The Sarbanes-Oxley Act at 20: A Corporate Governance Legacy

The Historical Society hosted a live webcast on Thursday, July 21 in recognition of the 20th anniversary of the enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX). In this program, we shone a light on provisions of SOX dealing with corporate responsibility and enhanced financial disclosures. Issues for discussion included CEO/CFO certification, director independence, audit committee responsibilities, compensation recovery, prohibition on personal loans, a Code of Ethics requirement, more rapid and fulsome corporate disclosures, and additional governance reforms that were not required, but inspired, by the Act and promulgated by the New York and Nasdaq stock exchanges.
Our panel of former SEC regulators on the front lines of SOX implementation 20 years ago addressed the historical context in which these reforms came about, provide insights into the SEC’s efforts to implement the new requirements, and considered the lasting legacy of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on the governance of public companies.
Panelists:
Alan L. Beller, former Director, SEC Division of Corporation Finance (2002 - 2006)
David M. Lynn, former Chief Counsel, SEC Division of Corporation Finance (2003 - 2007)
Shelley E. Parratt, former Deputy Director, SEC Division of Corporation Finance (2003 - 2021)
Harvey L. Pitt, former Chairman, U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (2001 - 2003)
Annemarie Tierney, former Assistant General Counsel, NYSE Euronext (2002 - 2008)
Recorded July 21, 2022