Main content

Roswell B. Perkins President Files

Notifications

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]3460 Chestnut Street, Biddle Law Library, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3406

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
ALI.00.001
Repository:
University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library
Extent:
25.00 linear feet (25 boxes)
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
[Identification of item], in the Roswell B. Perkins President Files, American Law Institute Archives, ALI.00.001, Biddle Law Library, University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia, PA.
Date:
1959-2010 (inclusive)
Creator:
Perkins, Roswell B. and American Law Institute
Abstract:
Roswell B. Perkins was President of the American Law Institute from 1980 to 1993 and served as Chair of the Council from 1993 to 2008. An expert in the field of corporate governance, Perkins played a major role in the drafting of the Principles of Corporate Governance: Analysis and Recommendations. The collection includes Perkins' files on this project as well as correspondence and subject files from his time as President of the American Law Institute.

Roswell B. "Rod" Perkins was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1926. He received his undergraduate degree (1945) and law degree (1949) from Harvard. For most of his career, Perkins worked at the law firm Debevoise and Plimpton, where he was named partner in 1957. He specialized in corporation and securities law.

Perkins became a member of the American Law Institute (ALI) in 1964. In 1980, he was named the sixth President of the ALI and served in this role until 1993. During his presidency, Perkins played a major role in the drafting of the Principles of Corporate Governance: Analysis and Recommendations. He also proposed the raising of an Endowment Fund for the institute. Perkins served as Chair of the Council from 1993 to 2008. He recieved the ALI Distinguished Service Award in 2008.

Throughout his career, Perkins was an active member of the American Bar Association (ABA) and the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. He was a member of the ABA's Commission on Law and the Economy and the ABA Committee on Federal Regulation of Securities. He received the Fifty-Year Award of the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation in 2002.

Roswell B. Perkins passed away in March 2019 at the age of 92.

The Roswell B. Perkins President Files, 1959-2010, document his activity as President of the American Law Institute from 1980 to 1993.

Series I: Correspondence, 1964-1992, contains general correspondence arranged chronologically. The correspondence is related to meetings, membership, and various ALI projects conducted during Perkin's presidency. Also included are copies of presidents' letters written by Perkins.

Series II: Principles of Corporate Governance, 1977-1995, contains reports, correspondence, revisions, research materials, and speeches from the drafting of the Principles of Corporate Governance: Analysis and Recommendations.

Subseries 1: Correspondence and Comments, 1980-1993, contains general updates on the project and comments on drafts from Perkins, ALI members, and project advisors. Correspondence from the American Bar Association and the Business Roundtable is also included. The folders labeled Part IV, Part V, Part VI, and Part VII contain correspondence and suggested revisions on each part of the project.

Subseries 2: Drafts and Meeting Notes, 1977-1992, consists of tentative, discussion, and council drafts of the final report as well as preparatory materials and notes from meetings where the drafts were discussed.

Subseries 3: Publications and Remarks, 1977-1995, consists of articles, speeches, and research prepared by Perkins and others related to the project.

For additional records on the Principles of Corporate Governance, see ALI.04.023.

Series III: Subject Files, 1959-2010, contains reports, articles, minutes, and some correspondence pertaining to specific subjects. These files were collected by Perkins during his ALI presidency and maintain his original arrangement. Included is material related to the ALI/American Bar Association Committee on Continuing Legal Education, fundraising, finances, the history of the ALI, and reflections on Perkins' presidency.

The collection is arranged into the following series:

Series I. Correspondence, 1964-1992; Series II. Principles of Corporate Governance, 1977-1995; Series III. Subject Files, 1959-2010.

Series II. Principles of Corporate Governance is divided into three subseries: Correspondence and Comments, 1980-1993; Draft and Meeting Notes, 1977-1992; and Publications and Remarks, 1977-1995.

Received from the American Law Institute headquarters, circa 2000 and 2022.

Processed by Jordon Steele, June 2009 and Elizabeth Wittrig, April 2023.

Subject

Publisher
University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library
Finding Aid Author
Jordon Steele and Elizabeth Wittrig
Finding Aid Date
2009, revised April 2023
Access Restrictions

The archives reserves the right to restrict access to materials of sensitive nature. Please contact the department for further information. This collection is located offsite.

