A Practice Note describing the contractual protections and rights stockholders in companies with few stockholders typically seek to protect their investments, ensure they are involved in the management of the company, and realize a return on their investments. This Note addresses the contractual voting rights, governance rights, pre-emptive rights, exit and liquidity rights, and information rights that stockholders in a close corporation usually negotiate in a stockholders agreement or in the company's certificate of incorporation or by-laws.