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

Bill Aims To Make Foreign Nonqualified LLC Contracts Voidable

As discussed in prior posts, "transacting intrastate business" is not the same as "doing business".  See You may Be Doing Business in California Even When Not Transacting Intrastate Business. The former is what determines whether a foreign...

No Directors, No Officers, No Employees And No Agents - Now What?

Occasionally, a corporation may find itself with no directors and no management.  Yet, the corporation does not cease to exist.

The PUHCA, Chenery & The Run For The Roses

Earlier this week, I mentioned the former Public Utility Holding Company Act (aka PUHCA).  Although it was repealed several years ago, the PUHCA remains important as the legal substrate upon which the famous, and still important, Chenery cases were...

Before This Corporation Was Formed, This Contract Knew It

In Section 4.13 of  Bishop & Zucker on Nevada Corporations and Limited Liability Companies, we discuss who may be liable on pre-incorporation contracts.  In Hotel Last Frontier Corp., v. Universal Match Co., 358 P.2d 896 (Nev. 1961), the Nevada...

No Happy Trails For Victorville Tax Increment Bond Financing

For more than thirty years, I've driven by, but never stopped at, the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum in Victorville, California. The museum eventually relocated to Missouri but reportedly did not survive for long. Despite this notable defection,...

Why Incorporation May Be Unconstitutional

Section 25018 of the California Corporations Code provides a definition of several of the better known federal securities laws:

The California Taxpayer and Shareholder Protection Act of 2003

Ten years ago, there was concern about so-called "expatriate corporations". These were corporations that incorporated in foreign jurisdictions to minimize their tax liability. In reaction to this phenomenon, the legislature added The California...

Thoughts of Tsukiji, the California Constitution and the Corporations Code

Lately, I've been reading Theodore C. Bestor's, Tsukiji: The Fish Market at the Center of the World.  Thus, it is no surprise that my thoughts of late have been on piscatorial matters.

Bill Proposes Significant Changes To Finance Lenders Law

If you are in the business of making loans in California, there's a good chance that you need a license. Some lenders are licensed under the Real Estate Law while others are licensed under laws governing banks, credit unions or residential mortgage...