We were honored to have
Lawrence A. Cunningham as the
2024
John L. Weinberg Distinguished Speaker.
Mr. Cunningham is Professor Emeritus at George Washington University and
Special Counsel at Mayer Brown.
The topic of his talk will be "Speaking Out on Hot
Button Topics: How Boards Can Steer CEOs and Companies in Choppy Waters." Corporate leaders face complex challenges in
responding to public debates on contentious topics. They must balance competing
pressures to speak or remain silent, while navigating the polarization of
today's discourse and the diverse and powerful interests of various
constituents not only among shareholders but employees, consumers, and civil
society groups. In this talk, Professor Cunningham will suggest that corporate
leaders should not follow a fixed or ideological rule on whether to take public
positions, but rather a pragmatic approach that evaluates the specific context
and circumstances of each situation. The talk will use the history and law of
corporate governance, as well as practical experience, to illustrate that the
best strategy for each board and CEO will vary depending on the unique features
of their corporation and its leadership, its shareholder base, its workforce,
the markets it serves, and how these factors relate to given public debates.