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

A Not So Frequently Asked Question - When Is An Event Infrequent?

Last January, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, which is better known as the FASB, issued Accounting Standards Update 2015-01. The update eliminates the concept (and definition) of "extraordinary item". According to the FASB, the update is...

Can A Corporation Be A Citizen Of California?

Notwithstanding the brouhaha engendered by Citizens United v. FEC, 558 U.S. 310, 394 (U.S. 2010), the idea that corporations are “persons” can be found in numerous California statutes, including California Corporations Code Sections 18 (“‘Person’...

Court Holds SEC Filing Is Not Public Disclosure

California has patterned its false claim law, Cal. Gov't Code §§ 12650 et seq., after the federal False Claims Act. As the names of these laws suggest, they are intended to protect the public fisc from false or fraudulent claims. The CFCA empowers...

Choosing Delaware, Instead Of California Law, May Prove Very Costly Indeed!

Last spring, I had the pleasure of meeting Delaware Supreme Court Justice Karen Valihura when we were speaking at the Los Angeles County Bar Association's annual Delaware & California Law Update. Given her visit to California, I was interested in...

Indemnity Agreements: Res Gestae Atque Gerendae

Can someone be indemnified against an unlawful act?  California Civil Code Section 1668 would seem to say "no":

More Maladroit Drafting From The SEC

Last December, the Securities and Exchange Commission proposed a new exemptive rule under the Investment Company Act of 1940. The proposed rule would allow mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), closed-end funds, and companies that have...

CA Court Holds No Fiduciary Duty To Warrant Holders

Judges must perforce pick and choose from the record what facts to include in their written opinions. As a result, opinions don't necessarily tell the whole story and may omit important details. Recently, for example, I read a blog post by Kevin M....

California's Bizarre Voting Record Disclosure Requirements

Section 711 of the California Corporations Code is so poorly drafted that it almost defies explanation. According to the legislature's findings, the ostensible purpose of the statute is to facilitate the informed and active involvement of beneficial...

Did Utah's Securities Commission Really Call Out California's Commissioner?

I recently ran across an article concerning a row between Utah's Securities Commission and California's Commissioner of Corporations, E.C. Bellows.  Engineering & Mining Journal, Bingham Galena on Trail of California Corporations Commission, 313...