Cookies 🍪

This site uses cookies that need consent.

Skip to content

Protecting Shareholder Rights Amid State, Regulatory, and Legal Challenges

March 4, 2026

Media Releases

Shareholder rights are under increasing pressure from state, regulatory, and legal challenges. Opponents of responsible business want to limit shareholders’ ability to engage companies through the U.S. shareholder proposal process and seek professional advice from proxy advisors. This virtual webinar will highlight practical steps to protect shareholders’ ability to communicate directly with companies on financially relevant issues through proxy voting and other engagement forums. Expert panelists will discuss how this direct dialogue with companies has led to stronger business practices in overall strategy, risk management, and board oversight. The webinar is open to the media.  

Specifically, panelists will explore:  

  • U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission policy developments related to no-action letters, mandatory arbitration, and planned rulemaking (i.e., Rule 14a-8). 

  • A U.S. administration executive order targeting the proxy advisor industry and a Federal Trade Commission probe of proxy advisors’ practices. 

  • Texas, Delaware, and other state actions aimed at limiting investors’ ability to submit shareholder proposals at companies.  

  • Ongoing litigation that could dismantle the U.S. shareholder engagement process. 

WHAT: Protecting Shareholder Rights Amid State, Regulatory, and Legal Challenges 
WHEN: 2:00 p.m. ET Tuesday, April 7 

WHO:  

  • Jeff Mahoney, General Counsel, The Council of Institutional Investors

  • Erick Russell, Connecticut State Treasurer

  • Brandon Rees, Deputy Director, Corporations and Capital Markets, AFL-CIO

  • Brooke Lierman, Comptroller of Maryland

  • Malia Cohen, California State Controller

Moderator: Ceres Chief Program Officer, Steven M. Rothstein. Rothstein also oversees the Freedom to Invest initiative. 

REGISTER HERE. For any media inquiries, email [email protected].  

Editor’s Note: In February, Ceres and the National Legal and Policy Center published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, arguing that markets work best when businesses are guided by their shareholders. Ceres CEO and President also penned a piece for Forbes.com about the importance of protecting shareholder rights to ensure a free market economy. Ceres also ran a full-page ad in the Washington Post in support of shareholder rights. Learn more about protecting shareholders’ rights by visiting: freedomtoinvest.org/shareholder-rights. 

Freedom to Invest brings together investors, companies, and other stakeholders to champion the freedom to consider all material financial risks and opportunities in decision-making. Learn more at freedomtoinvest.org.Â