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

Supreme Court Holds California's Survival Statute Inapplicable To Delaware Corporation

Section 278 of the Delaware General Corporation in effect limits suits against dissolved corporations to a period of three years from dissolution. In contrast, Section 2010 of the California Corporations Code sets no time limitation for suing a...

When Is A Gift A Sale?

According to Black's Law Dictionary, a "gift" is a "voluntary transfer of property to another made gratuitously and without consideration". Thus, it would seem that a gift could not be a sale. The California Corporations Code, however, takes a...

Brazilian Noteholder Sues Brazilian Guarantor - What Does New York Law Have To Do With It?

At the opening of the Los Angeles aqueduct on November 5, 1913, William Mulholland famously declared "There it is. Take it!" Much the same could be said of Civil Code Section 1646.5. The statute provides that the parties to a contract relating to a...

Judge Puts Off Decision On Whether Receiver's CalPERS Benefits Are Unconstitutional

Did CalPERS Make A Gift Of Public Funds?

Silver Hills May Tarnish Crowdfunding

Both Section 2(1) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 25019 of the Corporate Securities Law of 1968 provide extensional definitions of the term "security". That is, they each list everything within the term being defined.  See Why the Word...

Would You Be Annoyed If Your Neighbor Installs A Wind Turbine?

In 2009, the Nevada legislature enacted a statute intended to remove private barriers to landowners' harnessing of wind energy:

California And Rule 10b5-1

In October of 2000, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted Rule 10b5-1, which among other things, created an "affirmative defense" for pre-planned trading provided that specified conditions were met. At the time, I pointed out that...

CalPERS To Consider External Investment Resource Disclosure Rule

Last August the Investment Committee of the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) approved revisions to its External Investment Resource Conflict of Interest Policy.  A week later, I asked the Office of Administrative Law to make a...

What Happens When Some Investors Agree To Arbitration But Others Don't?

Arbitration continues to be a hot topic for the courts.  See Achilles’ Shield And Judicial Review Of Arbitration Awards and U.S. Supreme Court Holds That State Courts Must Not Assume The Arbitrator’s Role By Declaring Non-Compete Agreements Null And...