What goes on in the boardroom doesn't always stay in the boardroom...

In recent weeks, we have had a number of matters relating to corporate governance played out in  public and well-dissected by the media. We’ve had a ringside seat for the battle between hedge fund titan and activist Bill Ackman and JC Penney, whose board he served on.  Third Point’s Dan Loeb is agitating for change at Sony.  The list grows almost daily as investors demand greater accountability from CEOs, who have become easy targets.  

What can companies due to avoid nasty battles with activists?  We'll talk with Keith Gottfried, partner at Alston & Bird, a major law firm about how companies can minimize the risks...