According to The New York Times, Monks' background in law, politics and business have allowed him the opportunity to truly understand the inner workings of corporate America and how they impact society. As a 79-year-old professional, Monks has witnessed a great deal of changes over the years, but today he remains focused on restoring corporate democracy.

The article reports, "Mr. Monks has been battling for decades to make corporations more transparent and more democratic. Toward that end, he has founded companies like Institutional Shareholder Services, the Corporate Library and GMI Ratings, which assess the ways companies are governed. He has lobbied institutional investors to influence the behavior of companies in which they invest... Now he is pleading for the direct involvement of millions of individual corporate shareholders."

Marc Reston applauds the work of Monks, noting that his passion has inspired many to recognize issues that may have gone unnoticed for too long, creating a disparity in American business. Reston hopes that Monks' most recent book will further highlight the issues of corporate excess and lack of transparency to the public and shareholders. The New York Times adds, "...in [Monk's] latest book, Citizens DisUnited: Passive Investors, Drone C.E.O.'s and the Corporate Capture of the American Dream, he has issued what he describes as 'a call to arms'."

Marc Reston states, "I am devoted to my clients, but we all must acknowledge that great injustices exist due to widespread structural defects in the American way of doing business." Recognizing these injustices, Monks remains dedicated to the cause. Monk adds in The New York Times article, "I've had so little tangible success and yet I've never been happier...Each one of us needs to ask what we can contribute. I've tried to expose the illusion of corporate democracy. It's a cost to all of us."

"Although Monks states that he has had 'little tangible success' exposing 'the illusion of corporate democracy,' nothing could be further from the case. Mr. Monks has been a great inspiration to those of us attorneys who often see corporate excess up close under a magnifying glass. That alone is a 'tangible success,'" Marc Reston concludes.

ABOUT:

Marc Reston is a successful attorney and financial advisor who has practiced law since the early 1980s. Specifically, Reston's experience in tax law, organizational structure and financial advising has proven vital for companies in order to operate sustainably while retaining revenue. As such, many of Reston's professional engagements have, in part, included helping his clients minimize their tax burdens. In addition, his career experiences have encompassed investment banking, insurance, project finance and nonprofit law. He currently is an attorney with Chadbourne & Parke in Washington, D.C