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

Is A Trust Always A Person?

Yesterday's post discussed Justice Grimes' opinion that while a trust must always act through a trustee, a trust is a "person" that may associate in a partnership under the California Uniform Partnership Act of 1994 (Cal. Corp. Code § 26200 et seq....

If A Corporation Can Be A Person, Why Not A Trust?
The California Supreme Court has written that a "trust is a fiduciary relationship with respect to property in which the person holding legal title to the property--the trustee--has an equitable obligation to manage the property for the benefit of...
Buying Assets Of A California Employer? You May Be Required To Withhold Seller's Unpaid California Employer Contributions

Yesterday, John Jenkins wrote in DealLawyers.com about successor liability in asset purchase transactions.  Many practitioners may be unfamiliar with potential successor liability under California's Unemployment Insurance Code.

The Theological Roots Of Advice And Consent

The United States Constitution vests the executive power of the federal government in the president, but his or her power is not entirely autonomous. Notably, Article II, Section 2 endows the president with the power to make treaties with the...

What To Do When A Director Goes Missing

I haven't actually encountered a case in which a corporation simply can't find a member of its board of directors. If such a situation should arise, however, the California General Corporation Law has an answer in Section 2003. That statute...

A House Divided Without Provision For A Provisional Director?

This week, I have been writing about Section 308 of the California Corporations Code.  Subdivision (b) of the statute authorizes the Superior Court to appoint one or more provisional directors when "the shareholders of a corporation are deadlocked so...

Provisional Directors And The Third Degree

Monday's post concerned the appointment of one or more provisional directors pursuant to California Corporations Code Section 308. The statute requires that a provisional director be an "impartial person". In addition, the appointee must not be any...

Stare Decisis Strikes Out At The Supreme Court

Readers of this blog may remember the case of Gilbert Hyatt versus the California Franchise Tax Board.  The litigation arose from the FTB's outrageous conduct in auditing Mr. Hyatt after he claimed to have moved to Nevada.  See Nevada Supreme Court...

Deadlocks And The Provisional Director

Section 308 authorizes the Superior Court to appoint a provisional director in two different circumstances.  Although both involve the existence of a deadlock, the conditions under which a provisional director may be appointed are very different.