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

Does Combining Legal And Secretarial Roles Reduce Risk?

The California General Corporation Law requires that a California corporation have a secretary. Cal. Corp. Code § 312(a)(2). The CGCL, however, says nothing about a chief legal officer. Indeed, many corporations do not have the position of chief...

The One Where Everyone Got The Statute Wrong

In yesterday's post, I discussed the Court of Appeal's unpublished opinion in Milks v. Affirmed Techs., LLC,  2024 WL 1502944 (Cal. Ct. App. Apr. 5, 2024), reh'g denied (Apr. 30, 2024). That case involved claims against a dissolved Nevada limited...

A California LLC Endures Forever, A Nevada LLC Not So Long

California's Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act endows limited liability companies with a certain level immortality.  Corporations Code Section 17707.06(a) provides:

Brutus Was An Honorable Man But Was He Also A Stupid One?

Today's post is a digression into Roman history and etymology, two of my long-time interests. 

The Attorney-Client Privilege In M&A Transactions - A Decade Later

In 2013, then Chancellor Leo Strine determined that under Section 259 of the Delaware General Corporation Law the attorney-client privilege held by the target company follows to the surviving company after a merger.   Great Hill Equity Partners IV, LP...

California May Soon Define "Corporation" To Include Entities Are Decidely Not Corporations

The California Corporations Code is a misnomer. While the Corporations Code does in fact govern corporations, it also governs a wide variety of unincorporated entities, including general partnerships, limited partnerships, and limited liability...

Another Delaware Publicly Traded Company Proposes A Nevada Move

Last week, Chromocell Therapeutics Corporation filed preliminary proxy materials that included a proposal to reincorporate in Nevada.  Rather than convert, the company is proposing to effect the reincorporation by means of a merger with and into a...

Is Your Directors And Officers Liability Coverage Illusory?

Many corporations pay significant amounts for directors and officers liability policies. Commonly referred to as D&O policies, these policies usually involve three sides. Directors and officers are likely to have the most interest in "Side A"...

After More Than A Year, Questions Remain Regarding Caremark and Officers

Last year, Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster famously held that officers could be subject to liability under the Caremark doctrine.  In re McDonald’s Corp., 289 A.3d 343 (Del. Ch. Jan. 26, 2023).    The Caremark doctrine originally held that directors...