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Showing archive for:  “Market for Corporate Control”

In Memoriam: Henry G. Manne (1928-2015)

Henry Manne was a great man, and a great father. He was, for me as for many others, one of the most important intellectual influences in my life. I will miss him dearly. Following is his official obituary. RIP, dad. Henry Girard Manne died on January 17, 2015 at the age of 86. A towering figure ... In Memoriam: Henry G. Manne (1928-2015)

Commissioner Wright goes down swinging over amendments to the FTC’s HSR rules

Last week, over Commissioner Wright’s dissent, the FTC approved amendments to its HSR rules (final text here) that, as Josh summarizes in his dissent, establish, among other things, a procedure for the automatic withdrawal of an HSR filing upon the submission of a filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announcing that the notified transaction has been terminated. I discussed the proposed amendments ... Commissioner Wright goes down swinging over amendments to the FTC’s HSR rules

Josh Wright begins making his mark at the FTC by pushing cost-benefit analysis

Although it probably flew under almost everyone’s radar, last week Josh issued his first Concurring Statement as an FTC Commissioner.  The statement came in response to a seemingly arcane Notice of Proposed Rulemaking relating to Hart-Scott-Rodino Premerger Notification Rules: The proposed rules also establish a procedure for the automatic withdrawal of an HSR filing when ... Josh Wright begins making his mark at the FTC by pushing cost-benefit analysis

The Economics of Being Able to Fire People Who Provide Me Services

Via Professor Bainbridge, I read today about the nonsense surrounding Mitt Romney enjoying firing people.  I’m late to the this one, but here is the quote in context for anybody who missed it: “I want individuals to have their own insurance,” he said. “That means the insurance company will have an incentive to keep you ... The Economics of Being Able to Fire People Who Provide Me Services

The man who invented the hostile takeover

Henry Manne first theorized the market for corporate control, but the man who first put the concept into action was Louis E. Wolfson.  I blogged briefly about Wolfson when he died in 2008.  Now you can read more about him in Alan M. Weinberger, What’s in a Name?– The Tale of Louis Wolfson’s Affirmed, 39 Hofstra ... The man who invented the hostile takeover

The Dodd-Frank debacle, takeover edition

The so-called “Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act” was supposed to fix the problems that led to the financial bust.  Of course, that would require some understanding of what, exactly, those problems were, which Congress lacked.  The Act did little to fix the credit raters or the derivatives market that surely had something ... The Dodd-Frank debacle, takeover edition

Airgas and shareholder value

Bebchuk, Cohen and Wang have posted Staggered Boards and the Wealth of Shareholders: Evidence from a Natural Experiment.  Here’s the abstract: While staggered boards are known to be negatively correlated with firm valuation, such association might be due to staggered boards either bringing about lower firm value or merely being the product of the tendency ... Airgas and shareholder value

Business Law and the Austrian Theory of the Firm

My Missouri colleague, Peter Klein, of Organizations and Markets fame (and, like Larry, a proud non-voter), has been asked to contribute a book chapter on the Austrian theory of the firm and the law. Peter, who has written extensively on the Austrian theory of the firm and maintains an online bibliography on the subject, is ... Business Law and the Austrian Theory of the Firm

Say on Pay

A late Monday press release from the Securities and Exchange Commission announces a rule proposal to implement the say on pay requirements of the Dodd-Frank Act.  I testified before both houses of Congress against the legislative authorizing language in Dodd-Frank that the SEC uses to promulgate the rule.  My testimony before the House Financial Services ... Say on Pay

The Collected Works of Henry G. Manne

I’m delighted to report that the Liberty Fund has produced a three-volume collection of my dad’s oeuvre.  Fred McChesney edits, Jon Macey writes a new biography and Henry Butler, Steve Bainbridge and Jon Macey write introductions.  The collection can be ordered here. Here’s the description: As the founder of the Center for Law and Economics ... The Collected Works of Henry G. Manne

Wachtell, Lipton Supports Hedge Fund Regulation

The following is contained at the end of a June 28, 2006 Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz memo addressing the recent Court of Appeals decision to vacate SEC hedge fund registration requirements: In this era of hedge fund activism, the future of hedge fund regulation may impact the balance of power between public companies and ... Wachtell, Lipton Supports Hedge Fund Regulation