‘Virtual-only’ Shareholder Meetings

The SEC permits public companies to hold annual shareholder meetings online or by telephone rather than in person, assuming that state law also permits it. Delaware law was the first state to authorize virtual shareholder meetings in 2000. Virtual meetings should be a help to small businesses if owners are based in different areas because it saves on the cost of travel to attend official meetings (e.g., annual corporate meeting). Companies can also have hybrid meetings, where some attend virtually and others in person.