In-House Counsel
Tesla's board failed to appoint general counsel who could keep Elon Musk in line, unsealed suit alleges
Elon Musk at the Tesla factory in Fremont, California, in 2011. Photo by Maurizio Pesce via Wikimedia Commons.
Tesla’s board of directors failed to secure a general counsel who could curtail “erratic” tweeting Tesla CEO Elon Musk, according to a shareholders’ derivative lawsuit unsealed Friday.
The lawsuit, originally filed March 8, says Musk repeatedly tweeted Tesla-related information that violated settlements with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission requiring advance corporate approval of the posts. According to the suit, the board breached its duties “by failing to appoint an independent general counsel and prevent Musk from interfering with the general counsel’s duties.”