2026 Berkeley Fall Forum on Corporate Governance

The 11th Annual Berkeley Forum on Corporate Governance convenes judges, regulators, general counsels, and scholars for two days at the intersection of law, technology, and the markets — from controlling shareholders after SB 21 and geopolitical dealmaking to AI governance, autonomous agents, and the infrastructure race powering the next economy. Anchored by a session with three members of the Delaware Court of Chancery and conversations with leading authors and policymakers, the program treats corporate governance as what it has become: the connective tissue between technology, capital, regulation, and leadership. Sharp, current, and built for the people making the decisions.

Conference Schedule

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Day 1

October 13, 2026
(All times Pacific)

A frank, fast-moving dispatch on the forces reshaping corporate governance in 2026 — tariffs, Iran, interest rate uncertainty, the retreat of multilateralism, and what’s changed since last October.

This panel explores how boards, management teams, and legal advisors are navigating controlling shareholders after SB 21, including evolving minority shareholder protections, fiduciary duties, investor expectations, and the balance between leadership and accountability.

As leadership demands evolve, boards face growing pressure to build strong leadership pipelines and prepare the next generation of CEOs. What does succession planning for the future look like?

As governments, regulators, and geopolitical forces play a larger role in corporate transactions, companies must navigate a new era of dealmaking shaped by antitrust scrutiny, foreign investment reviews, financing uncertainty, tariffs, and political risk.

Hear directly from the leadership of the Delaware Court of Chancery on the most consequential developments in Delaware corporate law in 2026 and what they mean for companies, boards, and investors.

Panelists:

Honorable Bonnie W. David, Vice Chancellor Delaware Court of Chancery

Honorable Kathaleen St. J. McCormick, Chancellor Delaware Court of Chancery

Honorable Lori W. Will, Vice Chancellor Delaware Court of Chancery

Moderator:

Lauren Pringle, Editor-in-Chief Chancery Daily

The rise of private capital is reshaping the relationship between public and private markets. What does this mean for capital formation, governance, liquidity, and the future of the IPO market?

How can companies and boards navigate a rapidly changing shareholder landscape as the SEC reshapes shareholder proposal rules, investor expectations evolve, and new technologies emerge?

A conversation with one of the nation’s leading constitutional scholars and bestselling author, Melissa Murray, on constitutional forces shaping the business environment, from regulation and executive power to free speech and the courts.

Day 2

October 14, 2026
(All times Pacific)

AI is unlocking new possibilities across business and society, raising important questions about how companies can scale innovation responsibly and earn lasting public confidence.

As organizations increasingly delegate decisions to AI systems, courts, regulators, and businesses must grapple with who is responsible when autonomous systems act—and where the law goes next.

The race to build AI is increasingly a race to secure power, compute, and infrastructure. This panel examines the energy, capital, and policy challenges shaping the future of the AI economy.

The rapid adoption of AI is reshaping both corporate governance and the legal profession, raising new questions about oversight, accountability, risk management, and the standards needed to govern AI effectively.

When AI is both the tool creating value and the investment thesis driving it, private equity firms, boards, and management teams face new questions around governance, valuation, oversight, and long-term value creation.

2026 Fall Forum Registration

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This event is co-presented by Berkeley Center for Law & Business and Cooley.
CLE credit will be offered to eligible participants. For specific CLE credit questions, please contact [email protected]. Please note that registration information may be shared with forum sponsors.
This program has been approved for up to 11 hours of CA CLE credit. For specific CLE credit questions, please contact [email protected]. Please note that registration information may be shared with forum sponsors.
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