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

More Quorum Mysteries

Six years ago, I kvetched "Why Does Determining A Quorum Have To Be So Complicated?" That particular post concerned the fine points of determining quorums for board meetings. The determination of a quorum for a meeting of shareholders can be equally...

Outré Shareholder Proposal Seeks Elimination Of Cumulative Voting Protections

Last month, Cisco Systems, Inc. submitted a no-action letter request to exclude a shareholder proposal submitted by James McRitchie. The fact that Mr. McRitchie has submitted a proposal is by no means newsworthy - he has filed scores this proxy...

DBO Reports Post-Pandemic Spike In Consumer Complaints, Calls and Inquiries

The California Department of Business Oversight announced last week that it has experienced a dramatic increase in consumer complaints, calls and inquiries following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.  According to the Department, consumer...

Supreme Court Holds Interference Must Be Wrongful

California recognizes two different torts involving interference with economic relations - interference with performance of a contract and interference with prospective economic advantage. Originally California courts treated these two torts as...

California Supreme Court Applies "Rule of Reason" To Section 16600 Claim

Section 16600 of the California Business & Professions Code provides that except for certain statutory exceptions "every contract by which anyone is restrained from engaging in a lawful profession, trade, or business of any kind is to that extent...

California Bill Would Make Successor Employers Liable For Unpaid Wages

California Assembly Member Lorena Gonzalez recently amended AB 3075 to impose successor liability for unpaid wages.  The bill would, among other things, add a new Section 200.3 to the California Labor Code:

The Business Roundtable Volte Face And The Bainbridge Hypothetical

The Business Roundtable attracted considerable attention recently when it renounced fealty to the interests of stakeholders rather than shareholders.  The problem of stakeholderism is brilliantly illustrated by the eponymous Bainbridge Hypothetical:

California's Racial/Ethnic Quota Bill Is Amended To Expand Definition Of "Underrepresented Communities"

Earlier this month, I noted a California bill that would require publicly held corporations have a minimum number of "directors from underrepresented communities". The bill, AB 979 (Holden), originally defined "directors from underrepresented...

Will The "Improving Corporate Diversity Through Diversity Act of 2019" Be The Plaintiffs' Bar Next El Dorado?

Yesterday, Liz Dunshee at The Proxy Season Blog took note of new support for the Improving Corporate Diversity Through Diversity Act of 2019" from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business organizations. If enacted, the ICDTDA would, among...