tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55636167642602031802012-02-16T00:43:51.124-08:00Toddnoreply@blogger.comBlogger281100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-76239967777098101182011-10-12T23:35:00.000-07:002011-10-13T06:32:58.755-07:00

It doesn't feel so bad being quoted on the front page of the New York Times Business Section. I just wish the reporters paid a little more attention to the facts, namely: it's not a low-profit model, if you don't want it to be; the California State Bar's Corporations Committee and the Department of Corporations supported the Flexible Purpose Corporation; and California is the only state that

Toddnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-22554013213585730542011-10-10T09:05:00.000-07:002011-10-10T09:05:07.357-07:00

At the 11th hour, last night, just before the deadline, Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 201 (the Corporate Flexibility Act of 2011) creating the Flexible Purpose Corporation, and Assembly Bill 361 creating the Benefit Corporation. Both laws will take effect on January 1, 2012. *Todd is a partner at the law firm of Jones Day, where he founded their Silicon Valley Office and runs their

Toddnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-28901381301841681632011-09-06T17:01:00.000-07:002011-09-07T22:09:22.721-07:00

As I prepare for tonight's official kick-off to SoCap11, I'm struck by where the economy sits today, compared to where it sat at the start of the very first SoCap four years ago -- SoCap08. Needless to say, based on the economy, it doesn't feel as if we've come that far. And yet, as I watch the disparate elements of this social capital movement come to grips with the fact that it is (in fact)

Toddnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-16713345814303114982011-09-01T17:45:00.000-07:002011-09-01T17:45:37.500-07:00

Senate Bill 201 passed the concurrence vote today in the Senate, which means that Governor Brown has (or shortly will have) two bills on his desk that would make California the leader in providing choice for social entrepreneurs. For those who care: The final vote in the Senate was 39 in favor and none opposed. Governor Brown -- sign this bill! *Todd is a partner at the law firm of Jones Day

Toddnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-27564368584222339252011-08-31T11:10:00.000-07:002011-08-31T20:10:15.061-07:00

Yesterday marked a big day in California.   As reported here, Assembly Bill 361 (the Benefit Corporation legislation sponsored by Assembly member Jared Huffman) passed the concurrence vote Tuesday in the Assembly and began the enrolling and engrossing process to end up on Governor Brown's desk this week. (No, it is not technically on the Governor's desk, but probably will be by the end of the

Toddnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-49477964344815721932011-07-18T11:59:00.000-07:002011-07-18T12:04:32.210-07:00

Legislative Update. Friday marked a first in recent years: The California Legislature begain it's one-month summer recess! (During the past several years, the summer recess was cancelled while the legislature worked with the Governor to reach a budget compromise.) So, for the next four weeks, there will be no news from Sacramento regarding the two pieces of legislation we've been following: SB

Toddnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-38091636745583987672011-07-07T17:16:00.000-07:002011-07-07T17:24:57.635-07:00

Last week, Sacramento took additional steps towards the ultimate passage of the Flexible Purpose Corporation (SB201) and the Benefit Corporation (AB361).  SB201 Flexible Purpose Corporation The Flexible Purpose Corporation came closer to reality last week when the Assembly's Judiciary Committee passed the legislation out of committee on June 28, by a vote of six to three.  The bill has one last

Toddnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-18249803717049525622011-06-09T14:57:00.000-07:002011-06-09T14:57:32.117-07:00

In their respective next steps towards becoming law, California's two separate pieces of legislation providing for a social corporate form passed their individual next hurdles, when the Benefit Corporation legislation (AB361) passed the Assembly and the Flexible Purpose Corporation (SB201) passed the Senate. AB361 passed the Assembly on May 26, by a vote of 58 to 17, with 5 Assembly members not

Toddnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-13980110180133835542011-04-17T13:30:00.000-07:002011-04-17T13:30:22.460-07:00

This week, California moved one step closer to adopting the new Flexible Purpose Corporation, when the Senate Judiciary Committee passed the legislation. Next stop, the full Senate. Please consider offering your support for this important legislation, by signing the petition, linked below. Petitions by Change.org|Start a Petition » *Todd is a partner at the law firm of Jones Day, where he

Toddnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-57194818615696995462011-03-21T12:44:00.000-07:002011-03-21T12:44:50.333-07:00

