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

Federal Court Upholds Delaware Forum Selection Notwithstanding California Securities Law Claims

Corporations Code Section 25701 is California's anti-waiver statute. It provides that "Any condition, stipulation or provision purporting to bind any person acquiring any security to waive compliance with any provision of this law or any rule or...

Forum Selection Bylaws And The California Constitution

Last December, I briefly discussed whether a forum selection bylaw with respect to officers and directors would pass muster as a contractual choice of law.  See A Forum Selection Clause Issue That You May Not Have Heard About Until Now. It also...

Nevada Legislature May Prohibit The Establishment of Corporations For "Illicit Purposes"

Nevada's legislature meets in regular session every other year for 12o consecutive calendar days.  Nev. Const. Art. II, § 4 and NRS 218A.078.  Although the 77th session does not start until February 4, legislators are already introducing bills.

I've Been Thinking About Conversion, But I Haven't Decided To Convert

Conversion can be a sensitive subject for some. In California, corporate conversions are a relatively new phenomenon, having made their first appearance with legislation enacted in 2002 (SB 399 (Ackerman)). The General Corporation Law (GCL) rather...

SEC Includes Disclosure Of Corporate Political Spending Rule In Unified Agenda - What Does It Mean?

On August 3, 2011, a group of leading academics, including Harvard Law School Professor Lucian A. Bebchuk,  submitted this petition for rulemaking to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The petitioners asked the SEC to adopt rules requiring...

Where Have All The CAFA Notices Gone?

On February 18 2005, Congress enacted the Class Action Fairness Act (CAFA), P.L. No. 109-2 (28 U.S.C. §§ 1332(d), 1453, and 1711 – 1715). In enacting the CAFA, Congress sought to protect consumers and investors from settlements in which plaintiffs'...

Does Every 10% Owner Owe A Fiduciary Duty To The Corporation?

If I told you that all 10% owners owe a fiduciary duty to the corporation, I'd be surprised if you weren't surprised.  However, that was, in fact, the holding of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals last October in Donoghue v. Bulldog Investors...

California By The Numbers

To ring in the new year, the California Legislative's Analyst's Office issued Cal Facts 2013.  According to the LAO, this report is intended to provide "a broad overview of public finance and program trends in the state".

New Law Aims To Make It Easier To Levy On Bank Accounts

Last year, the Consumer Financial Services Committee of the Business Law Section of the California State Bar sponsored AB 2364 (Wagner). This bill, which took effect on Tuesday, is intended to simplify the process for levying on bank accounts for...