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

How This Scotus Became A Byword For Dunce

The Supreme Court of the United States is sometimes referred to by the initialization - SCOTUS - as in the well regarded SCOTUSblog. Scotus is also a name attached to one of the most famous scholars of the High Middle Ages - John Duns Scotus....

Why You Should Have Read Last Week's Posts On California's D&O Loan Ban

I spent the better part of last week writing about California Corporations Code Section 315. The statute general prohibits a corporation (Section 162) from making a loan of money or property to, or guaranteeing the obligation of, an officer or...

These Loans Can Be Problematical Even When The Borrower Isn't An Officer or Director

I spent most of last week discussing California Corporations Code Section 315. As a reminder, that statute prohibits a corporation (Section 162) from making a loan of money or property to, or guaranteeing the obligation of, an officer or director...

Pay-To-Play Meets The California Labor Code

In 2010, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted a rule (17 CFR § 206-4(5)) prohibiting an investment adviser from providing advisory services for compensation to a government client for two years after the adviser or certain of its...

D&O Loans: California Section 315 Versus Sarbanes-Oxley Section 402

Although both Section 315 of the California Corporations Code and Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act purport to ban loans to directors and officers, there are significant differences between these statutes. Below is a precis of some of the key...

California's D&O Loan Ban And Advancement Of Expenses

Yesterday's post outlined the general scope of the ban on loans to directors and officers found in Section 315 of the California Corporations Code. Because Section 315 doesn't define "loan", it may not always be clear whether an arrangement is a...

California's Ban On Loans To Directors And Officers

California banned loans to directors and officers decades before Congress thought of doing so as part of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Current Corporations Code Section 315 prohibits corporations (defined in Section 162) from making loans of money...

Legislature (Re)Enacts A Maximum De Minimis Finance Lenders Law Exemption

The California Finance Lenders Law defines a "finance lender" as anyone that is engaged in the business of making consumer loans or making commercial loans. Cal. Fin. Code § 22009. Knowing the definition of "finance lender" is important because...

SEC Overlooks Nevada's Transfer Agent Licensing Laws

Transfer agents provide a number of crucial services, primarily for publicly traded companies. Among other responsibilities, they maintain ownership records, record security transfers, issue and cancel certificates and distribute dividends. Since...