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

Advertising Securities With Celebrity Endorsers

The last two posts have reviewed some of California's rules governing the advertising of securities in California. As we look ahead to general solicitations in Rule 506 offerings, some issuers will undoubtedly be tempted to use celebrity endorsers....

Advertising Securities As Safe - A "No, No" In California

As discussed in yesterday's post, Section 25302 of the California Corporations Code prohibits any person from publishing an advertisement after the Commissioner of the Department of Business Oversight has given notice to that person that she finds...

With General Solicitations Soon To Be Permitted, It's Time To Recall The Commissioner's Advertising Rules

Over a year ago, Congress directed the Securities and Exchange Commission to amend its rules to permit general solicitations in Rule 506 and Rule 144A offerings.  The SEC failed to meet Congress' deadline by over a year.  See The Most Important Thing...

Court Finds Two State Agencies Are In Privity Despite Being Created By Separate Statutes

The doctrine of collateral estoppel may seem to be a more fitting subject to a blog devoted to civil procedure than corporate law.  However, the doctrine can have important ramifications in the corporate setting as I noted this past April in Delaware...

CalPERS Officials Travel The World Despite Executive Order

Two years ago and in light of a daunting structural budget deficit, Governor Jerry Brown issued Executive Order B-06-011. His order banned both in-state and out-of-state travel by government agencies unless it was "mission critical". According to...

Another Federal Judge Spurns Application Of The Business Judgment Rule To Officers

Last week, I covered the choice of law issue in FDIC v. Faigin, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 94899 (C.D. Cal. July 8, 2013) and promised more, When The Parent Is A Blue Hen And The Subsidiary Is A 49er, What Law Governs?

60 Acres And A Lawsuit Challenging The FTB's Interpretation of "Doing Business"

Swart Enterprises, Inc. is an Iowa corporation. It operates a farm with some 60 acres of crop land in Kansas. Swart has no physical presence in California. It owns no real or personal property in California. It has no California employees. Swart's...

When The Parent Is A Blue Hen And The Subsidiary Is A 49er, What Law Governs?

With most publicly traded companies choosing to incorporate in Delaware, corporate officers are likely to assume that they have the benefit of Delaware law.  Assumptions sometimes can be wrong.

Officers And The Business Judgment Rule

Recently, I came across the following assertion: