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The Board of Directors plays a pivotal role in the effective governance of any organization, including the private family trust company. Board members fulfill their roles and responsibilities, in part, by holding regular meetings that utilize a comprehensive agenda. One vital tool for an effective Board meeting is the meeting agenda. Here, ten sugg...

A volunteer position with a nonprofit organization can be an incredibly rewarding experience—both for the volunteer and for the organization. But the path to key leadership roles with such organizations can be tricky to navigate. While the process inevitably will vary from organization to organization, there are a few things that can help with maki...

Although public companies are most often the targets of shareholder claims and class-action suits, not-for-profit and private entities are not immune from litigation. As a director, you could be named personally in claims of fraud or financial mismanagement from which the entity’s indemnification provisions and business structure cannot always prot...

Lawsuit awards can be incredibly high, and individuals known to have substantial assets are particularly vulnerable. In some cases, the high-stake lawsuits can cause devastating reputational damage. Given the risks and exposure, the need for holistic liability protection is an important issue. Learn the different types of liability i...

As family offices have grown in number, size and sophistication, they have increasingly looked to invest directly. Largely, the pursuit of direct investing opportunities has been driven by several factors, including the desire for increased control, better alignment of interests, reduced fees and expenses, and higher returns. While the appeal of di...

A high-quality board of directors with a range of talents and experience can be a powerful resource for your company. Taking steps to ensure your board is well-designed, well-informed, and properly engaged will reap significant benefits for your company’s shareholders and management team.

No matter if a family enterprise is establishing an Advisory Board, Fiduciary Board, or Owners Board, considerations must include the roles that family members might play and how best to prepare them for service. As a fourth-generation Pitcairn family member and family governance leader within a pioneering multi-family office, Andrew Pitcairn share...

As noted in The New Family Office 5.0 Model, a rising number of family offices are allocating resources to direct investments, including building an in-house direct investment function to gain greater control, better diversification, increased flexibility, and income and estate tax benefits. From generating deal flow to due diligence, key cons...

For leaders of founder-owned companies, simply making the decision to sell or bring in an outside investor can be anxiety inducing. The transaction process itself is often filled with apprehensive moments—arguably none more so than the potential of sensitive information leaking. This primer helps business owners understand how to avoid leaks, how t...

While there are predictions of a recession amid a looming economic downturn, there are opportunities for investors to acquire distressed assets as part of their direct investing or mergers and acquisitions plan. In this 10-minute interview, attorney Tom Scannell highlights some of the issues potential buyers may face as they look at financially-dis...

Independent directors can enhance a family business board in a variety of ways, including providing expertise in a range of subject matter areas, leadership development, and learning opportunities. They can also help owners expand diverse viewpoints, adapt to changing circumstances in the market, and help make decisions that are difficult for the f...

Dive into Artificial Intelligence (AI) governance with Grant Thornton’s concise video series that are designed for board members and senior executives. The four short videos summarize insights on the challenges and opportunities of AI board governance. From understanding the need for “AI circuit breakers” to tracking risks and accountability, and f...

For leaders of founder-owned businesses, raising significant capital without relinquishing control can seem challenging. But investors focused on non-control transactions are becoming more common. Non-control-oriented funds have boomed, fueling demand for minority recapitalizations and enabling business owners to maximize the valuation of their com...

While many family offices stay cognizant of continued volatility as investors, they also are continuing to search for the best investments in public and private markets. This report—based on 188 family office respondents from 32 countries—provides a comprehensive picture of how family offices view the world and the key factors driving their investm...

As a general counsel in the Family Office space, Nate Christensen speaks on the growth of direct investing by family offices, the competitive advantages and challenges for them, and advice for family office offices and those working with them. Nate also shares thoughts on how family offices are leveraging their own edge in direct investing. Hear mo...