On September 27, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) adopted final amendments to Rules 10 and 11 of Regulation S-T (17 CFR 232.10 and 232.11) and Form ID to improve access to, and management of, accounts on the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval (EDGAR) system. Known as “EDGAR Next,” these enhancements are designed
SEC News
SEC Chief Accountant on the Updated Conceptual Framework in FASB Standard Setting
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) recently completed an update to its Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting (the “Framework”). The Framework is a body of interrelated objectives and fundamentals that provides the FASB with guidance as it sets standards for financial accounting and reporting. The update marks the end of a significant project that began…
US Regulators Propose Data Standards to Implement the Financial Data Transparency Act
Several federal financial regulators (the “Agencies”) have approved and published an interagency proposal to establish data standards that promote interoperability of financial regulatory data across these agencies (the “Proposal”). The Agencies issued the Proposal as required by the Financial Data Transparency Act of 2022 (FDTA) and have requested comment on their jointly established data standards.…
The Fifth Circuit Invalidates the SEC’s Rescission of Notice-And-Awareness Provisions
The Latest in the Saga of the SEC’s Regulation of Proxy Advisory Firms
On June 26, 2024, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a significant part of a 2022 Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rulemaking, which itself was a reversal of the agency’s 2020 amendments to the rules relating to proxy voting advice produced…
The Ambiguities of ESG
In recent public comments, SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce shared her personal concerns regarding the “fuzziness around what ESG means.” The Commissioner noted that often market participants emphasize the importance of ESG; however, they may not articulate their particular areas of focus. She notes that ESG may encompass a broad range of issues, including, but not…
SEC Announces New Cybersecurity Interpretations
The SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance today published five new Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations, or “C&DIs,” all concerning Item 1.05 of Exchange Act Form 8-K, Disclosure of Cybersecurity Incidents.
New C&DI 104B.05 describes a ransomware attack on a public company ended by a payment to the threat actor before any materiality evaluation of the incident.
The Current State of Climate Change and ESG-Related Regulations in Canada and the US
Webinar | May 14, 2024
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. ET
Register here.
Please join us via webinar for a panel discussion on the current state of climate change and ESG-related regulations affecting corporate issuers, financial institutions and pension fund investors doing business in Canada and the US. Lawyers from Osler and Mayer Brown will…
Congress Invoking the Congressional Review Act to Nullify SEC Climate Rules
The SEC’s new climate regulations have sparked legal and legislative challenges. Both the House and Senate are advancing measures to revoke these rules, reflecting a broader effort to counter what is seen by many as regulatory overreach by the SEC under Chair Gary Gensler’s leadership. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Representative Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.) introduced…
Welcome Jennifer Zepralka
Jennifer Zepralka joined our Washington D.C. office as a partner, and comes to us from the SEC, where she led the Office of Small Business Policy, working on major rulemakings. Her insights will prove valuable to clients navigating an increasingly complex regulatory environment. Jennifer brings a wealth of experience advising companies on compliance, corporate and…
SEC Pauses Its Climate Rules Amid Litigation Challenges
The SEC today paused implementation of the climate rules the agency rolled out less than one month ago, in the face of significant legal challenges in numerous federal lawsuits. The rules would impose substantial disclosure mandates on companies, including concerning the costs of extreme weather events, corporate strategies for addressing climate change, corporate governance procedures…