Use Restrictions

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Collection Inventory

Correspondence, 1964-1969.
Box 1 Folder 1
Correspondence, 1970-1974.
Box 1 Folder 2
Correspondence, 1975.
Box 1 Folder 3
Correspondence, 1976.
Box 1 Folder 4
Correspondence, 1977.
Box 1 Folder 5-6
Correspondence, 1978.
Box 1 Folder 7
Correspondence, 1979.
Box 1 Folder 8-9
Correspondence re: acknowledgement of Presidency, 1979.
Box 1 Folder 10
Correspondence, 1980 January-May.
Box 1 Folder 11
Correspondence, 1980 June-August.
Box 1 Folder 12
Correspondence, 1980 September-December.
Box 1 Folder 13
Correspondence, 1981 January.
Box 1 Folder 14
Correspondence, 1981 February.
Box 1 Folder 15
Correspondence, 1981 March-April.
Box 1 Folder 16 Box 2 Folder 1
Correspondence, 1981 May-June.
Box 2 Folder 2-3
Correspondence, 1981 July-October.
Box 2 Folder 4
Correspondence, 1981 November-December.
Box 2 Folder 5
Correspondence, 1982 January-February.
Box 2 Folder 6
Correspondence, 1982 March-May.
Box 2 Folder 7
Correspondence, 1982 June.
Box 2 Folder 8
Correspondence, 1982 July-August.
Box 2 Folder 9
Correspondence, 1982 September-October.
Box 2 Folder 10
Correspondence, 1982 November.
Box 2 Folder 11
Correspondence, 1982 December.
Box 2 Folder 12
Correspondence, 1983 January-February.
Box 2 Folder 13
Correspondence, 1983 March.
Box 2 Folder 14
Correspondence, 1983 May.
Box 3 Folder 2
Correspondence, 1983 June-July.
Box 3 Folder 3-4
Correspondence, 1983 August-September.
Box 3 Folder 5-6
Correspondence, 1983 October-November.
Box 3 Folder 7
Correspondence, 1983 December.
Box 3 Folder 8
Correspondence, 1984 January-February.
Box 3 Folder 9-10
Correspondence, 1984 March-April.
Box 3 Folder 11
Correspondence, 1984 May-June.
Box 3 Folder 12
Correspondence, 1984 July.
Box 3 Folder 13
Correspondence, 1984 August-November.
Box 3 Folder 14-15
Correspondence, 1985 January.
Box 4 Folder 2
Correspondence, 1985 February-March.
Box 4 Folder 3
Correspondence, 1985 April-June.
Box 4 Folder 4
Correspondence, 1985 July-August.
Box 4 Folder 5
Correspondence, 1985 September-October.
Box 4 Folder 6
Correspondence, 1985 November-December.
Box 4 Folder 7
Correspondence, 1986 January-February.
Box 4 Folder 8
Correspondence, 1986 March-May.
Box 4 Folder 9
Correspondence, 1986 June-July.
Box 4 Folder 10
Correspondence, 1986 August.
Box 4 Folder 11
Correspondence, 1986 September-1987 February, 1988 June.
Box 4 Folder 12
Correspondence, 1990.
Box 4 Folder 13
Correspondence, 1991 January-May.
Box 4 Folder 14
Correspondence, 1991 June-December.
Box 5 Folder 1
Correspondence, 1992.
Box 5 Folder 2-3

