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Independent Director Requirements for Companies on the New York Stock Exchange

Independent directors must make up the majority of the board of directors of any company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, according to NYSE Rule 303A.01. The board of directors of each company on the Exchange is responsible for determining that each of the listed company's independent directors meets criteria for independence.

Securities Law> Additional Offerings, Disclosure & the Securities Exchange Act of 1934> Issuer Reports & Recordkeeping

(Fair Disclosure Requirements for Public Companies)

Short-Swing Profits

Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 15 U.S.C.S. § 78p(b), limits the ability of corporate insiders and principal stockholders to profit from their access to nonpublic information about their company. Under Section 16(b), profits from two trades of a company's publicly traded securities within six months by a director, officer, or beneficial owner of more than ten percent of a security of the company are owed to and may be recovered by the company. If the company does not retrieve those profits, shareholders may file a derivative action to obtain a court order to have the profits given over to the company.

Closed-End Funds

The three basic types of investment companies regulated under the Investment Company Act of 1940 are closed-end funds, mutual funds, and unit investment trusts. Closed-end funds must be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such funds are regulated under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and are subject to the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Regulations have been issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission to govern the operation of closed-end funds.

Corporate Creditors

Generally, directors do not owe a fiduciary duty to a corporate creditor when that creditor has contracted exclusively with the corporation. However, a director may owe a fiduciary duty to a corporate creditor to protect the corporate assets when the corporation becomes insolvent.