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

Which Code Applies When A Stock Certificate Has Been Lost, Destroyed Or Wrongfully Taken?

Earlier this week, I wrote about Judge Edward M. Chen's ruling in Sender v. Franklin Res., Inc., 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 171453, 3-4 (N.D. Cal. Dec. 22, 2015). Judge Chen applied California Corporations Code Section 419 to a Delaware corporation on...

A Whistleblower Isn't Impeded By The Want Of A Reward

Quite some time ago, I fabulated that airline delays might constitute a violation of Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 21F-17. That rule provides that no person "may take any action to impede an individual from communicating directly with the...

Replacement Of Lost Stock Certificate Is Not An Internal Affair, But So What?

U.S. District Court Judge Edward M. Chen recently ruled that a stockholder could maintain an action under California Corporations Code Section 419 for replacement of a lost, stolen or destroyed certificate. As just described, the ruling shouldn't be...

Suspended And Dissolved Corporation Still Defaulted

The story is straightforward; the legal ramifications are not:

Has The California State Treasurer's Office Gone Underground?

Late last month, the California State Treasurer's Office announced a "move to stop 'Pay-to-Play' school bond campaigns".  According to the announcement:

Rescission And The California Corporations Code

Yesterday, I wrote about an attempt, albeit unsuccessful, to avoid a forum selection clause by a claim of rescission.  The plaintiffs' in that case, Hatteras Enterprises, Inc. v. Forsythe Cosmetic Group, Ltd., 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 100352 (July 30,...

Which Comes First, Rescission Or Choice Of Forum?

A recent ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Arthur D. Spatt raises the interesting question of whether a choice of law provision can be vitiated by rescission.  The case, Hatteras Enterprises, Inc. v. Forsythe Cosmetic Group, Ltd., 2016 U.S. Dist....

This Case Caused Me To Take Stock

I recently came across Fukuda v. Nethercott, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 92462 (D. Utah, July 15, 2016). The case involved claims by the plaintiff that the defendants had sold him securities in violation of the registration requirements of the Securities...

Donald Trump's Contribution To Nevada Corporate Law (And My Book)

A signature block in a contract seems like a small thing, but sometimes it can lead to litigation. When an officer signs a contract, is he signing solely as agent for the corporation or might he also be signing in his individual capacity? In 1993,...