Correspondence and tentative project outline, 1980.
Box 5 Folder 4
Correspondence and comments, 1981.
Box 5 Folder 5
Correspondence and comments, 1982 January.
Box 5 Folder 6
Correspondence and comments, 1982 February-March.
Box 5 Folder 7
Correspondence and comments, 1982 April-May.
Box 5 Folder 8
Correspondence and comments, 1982 June-December.
Box 5 Folder 9-10
Correspondence and comments, 1983 January-February.
Box 5 Folder 11-12
Correspondence and comments, 1983 March-May.
Box 5 Folder 13
Correspondence and comments, 1983 June-July.
Box 5 Folder 14
Correspondence and comments, 1983 August-September.
Box 6 Folder 1
Correspondence and comments, 1983 October.
Box 6 Folder 2
Correspondence and comments, 1983 November-December.
Box 6 Folder 3-4
Correspondence and comments, 1984 January.
Box 6 Folder 5-6
Correspondence and comments, 1984 February.
Box 6 Folder 7-8
Correspondence and comments, 1984 March-April.
Box 6 Folder 9
Correspondence and comments, 1984 May-June.
Box 6 Folder 10
Correspondence and comments, 1984 July-September.
Box 6 Folder 11
Correspondence and comments, 1984 October-December.
Box 6 Folder 12
Correspondence and comments, 1985.
Box 6 Folder 13
Correspondence and comments, 1986 January-July.
Box 7 Folder 1
Correspondence and comments, 1986 August-December.
Box 7 Folder 2
Correspondence and comments, 1987 January-February.
Box 7 Folder 3
Correspondence and comments, 1987 March-October.
Box 7 Folder 4
Correspondence re: Siebert phone call, 1987.
Box 7 Folder 5
Correspondence and comments, 1988-1989.
Box 7 Folder 6
Correspondence re: "Black Letter" drafts, 1985, 1988-1991.
Box 7 Folder 7
Correspondence and comments, 1990 January-March.
Box 7 Folder 8
Correspondence and comments, 1990 April-December.
Box 7 Folder 9
Correspondence and comments, 1991 January-March.
Box 7 Folder 10
Correspondence and comments, 1991 April-December.
Box 7 Folder 11
Correspondence and comments, 1992-1994.
Box 7 Folder 12
American Bar Association, 1982.
Box 8 Folder 1
American Bar Association, 1983.
Box 8 Folder 2-4
American Bar Association, 1984.
Box 8 Folder 5
American Bar Association, 1985-1988.
Box 8 Folder 6
American Bar Association and ALI meeting (Houston), 1989.
Box 8 Folder 7-8
American Bar Association, 1990.
Box 8 Folder 9
Association of the Bar of the City of New York comments, 1984.
Box 8 Folder 10
Business Roundtable, 1979-1982.
Box 8 Folder 11
Business Roundtable, 1983.
Box 8 Folder 12
Business Roundtable statement and Perkins reply, 1983 February.
Box 8 Folder 13
Business Roundtable, 1984.
Box 8 Folder 14-15
Business Roundtable, 1985-1987.
Box 9 Folder 1
Business Roundtable, 1988-1989.
Box 9 Folder 2
Business Roundtable, 1990-1991.
Box 9 Folder 3
Business Roundtable, 1992.
Box 9 Folder 4
Business Roundtable, 1993.
Box 9 Folder 5
Part IV, 1983.
Box 9 Folder 6-8
Part IV, 1984 January.
Box 9 Folder 9
Part IV, 1984 February-March.
Box 9 Folder 10
Part IV, 1984 April-December.
Box 9 Folder 11
Part IV, 1985 January.
Box 9 Folder 12
Part IV, 1985 February-March.
Box 10 Folder 1-2
Part IV, 1985 April.
Box 10 Folder 3-4
Part IV, 1985 May.
Box 10 Folder 5-6
Part IV, 1985 June-October.
Box 10 Folder 7
Part IV, 1986-1988.
Box 10 Folder 8
Part IV, 1989.
Box 10 Folder 9
Part IV, 1990.
Box 10 Folder 10
Part IV, 1990.
Box 11 Folder 1-2
Part V, "Model Act" Committee on Corporate Laws comments, 1985, 1988.
Box 11 Folder 3
Part V, 1982-1983.
Box 11 Folder 4-5
Part V, 1984-1985.
Box 11 Folder 6-7
Part V, 1986.
Box 11 Folder 8-9
Part V, 1987-1990.
Box 11 Folder 10
Part V, 1993.
Box 11 Folder 11-12
Part VI, 1982-1984.
Box 11 Folder 13-14
Part VI, 1982-1984.
Box 12 Folder 1
Part VI, 1985.
Box 12 Folder 2
Part VI, 1986.
Box 12 Folder 3
Part VI, 1987 January-May.
Box 12 Folder 4
Part VI, 1987 June.
Box 12 Folder 5
Part VI, 1987 July-December.
Box 12 Folder 6
Part VI, 1988 January-February.
Box 12 Folder 7-8
Part VI, 1988 March-August.
Box 12 Folder 9
Part VI, 1988 September-December.
Box 12 Folder 10
Part VI, discussion draft no. 2 comments, 1989.
Box 12 Folder 11-12
Part VI, discussion draft no. 2 comments, 1989.
Box 13 Folder 1
