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

SB 1272 (NKA Proposition 49) - The Secretary of State's Pretend Invitation

Last week, I wrote that Governor Brown had allowed SB 1272 to become law without his signature.  To say that SB 1272 became law is an hyperbole because, as Governor Brown observed, the bill "has no legal effect whatsoever". The bill, authored by...

FTB Issues Legal Ruling Addressing Filing And Franchise Tax Obligations of LLCs And Their Members

I've written several posts on discussing the meaning and ramifications of "doing business" for California tax purposes.  See, e.g., Why Your LLC May Be Doing More Than You Think In California Even When It’s Doing Nothing, 60 Acres And A Lawsuit...

In This Case, Placement Agent Status Was Better Than Underwriter Status

As a general matter, California Corporations Code Section 25401 declares it unlawful to make an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which...

Facebook/Oculus VR Acquisition Raises Pseudo-Foreign Corporation Question

Yesterday, The Guardian reported that Facebook had acquired Oculus VR using a combination of cash and stock.  Facebook avoided SEC registration by availing itself of a fairness hearing before the Department of Business Oversight.  Readers may recall,...

California Dividend Statutes Found To Preempt Common Law Claims

Chapter 5 of the California Corporations Code imposes specific limitations on "distributions to shareholders", a term defined in Corporations Code section 166. Directors who approve the making of any distribution to shareholders in violation of the...

Californians To Vote On Stripping Common Cause Of Its First Amendment Rights

I recently wrote about SB 1272 (Lieu) which calls a special election for this November 4 at which California voters will be able to cast an advisory vote on whether the U.S. Constitution should be amended to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court's holding...

Why Doesn't The SEC Post SubCommittee Recommendations?

Last Thursday, the Investor Advisory Committee held another meeting.  The agenda included this rather vague agenda description:

Legislature Enacts "5 Second Rule" For Electronic Contracts To Sell Real Property

The Statute of Frauds has been a part of Anglo-American jurisprudence for centuries. It made its first appearance in the wake of the English Civil War (yes, they had one too but for very different reasons) when King Charles II decided that it was...

Does A Director Have A Contractual Right To Compensation?

Yesterday, I wrote about stockholder challenges to director compensation. Today's post considers what happens when a director joins a board. When someone is invited to join a board, she may ask about compensation. The company may refer the candidate...