Rock the Boat! Shareholder Activism is Becoming Business as Usual, Mike Stanchfield Tells Star Tribune

Much to the chagrin of CEOs and directors of public companies, shareholder activism has become business as usual in recent years as the economy continues to improve after the recession.

Faegre Baker Daniels partner Mike Stanchfield is an authority on a variety of M&A and general corporate topics, including counseling clients on takeover preparedness. Stanchfield spoke on the topic of shareholder activism at the 2014 M&A Conference hosted by Faegre Baker Daniels.

"When we are asked to come in to corporate boardrooms … the number one thing our clients want to learn about, talk about and get advice on is shareholder activism," Stanchfield said in the Star Tribune.

Stanchfield added that CEOs can sometimes learn valuable insight from activists. "We encourage companies to actually talk to them. Learn what they have to say. Don't go in with a mind-set that they don't know what they're talking about. Sometimes companies can get very good ideas from their shareholders."