Part VI, 1990-1991.
Box 13 Folder 2-4
Part VI, Perkins comments, 1993.
Box 13 Folder 5
Part VII, derivative suits research, 1982-1991.
Box 13 Folder 6-9
Part VII, 1983.
Box 13 Folder 10-11
Part VII, 1984 January-March.
Box 13 Folder 12
Part VII, 1984 April-October.
Box 14 Folder 1
Part VII, 1984 November-December.
Box 14 Folder 2
Part VII, council draft no. 5 comments, 1984-1985.
Box 14 Folder 3-4
Part VII, Virginia Code, 1985.
Box 14 Folder 5
Part VII, tentative draft no. 6, 1986.
Box 14 Folder 6
Part VII, 1986 January-April.
Box 14 Folder 7
Part VII, 1986 May-September.
Box 14 Folder 8
Part VII, 1987 January-May.
Box 14 Folder 9
Part VII, 1987 June-September.
Box 14 Folder 10
Part VII, 1987 October-December.
Box 15 Folder 1-2
Part VII, 1988 January-February.
Box 15 Folder 3-4
Part VII, 1988 March-April.
Box 15 Folder 5
Part VII, 1988 May.
Box 15 Folder 6
Part VII, 1988 September-December.
Box 15 Folder 7
Part VII, 1989.
Box 15 Folder 8-9
Part VII, appraisal chapter, 1990-1991.
Box 15 Folder 10-12
Part VII, motions, 1990-1991.
Box 15 Folder 13
Part VII, 1991 January-May.
Box 16 Folder 1
Part VII, 1991 June-September.
Box 16 Folder 2
Part VII commentary, 1991 October.
Box 16 Folder 3-4
Part VII commentary, 1991 November.
Box 16 Folder 5-6
Part VII, 1991 December.
Box 16 Folder 7
Part VII, January conference call, 1992.
Box 16 Folder 8
Part VII, 1992 January.
Box 16 Folder 9-10
Part VII, 1992 February-March.
Box 16 Folder 11-12
Part VII, 1992 May.
Box 16 Folder 13
Part VII, 1992 August-September.
Box 17 Folder 1
Part VII, 1992 October.
Box 17 Folder 2
Part VII, 1992 November.
Box 17 Folder 3
Part VII, 1992 December.
Box 17 Folder 4-6
Part VII annotations, 1993 January-April.
Box 17 Folder 7-9
Tentative draft no. 4, 1985 April.
Box 17 Folder 10
Tentative draft no. 9, 1989.
Box 17 Folder 11
Tentative draft no. 11, 1991.
Box 17 Folder 12
Discussion draft no. 2, 1989.
Box 17 Folder 13
Discussion draft no. 2A, 1989.
Box 18 Folder 1
Council draft no. 3, 1983.
Box 18 Folder 2
Council draft no. 4, 1984.
Box 18 Folder 3
Council draft no. 9A, 1987.
Box 18 Folder 4
Council draft no. 13, 1988.
Box 18 Folder 5
Council draft no. 14, 1989.
Box 18 Folder 6
Council draft no. 16, 1991.
Box 18 Folder 7
Final draft preface, 1992 March.
Box 18 Folder 8
Project Steering Group meeting (September 1979) and preparatory materials , 1977-1979.
Box 18 Folder 9
Consultants meeting, 1980 October.
Box 18 Folder 10
Advisors meeting, 1984.
Box 18 Folder 11
Advisors meeting, 1987.
Box 18 Folder 12
Advisors meeting, 1988.
Box 18 Folder 13
Council meeting preparatory materials, including drafts, 1989.
Box 18 Folder 14-15
Annual meeting preparatory materials and Hansen motion, 1992.
Box 18 Folder 16-17
Annual meeting preparatory materials and Hansen motion, 1992.
Box 19 Folder 1
Annual meeting ground rules, 1992.
Box 19 Folder 2
Annual meeting, post-meeting materials, 1992.
Box 19 Folder 3
Publications and articles by Perkins on the project, 1982-1994.
Box 19 Folder 4-5
Project chronology by Perkins, 1994.
Box 19 Folder 6
Remarks by Perkins on the project before the American Society of Corporate Secretaries, 1983.
Box 19 Folder 7
Remarks by Perkins on the project to the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, 1983.
Box 19 Folder 8
Remarks by Perkins on the project to the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, 1985.
Box 19 Folder 9
Remarks by Perkins on the project at annual meeting, 1984.
Box 19 Folder 10
Remarks by Perkins on the project to the American Bar Association, 1984.
Box 19 Folder 11
Publications and remarks on the project by others, 1981-1983.
Box 19 Folder 12
"The ALI Corporate Governance Proposals: Law and Economics" remarks at the Emory Law and Economics Center, 1983 September.
Box 19 Folder 13
Publications and remarks on the project by others, 1984-1987.
Box 19 Folder 14
Publications and remarks on the project by others, 1988-1994.
Box 19 Folder 15
"Corporate Governance and Investments in Human Capital" Brookings Institution study, 1995.
Box 19 Folder 16
Research materials, 1970-1980s.
Box 19 Folder 17-18 Box 20 Folder 1

