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

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...

When It Comes To Director Compensation Claims, Nevada And Delaware Are Fundamentally Different

Since 1969, there has no question that directors of a Delaware corporation have the authority to set their own compensation. 8 DGCL § 141(h). Having authority to do something, however, doesn't mean that the use of that authority won't be challenged,...

Some Questions Boards Might Want To Ask When Considering Fee-Shifting Bylaws

1.  Is a fee-shifting bylaw facially valid under applicable law?  The Delaware Supreme Court has held that a fee-shifting bylaw adopted by a Delaware non-stock corporation is facially valid.  ATP Tour, Inc. v. Deutscher Tennis Bund, 2014 Del. LEXIS 209...