Willis Lease Finance Faces Probe Over Executive Compensation

BFA Law Notifies Shareholders to Contact Firm Regarding Potential Fiduciary Duty Breaches

Apr. 10, 2026 at 10:20am

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A minimalist studio still life photograph featuring a stack of financial documents, a pen, and a calculator arranged elegantly on a clean, monochromatic background, conceptually representing the abstract corporate strategy and finance issues at the heart of the shareholder investigation.A shareholder lawsuit alleges that the executive compensation practices at Willis Lease Finance have become excessive and potentially harmful to other investors.NYC Today

Leading securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP has announced an investigation into Willis Lease Finance Corporation's (NASDAQ: WLFC) board of directors and executive chairman Charles F. Willis, IV over potentially excessive compensation paid to Mr. Willis. The firm is looking into whether the company's compensation practices and the board's actions represent breaches of fiduciary duty to shareholders.

Why it matters

Willis Lease Finance is effectively controlled by its founder and executive chairman, Charles F. Willis, IV, who owns approximately 40% of the company's stock. The firm's investigation centers on whether the board, including Mr. Willis, has approved compensation packages for the chairman that are excessive and wasteful, potentially harming the interests of other shareholders.

The details

In recent fiscal years, Mr. Willis has received total compensation of $6.2 million (2022), $10.7 million (2023), and $14.2 million (2025), with over half of that in the form of stock awards. Additionally, in November 2025, the company's compensation committee granted Mr. Willis an option to purchase up to 300,000 shares, further increasing his potential earnings as the stock price has risen significantly since the grant.

  • In fiscal year 2022, Mr. Willis received compensation totaling approximately $6.2 million.
  • In fiscal year 2023, Mr. Willis received compensation totaling approximately $10.7 million.
  • In fiscal year 2025, Mr. Willis received compensation totaling approximately $14.2 million.
  • On November 10, 2025, Willis Lease's compensation committee awarded Mr. Willis an option grant to purchase up to 300,000 shares of Willis Lease common stock.

The players

Charles F. Willis, IV

The founder of Willis Lease Finance Corporation and its executive chairman, who owns approximately 40% of the company's stock.

Willis Lease Finance Corporation

A NASDAQ-listed company that is the focus of an investigation by Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP over potentially excessive compensation paid to its executive chairman.

Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP

A leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation, which has announced an investigation into Willis Lease Finance Corporation.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow the investigation to proceed.

The takeaway

This investigation highlights concerns over potential conflicts of interest and excessive executive compensation at publicly traded companies, particularly when the company is effectively controlled by the founder or a dominant shareholder. Shareholders will be watching closely to see if the board's actions are found to have breached their fiduciary duties.