Practice:
Bar Admissions:
Massachusetts
Experience:
Russ Hansen is Of Counsel in the Firm’s Corporate Group. He began his legal career at WilmerHale, where he remained for 18 years and was a Senior Partner in its Corporate Department.
Mr. Hansen has over 30 years of experience as in-house and general counsel, representing many companies regarding corporate governance, securities law compliance, registration, exemptions, filings, periodic and other reports, strategic partnering, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital finance, debt and equity financing and other business transactions. He is a former General Counsel for BGS Systems, Inc., a global enterprise software company and PCD, Inc., global manufacturer, both of which were listed on NASDAQ. Mr. Hansen led strategic planning and corporate development as well as serving as General Counsel.
Mr. Hansen serves as independent legal counsel to directors, boards and their committees. Mr. Hansen is also Managing Director of The Board Place, a corporate governance and board performance consultancy that provides board and trustee service, director search services, continuing director education, board self-evaluation facilitation, board operations improvement and other board consulting services. In addition, he is a Co-Founder of Board Leaders, LLC, a business organization of directors. He previously served as President of the National Association of Corporate Directors in Washington, D.C. and was the Founder of The Governance Institute and Van Rensselaer Press in Massachusetts.
Memberships:
- American Bar Association, Member of the Corporate Governance Committee
- Boston Bar Association - Business Law Section, Past Co-Chair
- Massachusetts Maritime Academy Foundation, Trustee
- The Apprenticeshop, Former Member of the Board of Directors
- Boardroom Bound, Member of Advisory Board
- Waldoboro, Maine Board of Appeals, Chairman
Education:
- J.D., Harvard Law School, 1972
- A.B., Harvard College, 1968
Quotes:
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11/21/2011, Agenda - An Australian Judge Holds a Whole Board Liable
Russ Hansen was quoted in this article by Tony Chapelle.
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6/20/2011, Agenda Week - A Financial Times Service - SEC Seeks to Bar More Directors
Russ Hansen was quoted in this article by Tony Chapelle.
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3/23/2011, CNBC News - Behind the Curtain at Disney
Russ Hansen was quoted on CNBC by Mary Thompson on the questioning of Steve Jobs' attendance at Disney board meetings.
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6/11/2010, CNBC News - Where is BP's Board?
Russ Hansen was interviewed by Mary Thompson on the how the BP Board of Directors is handling the current crisis.
Recent Articles and Publications:
Speaking Engagements:
ABA Business Law Section Spring Meeting, 3.23.2012
Location: Caesars Palace, Las Vegas
Role: Moderator
Topic: Educating Boards of Directors About Class and Derivative Action Exposure, Avoidance and Procedure
More info
NIRI Annual Conference - Preparing for Changes in Proxy Access and Disclosure, 6.6.2010
Location: San Diego, California
Role: Moderator
Boston Bar Association, 10.15.2008
Role: Moderator
Topic: Corporate Governance 2009: Everything you need to know to navigate the next proxy season
Board Leaders, 6.1.2008
Role: Moderator
Topic: 2008 Proxy Season Update
Board Leaders, 5.1.2008
Role: Panelist
Topic: Board Leaders Annual Director Seminar
Board Leaders, 4.1.2008
Role: Moderator
Topic: The Impact of SEC Regulation on Boards of Directors
Boston Bar Association, Corporate Law Committee, 9.1.2006
Topic: Director Developments 2006-2007
Board Leaders, 6.1.2006
Role: Moderator
Topic: Post SOX Accounting
Board Leaders, 1.1.2006
Role: Moderator
Topic: Majority Voting
Boston Bar Association CLE Program, 11.1.2005
Role: Co-Chair
Topic: Counseling the Board of Directors in Crisis
Boardroom Bound, New York Pipeline Seminar, 10.1.2005
Topic: Advanced Topics in Directorship
Boston Bar Association CLE Program, 10.1.2005
Role: Co-Chair
Topic: Counseling Technology-Leading Emerging Enterprises
Boston Bar Association, Corporate Law Committee, 9.1.2005
Topic: Director Liability After Disney
Board Leaders, 9.1.2005
Topic: Succession Planning Lessons at Disney and Morgan Stanley
International Law Seminars, Life After Rembrandts - Advanced Ip Strategies, 8.1.2005
Topic: Hidden Risks of Advanced Intellectual Property Strategies
Growth, Liquidity or Both, a practical seminar on the current state of capital markets and the environment for buying and selling businesses, 6.11.2005
Role: Panelist
This event was hosted by Burns & Levinson LLP and Newbury Piret & Co.
Board Leaders, 3.1.2005
Role: Moderator
Topic: Personal Liability of Directors
This event also took place in April 2005.
Board Leaders, 1.1.2005
Topic: Corporate Governance Rating Organizations
Boston Bar Association, Corporate Law Committee, 11.1.2004
Topic: Update on Director Duties
New Hampshire Bar ASsociation, Annual Meeting, 6.1.2004
Topic: The Impact of Enron on Corporate Governance
New Hampshire Bar Association, 6.1.2004
Topic: Organizational Sentencing Guidelines and Other New Sources of Attorney Liability