Minority Shareholder Remedies

Shareholders who control corporations either through majority ownership or ownership of sufficient shares in a particular corporate structure to exercise control have a duty of fairness to minority shareholders. In addition to such fairness required by courts, corporation statutes of most states provide for additional remedies for minority shareholders. Those remedies include appraisal rights, dissolution, and judicial intervention.

Trading Plans to Avoid Insider Trading Presumptions

An insider of a public company who trades in the company's stock while aware of material but nonpublic information about the company is presumed to be trading on the basis of that information in violation of Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 10b-5. To counter that presumption, companies may adopt Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plans.

Qualification Examinations for Persons in the Securities Industry

Persons who wish to enter the securities industry to sell or trade securities must pass an initial examination in order to be eligible to register with a self-regulatory organization such as the New York or American Stock Exchanges or Nasdaq.

Discrimination Complaints under the Clean Air Act

Protection for whistleblowers under the Clean Air Act

Section 31 or SEC Transaction Fees

Under Section 31 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 15 U.S.C.S. § 78ee, the Securities and Exchange Commission recovers costs of regulating securities markets and transactions. Section 31 fees, which exceeded $1 billion in 2004, are "designed to recover the costs to the Government of the supervision and regulation of securities markets and securities professionals, and costs related to such supervision and regulation, including enforcement activities, policy and rulemaking activities, administration, legal services, and international regulatory activities." 15 U.S.C.S. § 78ee(a).