Cybersecurity, Mergers and Acquisitions Among Topics at Securities Law Institute

CHICAGO --- Power struggles between boards and shareholders, cybersecurity and data breaches, and cross-Atlantic mergers and acquisitions are among the topics to be covered during the 35th Annual Ray Garrett Jr. Corporate and Securities Law Institute, to be held Thursday and Friday, April 30 and May 1, at Northwestern University School of Law, Thorne Auditorium, 375 E. Chicago Ave.

Led by top corporate law practitioners, the institute is the pre-eminent securities law conference in the Midwest, bringing together senior officials from the Securities and Exchange Commission and leading securities practitioners.

This year’s institute includes perspectives from board members, in-house and firm attorneys and regulators and is designed to provide private practitioners and corporate counsel with a timely analysis of critical securities and corporate law issues and developments confronting publicly and privately held corporations.

Mary Jo White, chair, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, will give the institute’s keynote address at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 30. Other highlights include a conversation with Keith Higgins, director, Division of Corporation Finance, Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C. at 3:15 p.m. Thursday, April 30; and Zachary T. Fardon, U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Illinois, Chicago, and David A. Glockner, director, Chicago Regional Office, Securities and Exchange Commission, giving updates in securities litigation and enforcement at 11:45 a.m. Friday, May 1.

In addition, through the use of a hypothetical situation, “Caught Short -- Dealing With a Fundamental Attack on Valuation” will examine the basics of short selling and explore responses and counterstrategies, including actions for shareholder engagement from 8:45 to 10:15 a.m. Thursday, April 30

A total of 10 sessions will be held over both days, including “Who is in Charge? The Struggle for Power Between Boards and Shareholders,” “Mergers and Acquisitions Including Transatlantic Deals,” and “Responding to Demands for Books and Records: Perspectives on Section 220 of the Delaware Code.” The Ray Garrett Jr. Corporate and Securities Law Institute is recognized for mandatory continuing legal education credit in most states.

For more information, including a complete schedule, registration instructions and continuing legal education (CLE) information, visit www.law.northwestern.edu/garrett.