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

May A Joint Venturer Withdraw From A Joint Venture In Order To Pursue A Joint Venture Opportunity?

California's Uniform Partnership Act of 1994 provides that a partner has a duty to refrain from competing with the partnership in the conduct of the partnership business "before the dissolution of the partnership". Cal. Corp. Code § 16404(b)(3)....

May Directors Vote By Proxy?

Neither California's nor Delaware's General Corporation Law expressly prohibits directors from being represented by proxy at board meetings. However, it appears to have been well settled in Delaware since at least 1915 that directors may not vote by...

When Cumulative Voting Precludes Election Of Directors By Ballot

The California Nonprofit Mutual Benefit Corporation Law contemplates three different methods for members to take action: at a meeting, by ballot, and by unanimous written consent. Cal. Corp. Code §§ 7512(a), 7513 & 7516. Although the California...

Does An Exchange Of Emails Constitute A Board Meeting?

Under the California General Corporation Law, a board of directors can take action in two different ways - at a meeting or by unanimous written consent.  See Cal. Corp. Code § 307.  Over a decade ago, I posed the question of whether a director could...

California Court Applies English Common Law Even Though California Was Never An English Colony

More than a decade ago, I remarked on the ahistoricity of California's adoption of English common law despite the fact that it had never been a colony of England.* Yesterday, the California Court of Appeal applied English common law to decide a...

Court Leans On Minutes To Find That Non-Inaction Is Action

California's anti-SLAPP statute provides that a special motion to strike may be filed against "[a] cause of action against a person arising from any act of that person in furtherance of the person’s right of petition or free speech under the United...

In This Case, "Primarily" Means A Small Fraction

In a state that classifies clams, crabs and bumblebees as "fish", the ruling in BioCorRx, Inc. v. VDM Biochemicals, Inc., Case No. G061535 (Oct. 23, 2023) should come as no surprise. The issue in the case was th "commercial speech" exception to...

Are Securities Law And Unfair Competition Law Claims Miscible?

Recently, I wrote about the ruling in Cress v. Nexo Financial LLC,2023 WL 6609352 (Oct. 10, 2023). Today's post covers a different issue addressed in that case - to what extent does California's securities law preclude claims under California's...

With California's Share Of Venture Capital Investment Falling, California Decides Its A Good Idea To "Bite The Hand That Feeds It"

According to this article by Carta, nearly 40.7% of all venture capital raised on its platform in the first quarter of this year went to companies headquartered in California. This sounds impressive, but it represents a precipitous decline from 2018...