A recent Law 360 story by Vince Sullivan, “Puma Investor Seeks Fees for $20M in Director-Pay Savings,” reports that a shareholder of Puma Biotechnology Inc. filed suit in Delaware seeking the payment of attorneys’ fees and expenses for his efforts in pursuing changes to the compensation packages of non-employee directors, which he says ultimately saved the company more than $20 million.  In a complaint, shareholder Paul Alan Leafstedt said Puma made changes to its director compensation plans that saved the company millions after he sent a demand letter to the board in February, but the sides could not work out a deal on compensation for attorneys he brought on in the effort.

As a result of Leafstedt’s demand letter, the company engaged an independent compensation consultant and amended its director packages to reduce awards to non-employee directors significantly.  The demand letter was spurred by the board awarding itself what Leafstedt described as “grossly excessive levels” of compensation that were allegedly nine times greater than what was appropriate.

Puma also capped director stock award and allowed shareholders to provide input on compensation procedures at annual meetings.  The company also added information about the program into its proxy statement, which were reviewed by Leafstedt’s attorneys before filing, and instituted additional corporate governance reforms relating to pay practices.

“Plaintiff’s efforts directly conferred a substantial and quantifiable benefit to Puma and its stockholders — with the compensation reductions and limits alone amounting to a savings of up to $20 million over the next five years,” the complaint said.  Leafstedt cites Delaware law that allows for fee awards where a corporate benefit results from a meritorious demand on the board in asking for attorneys’ fee and expenses related to the effort.

The compensation packages for non-employee directors of the company resulted in average annual awards in the amount of more than $1.4 million each, with each director receiving a $50,000 cash retainer and options to purchase 10,000 shares of Puma stock.  Directors who sat on a committee of the board were granted an additional option for 10,000 shares, while committee chairs could buy up to 20,000 shares.  Each newly appointed director would also receive a one-time option to buy 30,000 shares.

“The demand letter asserted that the compensation program constituted a waste of corporate assets, a breach of fiduciary duty and an unjust enrichment for the non-employee directors who agreed to accept the excessive levels of compensation they granted themselves,” the complaint said.

Puma made changes to the program that cap the annual compensation for non-employee directors at $1 million and shifted the stock option award metrics from a specific number of shares to a dollar amount.  So directors still receive a $50,000 cash retainer each year, but the annual stock option award is capped at $300,000, and committee service retainers have been switched to cash amounts ranging from $20,000 to $5,000.  Newly appointed directors will have the option to purchase stock up to an amount of $700,000.

These changes resulted from negotiations between the company and Leafstedt’s attorneys and were accomplished in May without the need to file a lawsuit.  Leafstedt filed the current complaint because the parties could not come to an agreement on reasonable attorneys’ fees for achieving the benefit that will save Puma more than $20 million over the next five years.

“Plaintiff’s counsel has expended considerable time and expense, completely at risk of loss and without remuneration, in pursuit of making the demand and subsequent negotiations, the resolution of which conferred substantial benefits to Puma and its stockholders,” the complaint said.  Leafstedt is asking for an equitable apportionment of attorneys’ fees and payment of legal expenses incurred in the pursuit of the demand and the negotiations, as well as the costs of bringing the current action.

The case is Leafstedt v. Puma Biotechnology Inc., case number 2017-0659, in the Court of Chancery for the State of Delaware.