Proxy season is now upon us, and a key task is to evaluate whether shareholder approval is needed for any executive compensation plan. One of the typical reasons to seek shareholder approval is to qualify for tax-deduction relief under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code. By and large, seeking shareholder approval for that purpose has been viewed as a relatively routine task. However, recent shareholder derivative lawsuits suggest that public companies should take a careful look at disclosures that solicit Section 162(m) shareholder approval.
