2.5 SPACs (Special Purpose Acquisition Companies)
Hopes in this regard have been diminished by
A bright spot for the capital markets in 2020
can move forward notwithstanding infirmities
has been the continued acceptance of Special
in plaintiffs' ability to trace shares in the class
Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) as
to the S-1 registration statement.
legitimate investment vehicles. Indeed, the first half of 2020 saw more equity raised through SPACs than through traditional IPOs.
a federal district court ruling in Slack's direct listing litigation. The court held that the case
We will still see direct listings in 2021 if the markets hold up, and we will also see the
With the increased activity in SPACs comes the
same type of Section 11 suits filed against
increased possibility of SPAC-related litigation.
direct listings that we have seen filed against
With the increased activity in SPACs comes the increased possibility of SPAC-related litigation. This includes litigation related to the de-SPAC process of the kind suffered in Akazoo. Fortunately, SPAC sponsors are becoming increasingly savvy when it comes to insurance
IPO companies in recent years. This also means that there will be no discount in the price of D&O insurance for direct listings compared to IPO companies. GET ADVICE ON HOW TO MINIMIZE IPO COSTS IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO TRANSITION FROM A PRIVATE TO PUBLIC COMPANY.
for SPACs. Being strategic about D&O and Reps sponsors in 2021 and beyond.
2.7 ESG and Politics in the Boardroom
2.6 IPOs and Direct Listings
The trifecta of environmental, social, and
& Warranties insurance will be helpful to SPAC
IPOs are great—and they are also incredibly
governance challenges, or "ESG," is not going away for boards of directors and the
expensive. The expense has caused some
companies they serve.
influential investors and founders to consider going public through a new vehicle: direct listings.
For a long time, many corporate boards argued that their shareholders care about shareholder returns, not ESG issues, so
There was some hope that, in addition to
boards need not concern themselves with
saving money on banker fees, an advantage
ESG issues.
of direct listings might be less Section 11 litigation exposure compared to what traditional IPOs face. 18
D&O LOOKING AHEAD 2021 | WOODRUFF-SAWYER & CO.
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