What is the primary purpose of this 8-K filing?

The primary purpose of this 8-K filing is to formally register for resale a specific number of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. common shares. This action allows existing shareholders to sell these shares in the public market.

Does this filing indicate that AJG is issuing new shares?

No, this filing does not indicate the issuance of new shares. It pertains to the resale of 475,766 existing shares of common stock, meaning these shares are being made available for trading by current holders, not being newly created by the company.

What is an automatic shelf registration statement?

An automatic shelf registration statement (Form S-3 in this case) allows well-known seasoned issuers (like AJG) to register securities for future sale on a delayed or continuous basis. This filing indicates that AJG has previously established such a mechanism and is now utilizing it for these specific shares.

Who is Seth Diehl, Esq. and why are his opinions included?

Seth Diehl, Esq. is identified as Senior Counsel, Corporate & Securities for Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. His opinion and consent are included to confirm the legal validity of the shares being registered for resale, which is a standard requirement for such filings.

AJG 8-K SEC Disclosure — Dec 16, 2010

Summary

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG) filed a Current Report (8-K) on December 16, 2010, to disclose the registration for resale of 475,766 shares of its common stock. This action was taken under an automatic shelf registration statement previously filed with the SEC. The filing also incorporates by reference the legal opinion and consent from Seth Diehl, Esq., Senior Counsel, Corporate & Securities, regarding the validity of these shares.

Key Highlights

1Registration for resale of 475,766 shares of AJG common stock.
2Action taken under AJG's automatic shelf registration statement (Form S-3, Registration No. 333-166533).
3The filing includes legal opinions and consents related to the validity of the registered shares.
4The event date reported is December 15, 2010, with the filing date being December 16, 2010.
5This is a procedural filing to facilitate the sale of existing shares by potentially existing shareholders.
6No new shares are being issued, but rather existing shares are being made available for public trading.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. 8-K Report, Corporate Update (Dec 16, 2010)

Summary

Key Highlights

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