[PEN-L:958] Re: relationship activism

[Ellen Dannin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>]

On Mon, 16 Oct 1995, Doug Henwood wrote:
> Comrades - I'm going to be interviewing Nell Minow of Lens Inc., one of the
> leading "relationship investors" and "shareholder activists" around. I've
> included the text from their web home page below.
> 
> Anything you'd like me to ask her about?
> 
> Doug
> 
I recently reread Monks & Minow's, Power and Accountability.  Looking at 
it from the viewpoint of a labor lawyer, I'd be curious how they would 
view rewriting corporation law to bring in other corporate stakeholders  
expressly as ones to whom the officers and directors owe a fiduciary 
obligation, somewhat on the same basis as the current beneficial owners. 
In addition to the workers (with their sweat equity) this could include 
communities (esp. ones which have invested heavily in providing support 
and services to the corporations).

Prof. Lynne Dallas (U of San Diego law school) has explored this issue in 
her current articles, btw.  

As more of a longshot, you could ask them what they think of bolstering 
laws which provide counterbalances to corporate power, e.g., labor 
unions, which many of us in labor law would see as institutions whose 
creation and legal support is necessitated by the legal support offered 
to the corporate form.

As even more of a longshot question, ask them what they think of 
suggestions to pull the plug on community give-aways offered to induce 
corporations to move to or not to move from communities.

ellen

Ellen J. Dannin
California Western School of Law
225 Cedar Street
San Diego, CA  92101
Phone:  619-525-1449
Fax:    619-696-9999