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

Court Can't Appoint Unwilling Director To Defend Post Winding-Up Claims
Court Decides A "Division Of The Waters" Does Not Violate The Corporations Code

Anyone who is familiar with California knows that water is the key to its agricultural abundance and vast urban spaces. It should be no surprise then that the legislature has devoted significant attention to corporations dedicated to the delivery of...

CalPERS Approves Political Contribution Guideline Despite Vehement U.S. Chamber Opposition

At yesterday's meeting, the Investment Committee of the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) approved updates to its "Global Principles of Accountable Corporate Governance". Among other changes, the update includes a new Principle...

Seeing Red And More Than 50% Ownership May Mean A 90% Vote

California broadly authorizes a corporation to sell, lease, convey, exchange, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets when the principal terms have been approved by the board.  If the sale is not in the usual and...

In Flanders Fields

Today is Veterans Day.  The date commemorates the ending of the First World War on November 11, 1918 at 11:00 a.m.  The following year, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first "Armistice Day", as it was then known:

Approval By The Outstanding Shares - When California's Default Rule Doesn't Apply

My posts this week have been dedicated to voting issues.  On Monday, I wrote about California's default rule for shareholder action - California Corporations Code § 602(a).  This is a default rule because it is subject to a greater vote requirement...

If ISS' Proposed Political Spending Updates Are Adopted, We'll All Be Wearing A Size 14*

The ISS Global Policy Board recently solicited comments with respect to its proposed updates to its benchmark proxy voting guidelines. One of the policy changes under consideration relates to corporate political spending disclosure proposals. Under...

San Francisco And Portland (Me) Do What The SEC Refused To Do

Section 951 of the Dodd-Frank Act requires companies that are subject to the SEC’s proxy rules to include in their proxy statements “a separate resolution subject to shareholder vote” to determine whether a shareholder vote on executive compensation...

A California Twist On Shareholder Action

After last week's presentation on "Did it Pass?" at the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals' 19th Annual Conference, I'm planning to devote a few posts to the subject of shareholder voting. Living in a democracy, we all feel that we...