Abrahamson, Shirley address, 2003-2004.
Box 20 Folder 2
American Bar Association Joint Committee correspondence, 1970, 1979-1980.
Box 20 Folder 3
American Bar Association correspondence, 1981 January-October.
Box 20 Folder 4
American Bar Association correspondence, 1981 November-December.
Box 20 Folder 5
American Bar Association correspondence, 1982 January-May.
Box 20 Folder 6
American Bar Association correspondence, 1982 June-August.
Box 20 Folder 7-8
American Bar Association correspondence, 1982 September-November.
Box 20 Folder 9
American Bar Association correspondence, 1982 December.
Box 20 Folder 10
American Bar Association correspondence, 1983 January.
Box 20 Folder 11
American Bar Association correspondence, 1983 February-April.
Box 20 Folder 12
American Bar Association correspondence, 1983 May-December.
Box 20 Folder 13
American Bar Association correspondence, 1984 January-July.
Box 21 Folder 1
American Bar Association correspondence, 1984 August-December.
Box 21 Folder 2
American Bar Association correspondence, 1985 January-June.
Box 21 Folder 3
American Bar Association correspondence, 1985 July-December.
Box 21 Folder 4
American Bar Association correspondence, 1986.
Box 21 Folder 5
American Bar Association correspondence, 1987.
Box 21 Folder 6
American Bar Association correspondence, 1992-1994.
Box 21 Folder 7
American Bar Association Arden House III, 1984-1987.
Box 21 Folder 8-9
ALI/ABA Commission on Law and the Economy agendas, applications, attendance, 1976-1977.
Box 21 Folder 10
ALI/ABA Commission on Law and the Economy background materials, 1975-1977.
Box 21 Folder 11-12
ALI/ABA Commission on Law and the Economy background materials for Accountability Committee, 1977.
Box 21 Folder 13-14
ALI/ABA Commission on Law and the Economy bibliography, 1976-1977.
Box 21 Folder 15
ALI/ABA Commission on Law and the Economy clippings, 1975-1976.
Box 21 Folder 16
ALI/ABA Commission on Law and the Economy committees, 1976-1977.
Box 21 Folder 17
ALI/ABA Commission on Law and the Economy minutes and notes, 1977.
Box 21 Folder 18
ALI/ABA Commission on Law and the Economy transcript, 1977.
Box 21 Folder 19
ALI/ABA Commission on Law and the Economy regulatory review, 1976-1977.
Box 21 Folder 20
ALI/ABA Commission on Law and the Economy report, 1977.
Box 21 Folder 21
American Bar Association Fiscal Policy Special Committee, 1985-1986.
Box 22 Folder 1
American Bar Association Houston Conference, 1980-1981.
Box 22 Folder 2-3
ALI/ABA Law-Dedicated Network, 1983-1984.
Box 22 Folder 4-5
American Bar Association Peer Review Pilot Project, 1980-1982.
Box 22 Folder 6
American Bar Association private clubs issue, 1983 June-July.
Box 22 Folder 7
Annual meetings programs and reports, 1964, 1969-1975.
