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

SEC Reportedly Investigating CalPERS' Stock Trades

In October 12, 2012, I wrote about CalPERS' proposed adoption of regulations governing personal trading by members of its Board of Administration and employees.  Although I did offer a few technical comments on the proposed rules (see CalPERS' Final...

Asahi's Morning Sun - Court Holds Parent And Its Managers May Be Liable For Interfering With Subsidiary's Contract

Yesterday's post was intended to set the stage for a discussion of last week's decision by the Court of Appeal in Asahi Kasei Pharma Corp. v. Actelion Ltd., 2013 Cal. App. LEXIS 1017 (Cal. App. 1st Dist. Dec. 18, 2013). The dispute giving rise to...

Pre-Merger Activities Don't Give Rise To Cartwright Act Violation

In 1907, newly elected California Governor James Norris Gillett asked the California legislature to address restraints on trade. California state Senator John A. Cartwright responded with a bill patterned after a federal antitrust bill introduced by...

Court Rules Private Fund Data Are Not Public Records

Private equity and venture capital funds like public pension fund money but they don't necessarily like the consequences of having the government as an investor.  As noted in this post, this was illustrated by Superior Court Judge Evelio Grillo's...

Does The SEC's Regulation A Proposal Defy Congress' Clear Intent?

This week's announcement by the Securities and Exchange Commission that it is proposing amendments to update and expand Regulation A has attracted quite a bit of attention.  David Lynn writing in Broc's Blog took special note of the proposed...

Numera Senatum! Broker Non-Votes And The Quorum Problem

In ancient Rome, the Senate could not conduct business unless a quorum was present. A senator wishing to delay action by the Senate could demand a quorum count by demanding "numera senatum!," meaning count the house. The Romans didn't invent the...

"Wherever You Go, There You Are", But Will You Be In The Proper County?

The California General Corporation Law makes numerous references to the "proper county". For example, Corporations Code Section 304 empowers the superior court of the proper county to remove a director in specified circumstances at the suit of...

Bad Actor Disqualification And Just How Do You Know Whether A Violation is Scienter-Based?

In a recently issued Compliance & Disclosure Interpretation (Question #260.21), the SEC staff unequivocally stated that "bad actor" disqualification under Rule 506(d)(1)(v) is “triggered only by orders to cease and desist from violations of...

Did The SEC Make A Mistake? I Think Not.

Harvard Law School Professor John C. Coates recently published this post accusing the Securities and Exchange Commission of making policy and political mistakes in taking disclosure off of the "SEC's agenda".  I beg to differ.