Gary Brown of Baker Donelson to Speak at the National Association of Corporate Directors Atlanta Chapter

ATLANTA (September 10, 2010) - Gary M. Brown, shareholder with Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, is the featured speaker at the National Association of Corporate Directors Atlanta Chapter Meeting on September 15.  His topic, “Navigating Dodd-Frank Legislation. A Game Changer for Corporate Directors,” will address the practical implications of Dodd-Frank and new policy and practices that companies must adopt.  Baker Donelson is a sponsor of the program.

In addition, Mr. Brown will discuss implications of the SEC’s clear authority to mandate proxy access; the interface of the NYSE on broker voting; dealing with the growing power of shareholder advisory groups; increasing importance of appropriate two-way communications with major investors; and how directors can become targets for plaintiffs attorneys and implementing company safeguards.

Gary Brown assisted the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) in its investigation of the causes and consequences of the financial crisis. In that role, he also advised on portions of the Financial Reform Bill - now the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act - as it related to various proposed amendments to the federal securities laws. He was asked by PSI Chairman Senator Carl Levin (D-Michigan) to provide Subcommittee members and staff with legal advice and analysis regarding securities laws and regulations in support of the investigation. He also assisted in briefing Senators and staff in preparation for PSI's hearings relative to Washington Mutual and Goldman Sachs.

This is the third time Mr. Brown has been called upon to lend his experience and insights to the PSI, a subcommittee of the Senate's Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. In 2006, he provided testimony on tax havens and shelters, and how they were used to circumvent compliance with U.S. securities laws. In 2002 he served as special counsel (minority) to that committee in its investigation into the collapse of Enron Corp. During that time, he also provided advice on aspects of what would become the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 while the Senate debated the legislation.

As the 73rd largest law firm in the U.S., Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, gives clients access to a team of more than 570 attorneys and public policy advisors representing more than 30 practice areas to serve a wide range of legal needs. Clients receive knowledgeable guidance from experienced, multi-disciplined industry and client service teams, all seamlessly connected across 15 offices in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Washington, D.C.

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