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

What Is The Point Of Defined Terms, If The Legislature Fails To Recognize Them?

Chapter 1 of the General Corporation Law includes numerous defined terms, including "corporation", "domestic corporation", and "foreign corporation". Having taken care to define these terms, however, the legislature ocasionally seems to have...

Section 1800 And The Case Of The Little Shareholder That Could

Section 1800 of the California Corporations Code provides a procedure for the involuntary dissolution of a corporation. The process begins with the filing of a verified complaint, but only those persons listed in the statute have standing to file...

State Of Formation Does Not Define Securities Law's Jurisdiction

A common misconception is that the securities laws of an issuer's state of formation govern all offers and sales of that issuer's securities. In California, however, the application of the state's securities laws turns on whether an offer or sale...

Does California's Board Gender Quota Law Put Investors At Risk?

Last October, I wrote that one academic study had concluded that California's enactment of legislation mandating minimum numbers of female directors had already "resulted in a significant decline in shareholder value for firms headquartered in...

This Is One California Filing That A Foreign Corporation May Want To Make

A foreign corporation that transacts intrastate business in California must first obtain a certificate of qualification from the California Secretary of State by filing a statement of designation. Cal. Corp. Code § 2105(a). One collateral benefit of...

DBO Tables Financial Institutions' Central Locations For Service Of Legal Process

Six years ago, I wrote about the enactment of legislation, AB 2364 (Wagner) intended to make it easier to levy on bank accounts.  The law requires a bank or financial institution with more than nine branch offices within California to designate one...

Court Enforces California Forum Selection Clause

In DealLawyers.com, John Jenkins calls attention to U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman's decision to enforce a California forum selection clauses in acquisition related agreements.  Europa Eye Wear Corp. v. Kaizen Advisors, LLC, 2019 U.S....

Why California Can't Buy Stock

If you are looking to sell shares in your company to the State of California, you might want to reconsider.  Article XVI, Section 17 of the California Constitution expressly forbids the state from subscribing to, or being interested in the stock of...

Key Unanswered Questions About California's Gender Quota Law
The California legislature has directed the Secretary of State to publish a report by March of next year on the number of corporations that are in compliance with the state's unique board gender quota law. The legislature has also authorized the...