By R. Todd Johnson* Assemblyperson Jared Huffman introduced his much-awaited amendment to AB 361 last week, providing for the California version of the Benefit Corporation. *Todd is a partner at the law firm of Jones Day, where he founded their Silicon Valley Office and runs their Renewable Energy and Sustainability Practice. The views expressed in this column are solely Todd’s personal views,

Toddnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-89931962747856738862011-03-07T10:57:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:23:00.682-08:00

Frequently Asked Questions Proposed Amendments to the California Corporations Code for a New Corporate Form: The Flexible Purpose Corporation and Senate Bill 201February 23, 2011by W. Derrick Britt (Working Group Co-chair), Partner, Doty, Barlow, Britt, and Thomas, LLP,R. Todd Johnson (Working Group Co-chair), Partner, Jones Day, Susan H. MacCormac (Working Group Co-chair), Partner, Morrison

Toddnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-19420884694418178522011-03-03T17:49:00.000-08:002011-03-04T01:23:26.985-08:00

by R. Todd Johnson* In a prior post, I noted that California Senator Mark DeSaulnier had introduced the Corporate Flexibility Act of 2011.  His bill is a reintroduction of the bill he introduced during the last session of the Assembly (before Maryland and Vermont had taken any action on the Benefit Corporation legislation that has since passed in both states). Unfortunately for California social

Toddnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-42090692910975768002011-02-20T16:18:00.000-08:002011-02-23T19:44:37.673-08:00

by R. Todd Johnson* [The following piece was drafted as part of a "Frequently Asked Questions" piece to be distributed by the co-chairs of the California Working Group on New Corporate Forms, which should be published within the next several weeks.] Why Consider Alternatives to Traditional Corporations and LLCs?Over the past decade or more, the previously episodic examples of company’s pursuing

Toddnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-56890275868662110912011-02-09T10:23:00.000-08:002011-02-09T10:23:03.063-08:00

California Senator DeSaulnier yesterday introduced the latest legislation in the trend to create alternatives corporate forms for entrepreneurs who desire to mix money and mission in a for-benefit corporation.  The Corporate Flexibility Act of 2011 continues the trend among states recognizing that the existing choices of for-profit and not-for-profit leaves entrepeneurs who seek a blended value

Toddnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-6986159505842560182010-10-21T17:48:00.000-07:002010-10-21T17:54:57.683-07:00

My apologies to faithful readers, as you may have seen some of this before. I wrote this piece in hopes that the New York Times would celebrate the 40th anniversary of Milton Friedman's piece and run it in their magazine.  I've since given up hope. by R. Todd Johnson The businessmen believe that they are defending free enterprise when they declaim that business is not concerned “merely” with

Toddnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-56406073338256042922010-09-13T16:14:00.000-07:002010-09-13T16:14:02.870-07:00

Today is the 40th anniversary of Milton Friedman's oft-cited piece in the New York Times Magazine, titled "The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits." Over the coming week or so, we plan to review the thinking contained in this article and some of the other writings of Dr. Friedman, particularly within the context of whether a corporation can do "Business for Good." But for

Toddnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-71751719762361117222010-09-02T14:57:00.000-07:002010-09-02T14:57:45.420-07:00

2010 will likely be remembered as the year in which states began looking at their powers in chartering companies in a new light. And for the entrepreneur looking for the opportunity to blend the values of doing well and doing good, this is very good news indeed. First, a little reminder. As I've said before, we must move past the idea that organizational structures are "either" about maximizing

Toddnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-52617798432143004652010-08-11T17:25:00.000-07:002010-08-11T18:06:19.848-07:00

by R. Todd Johnson When I posted this question several weeks ago, I never anticipated it would touch a nerve.  Now I'm receiving comments here, here, here and (of course) right here. Not surprisingly, the responses span the spectrum. One commenter noted, "That philanthropy is harmful to Africa should by now be a given for anyone who’s heard the Hippos vs Cheetahs pitch from George Ayittey,"

Toddnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-64215452371629552262010-07-20T15:18:00.000-07:002010-07-27T15:44:27.523-07:00

by R. Todd Johnson My latest post on Law For Change -- Legal Resources (http://www.lawforchange.org/) I just returned from my seventh trip to Ethiopia and I've been back in the United States for less than 48 hours. After only 120 days spent in Africa, I'm hardly an expert on anything that is happening or has happened there. And yet, I have a few impressions that seem worth sharing, particularly

Toddnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-55679959839505835802010-06-23T23:22:00.000-07:002010-07-23T12:13:39.104-07:00

My latest post on Law For Change - Legal Resources ("LawforChange.org") by R. Todd Johnson When I was younger, my father used the oft-cited Winston Churchill quote that I paraphrase here: “If you’re not liberal when you are young, you have no heart.If you’re not conservative when you are older, you have no brains.”That line still begs a chuckle today. (And I learned a long time ago that it’s

Toddnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-15626001358187317232010-06-20T15:42:00.000-07:002010-06-20T15:42:28.193-07:00

by R. Todd Johnson Sometimes, I get a funny, out-of-body experience, feeling when I read the newspaper.  (Yes, my daughters will attest that I'm one of those who still considers a Sunday afternoon on the couch with newsprint covering my fingers to be close to Dan Nava's recent experience of getting his first at-bat in the Majors in the starting line-up for the Boston Red Sox, at 27 years old,

Toddnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-16701484728118101172010-06-13T12:55:00.000-07:002010-06-13T13:08:15.278-07:00

by R. Todd Johnson Today's op-ed by Thomas Friedman sounded a similar note to my post yesterday. Let's start by looking in the mirror.  I know it's not fun, but it is where we will find sustainable change. *Todd is a partner at the law firm of Jones Day, where he founded their Silicon Valley Office and runs their Renewable Energy and Sustainability Practice. The views expressed in this column

Toddnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-60336204705178570952010-06-12T12:01:00.000-07:002010-06-13T13:07:53.052-07:00

Yesterday's CSR Blog at Forbe's.com, featured a guest blog from my friend and social entrepreneur-extraordinaire, Jay Coen Gilbert.  Jay is a co-founder of B Lab, a nonprofit organization dedicated to using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. I've been proud to be affiliated with some of the great work B Lab has done surrounding the B Corporation, the Benefit

Toddnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-64820581824727466912010-06-02T18:31:00.000-07:002010-06-13T13:06:02.844-07:00

by R. Todd Johnson I find that sometimes, when I'm looking for something to write about, I struggle endlessly to find the topic or the voice that gets me going. Other times, I get bludgeoned over the head with the idea. This morning was a bludgeoning morning. I started with a 7 a.m. breakfast with Jessica Jackley, Kiva Founder, to discuss her new start-up, the crowdfunding site and business for

Toddnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-2379599802039367662010-06-01T17:29:00.000-07:002010-06-13T13:05:44.620-07:00

by R. Todd Johnson I noticed this announcement Friday (tweeted upon by me even before this article appeared in GreenBiz.com) that Underwriter's Laboratories is extending its consumer-trusted brand into the area of certifying businesses based upon their global sustainability. Sweet! I think it is fair to say that most people invovled in the social entrepreneurship movement would see this as a

Toddnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-33693875923803550232010-05-27T15:26:00.000-07:002010-06-13T13:05:23.765-07:00

by R. Todd Johnson* Social entrepreneurs come in all shapes and sizes. Typically, they have great ideas for changing or healing the world, using the tools of business (whether through micro-enterprise, large-scale internet activism, or some other unique way for reaching the "bottom of the pyramid" or cleaning up and protecting the environment, or simply taking better care of all of God's people.)

Toddnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-47155724649249498012010-05-27T03:58:00.000-07:002010-06-13T13:04:34.346-07:00

SunPower announces a major joint venture with AU Optronics.  #green #solar #renewable #energy #climate #carbon #sun #asia #china #sunpower *Todd is a partner at the law firm of Jones Day, where he founded their Silicon Valley Office and runs their Renewable Energy and Sustainability Practice. The views expressed in this column are solely Todd’s personal views, not the views of Jones Day or its

Toddnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563616764260203180.post-85639050686909291312010-05-24T15:21:00.000-07:002010-07-19T17:01:57.237-07:00

My latest post on Law For Change - Legal Resources ("LawforChange.org") R. Todd Johnson, Jones Day C. K. Prahalad’s death a few weeks ago caused some reflection on my “for-benefit” business education. Some may not have known the author of “The Fortune At The Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty Through Profits,” and the man that Business Week called "a brilliant teacher at the University

Toddnoreply@blogger.com0