Box 22 Folder 8-9
Annual meetings programs and reports, 1978-1981.
Box 22 Folder 10
Association of the Bar of the City of New York, 1961-1975.
Box 22 Folder 11
Bequests program, 1980-1982.
Box 22 Folder 12
Biographies of Perkins, 1981, 1993.
Box 22 Folder 13
By-laws, 1970-1979.
Box 22 Folder 15
Casner, James A. Reporter's Chair, 1991-1992.
Box 22 Folder 16-17
Computer Feasibility Study, 1975-1976.
Box 22 Folder 18
Council spouses' name list, circa 1970.
Box 22 Folder 19
Debevoise and Plimpton certificate of appreciation, 1993.
Box 22 Folder 20
Dillard, Hardy article, circa 1970.
Box 22 Folder 21
Directories, 1970-1977.
Box 23 Folder 1-2
Federal Securities Code, 1968, 1976-1979.
Box 23 Folder 3
Federal Securities Code Federal Bar Association coursebook, 1980.
Box 23 Folder 4
Federal Securities Code, 1980-1984.
Box 23 Folder 5
Fellows' Fifty-Year Award, 2001-2002.
Box 23 Folder 6
Financial statements, 1975-1978.
Box 23 Folder 7
Financial statements, 1979-1980.
Box 23 Folder 8
Financial statements, 1981-1985.
Box 23 Folder 9-10
Fundraising and grants, 1978, 1980-1984.
Box 23 Folder 14
Fundraising and grants, 1985 January-February.
Box 23 Folder 15
Fundraising and grants, 1985 March-June.
Box 23 Folder 16
Fundraising and grants, 1985 July-August.
Box 24 Folder 1
Fundraising and grants, 1985 September-December.
Box 24 Folder 2
Fundraising and grants, 1986 January-February.
Box 24 Folder 3
Fundraising and grants, 1986 March.
Box 24 Folder 4
Fundraising and grants, 1986 April.
Box 24 Folder 5-6
Fundraising and grants, 1986 May-June.
Box 24 Folder 7
Fundraising and grants, 1986 July-August.
Box 24 Folder 8
Fundraising and grants, 1986 September-December.
Box 24 Folder 9
Griswold, Erwin, 1989, 1994-1999.
Box 24 Folder 10-11
Hazard, Geoffrey, 1982, 1995-1998.
Box 24 Folder 12
History of the ALI and its projects, 1980-2010.
Box 24 Folder 13
Indian Law Institute visit, 2007.
Box 24 Folder 14
Insurance policies, 1981-1984.
Box 24 Folder 16
Investment Committee correspondence, 1975-1977.
Box 24 Folder 17
Investment Committee financial statements, 1972-1977.
Box 25 Folder 2
Investment Committee financial statements, 1981-1983.
Box 25 Folder 3
Memorials and tributes, 1976, 1991-1994.
Box 25 Folder 4
Meyers, Charles articles, 1975.
Box 25 Folder 5
Office building appraisal, 1978.
Box 25 Folder 6
Program and Procedures Committee, 1983-1986.
Box 25 Folder 7-8
Restatement Third: Torts, 1991-1992.
Box 25 Folder 9-10
Scott, Austin, 1981.
Box 25 Folder 12
Speeches and reflections on Presidency, 1990-2007.
Box 25 Folder 13
Speech materials, 1968, 1987.
Box 25 Folder 14
Wechsler, Herbert, 1959-1993, 1999-2000.
Box 25 Folder 15-17
Wolkin, Paul, 1991-1993.
Box 25 Folder 18

Print, Suggest