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

Staff Assents To Exclusion Of Shareholder Proposal Requiring California Company To Hire Investment Banker

I've been highlighting some Rule 14a-8 no action letters concerning California Corporate law.  This March 14 post discussed an unsuccessful request to exclude a proposal relating to cumulative voting and this March 18 post covered a successful...

Misery (Taxes) Acquaints A Court With Strange Bedfellows (Sections 83 and 16(b))

Yesterday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an opinion in a federal tax refund suit that spends a surprising amount of time discussing whether the plaintiff could be subject to suit under Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Then He Made Proofreaders

William Bedsworth is an Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal, a former NHL goal judge, and a long-time columnist for the Orange County Lawyer. If you've never read his nationally syndicated, award winning, legal humor column, "A...

Diverse Director "DataSource" Announced, Dogged by Questions

Yesterday, CalPERS and CalSTRS issued this joint press release announcing that they have commissioned The Corporate Library, a private business that is part of GovernanceMetrics International, to develop the Diverse Director Database. The Corporate...

Non-Competition Contract Doesn't Vitiate Agents' Duty Of Loyalty

California has codified various legal and equitable maxims in its Civil Code. However, a quick read of some of these maxims leaves one wondering whether the legislature has simply codified the sayings of Yoda.

California Comments On Crescent City Corporate Conference

Last week, I attended the 23rd Annual Corporate Law Institute sponsored by Tulane University Law School. Here are some notes.

Foreign Corporations Are Subject To California's Statutes Requiring Disclosure of Voting Results

In 2009, the Securities and Exchange Commission amended Form 8-K to require reporting companies to report shareholder voting results within four business days.  How do shareholders in private companies get access to this information?

Court Of Appeal Rejects Omnicare In Favor Of Jewel Companies

Yesterday, the California Court of Appeal issued a brief, yet interesting, opinion that addressed several questions of California corporate law, Monty v. Leis, Cal. Ct. of Appeal (Div. 6) 2d Civil No. B225646 (March 30, 2011).

True Or False? Golden Parachutes Benefit Shareholders

Golden parachute arrangements are often included in discussions of anti-takeover devices.  For example, the late Harold Marsh, Jr. in his magnum opus, Marsh's California Corporation Law, discusses golden parachutes in a section entitled "Defenses of...