The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu The leading online blog in the fields of corporate governance and financial regulation. Fri, 22 May 2026 11:32:50 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.8 https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/cropped-photography-4-e1706898544564-1-32x32.png Key Considerations for the 2026 Proxy Season – The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu 32 32 Key Considerations for the 2026 Proxy Season https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2026/01/30/key-considerations-for-the-2026-proxy-season/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=key-considerations-for-the-2026-proxy-season https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2026/01/30/key-considerations-for-the-2026-proxy-season/#respond Fri, 30 Jan 2026 12:32:07 +0000 https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/?p=179011?d=20260129162421EST Posted by Simone Hicks, Eric Jurgens, and Paul Rodel, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, on Friday, January 30, 2026
Editor's Note:

Simone Hicks, Eric Jurgens, and Paul Rodel are Partners at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. This post is based on a Debevoise memorandum by Ms. Hicks, Mr. Jurgens, Mr. Rodel, Benjamin Pedersen, John Jacob, and Alison Buckley Serfass.

Key Takeaways

  • Prepare for a less predictable 2026 proxy season. Proxy advisor policy changes, evolving Rule 14a-8 processes, and shifts in investor stewardship are likely to affect shareholder engagement, voting dynamics and disclosure expectations.
  • Review shareholder proposal and engagement strategies in light of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) decision not to substantively respond to most Rule 14a-8 no-action requests and the potential litigation, reputational, and activism risks associated with excluding proposals without no-action relief.
  • Revisit proxy disclosures with a “2026 lens.” Refresh CD&A narratives (including non-GAAP metrics and security-related perquisites), insider trading policy and governance disclosures to ensure clear and up-to-date disclosures that align with evolving investor and proxy advisor expectations.

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