Keith Paul Bishop

Keith Paul Bishop

Keith Bishop works with privately-held and publicly-traded companies on federal and state corporate and securities transactions, compliance, and governance matters. He is highly-regarded for his in-depth knowledge of the distinctive corporate and regulatory requirements faced by corporations in the state of California. While many law firms have a great deal of expertise in federal or Delaware corporate law, Keith’s specific focus on California corporate and securities law is uncommon. A former California state regulator of securities and financial institutions, Keith has decades of experience navigating the regulatory-intensive state’s rules. For companies with substantial operations in California but incorporated elsewhere, Keith is an exceptional resource. He is frequently called in to help with issues arising under California’s “blue sky” and lender laws. An avid writer, Keith’s blog, www.calcorporatelaw.com, covers a diverse collection of California corporate and securities law issues and has served as a valued resource for other attorneys, business executives, judges, and media, nationwide.

Recent Posts

A Foreign Corporation, Whether Or Not Dissolved, Is Not A Corporation

In a recent ruling involving a motion to confirm an arbitration award involving a default, Judge Vince Chhabria asked the plaintiff for supplemental briefing on whether the defendant had been properly served. Tetronics Int'l (United Kingdom) v....

San Francisco Voters Reportedly Approve "Overpaid Executive" Tax

Before Tuesday's election, I wrote about Measure L which would impose a tax on "overpaid executives".  Reportedly, the voters approved the measure 65% to 35%. The tax is not limited to Exchange Act reporting companies. It will be interesting to see...

Secretary Of State Proposes Amendments To Naming Rules

Choosing a name for a business entity is one thing, getting that name approved by the California Secretary of State is another. The Corporations Code places specific restrictions on the names of corporations, limited partnerships and limited...

LLC Agreements And The Statute Of Frauds

Professor Stephen Bainbridge recently wrote on whether operating agreements of limited liability companies are subject to the Statute of Frauds.  He notes "In a majority of states, the operating agreement may be written or oral, although some states...

San Francisco To Vote On Raising Taxes On Businesses With An Overpaid Managerial Employee

"San Francisco is a city of startling events. Happy is the man whose destiny it is to gather them up and record them in a daily [blog]!"*

California Allows Attorney's Fees Award To Successful Whistleblowers

California's Labor Code currently prohibits employers, or persons acting on their behalf, from retaliating against employees who "blow the whistle". Cal. Lab. Code § 1102.5. The same statute also prohibits employers, or persons acting on their...

Why Ask For An Opinion That A Contract Has Been Delivered?

California Civil Code Section 1550 provides that only four elements are "essential" to the existence of a contract:

Contractual Latin

Many terms associated with contracts and contract formation are of latin origin:

California Proposes Another Reason For Corporations To Move Their Principal Executive Offices To Another State

The California Franchise Tax Board recentlyproposed a new regulation that will add to the growing list of reasons for corporations to consider moving their headquarters to some other state. The new regulation purports to “clarify” existing law by...