Public Company Resource Hub

The 2025 proxy season (July 1, 2024 – June 20, 2025, meetings) concluded with a significant drop in the volume of shareholder proposals from the 2024 proxy season’s record high, as E&S proposals faced headwinds amid shifting political dynamics and evolving stakeholder priorities. This alert highlights key trends in both shareholder and management proposals from the 2025 proxy season, including sector-specific trends for tech and life sciences companies.

On Thursday, June 26, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) hosted a roundtable meeting to discuss potential updates to the existing executive compensation disclosure requirements. Read Cooley’s quick debrief on the topics discussed and next steps for public companies.

Learn more about the Securities and Exchange Commission’s withdrawal of proposed Rule 14a-8 amendments and 13 other rulemaking proposals, the SEC’s concept release on foreign private issuer eligibility, SEC updates to compliance and disclosure interpretations for legal proceedings, the SEC’s roundtable on executive compensation and disclosure, a founder facing a 42-month prison term for novel insider trading, Glass Lewis’ updates to 2026 pay-for-performance assessments, the California Air Resources Board’s workshop on climate disclosure laws, and guidance from Cooley partner Beth Sasfai on director tenure.

Cooley lawyers co-authored a chapter related to board leadership structure in the NYSE’s Public Company Series: Board Structure and Composition.

On June 4, 2025, following observation of the significant increase in the FPI population between 2003 and 2023, the SEC published a concept release soliciting public comment with respect to potential changes to the definition of “foreign private issuer.” Comments are due by September 8, 2025.

On May 23, the Trump administration issued multiple executive orders (EOs) promoting nuclear energy, including mandates for new reactor construction and regulatory streamlining. These orders follow a series of recent executive actions targeting climate and environmental policy, marking a broader shift in federal climate and energy strategy that companies should closely monitor. Read Cooley’s high-level summary of the Trump administration’s actions and their potential implications.