. Fellows spend a substantial amount of their time in boardrooms advising directors in a variety of circumstances such as management succession, internal investigations, disclosure obligations, shareholder litigation, shareholder activism and engagement, and a broad range of regulatory and governmental matters.

The Board of Trustees has elected an inaugural class of 36 Fellows to join the 14 founding Fellows and has also admitted 9 Honorary Fellows, many of whom are retired lawyers who rendered distinguished service in the governance field during their careers.