Before You Join the Board: The Post-SARBOX Director

Even in the post Sarbanes-Oxley era, being tapped to sit on the board of a publicly traded company is a nice line to add to one’s resume; and the broad-based mandate for more diverse boards means that this gem of a lifetime achievement is becoming possible for increasing numbers in previously excluded groups–such as women and minorities.  Nonetheless, before adding “director” to one’s list of accomplishments, it is wise to asses the risks and responsibilities that have become part and parcel of serving on the post-SARBOX board. 

In an article appearing in the New York State Bar Journal, I set forth the corporate-governance safeguards that a publicly traded corporation should have in place before a prospective candidate for its board agrees to accept an appointment.  The full article is available for download here.