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

When Betting Crosses Regulatory Lines

Earlier this week, Suzanne Cosgrove wrote about the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's decision to prohibit Congressional Control Contracts, which it described as "cash-settled, binary (yes/no) contracts based on the question: “Will <chamber of...

Someone's Knockin' At The Door, But It May Not Be The DFPI

Last week, the California Department of Financial Protection & Innovation issued a warning about yet another fraudster's attempt to separate investors from their money:

Don't Say You Weren't Warned! Court Of Appeal Declines To Enforce Delaware Forum Selection Clause In Delaware Corporation's Certificate Of Incorporation

Ten years ago, I questioned in this space whether a Delaware forum selection charter provision would survive constitutional scrutiny if it involved a de facto waiver of a jury trial:

When May Shares Be Voted Without A Proxy Or Without Transfer Into The Holder's Name?

In most cases, Generally speaking, only the record owners of shares on the record date are entitled to vote under the California General Corporation Law. As with most generalizations, however, there are exceptions. For example, Section 702(a) of the...

Do Corporate Boards Necessarily Breach Their Fiduciary Duties When They Approve Illegal Conduct?

In a recent blog post on the Business Law Prof Blog, Tulane Law professor Ann M. Lipton opined:

Are Disparate Voting Rights Based On The Identity Of Holders Permitted?

John Jenkins at DealerLawyers.com writes today about a decision by Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster concluding that disparate voting rights based on the identity of the holders is permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law.   Colon v. Bumble,...

Will California's New Statute Invalidating Non-Compete Agreements Be Subject To Constitutional Challenge?

Article I, Section 10 of the United States Constitution prohibits a state from passing any law impairing the obligation of contracts. A similar prohibition is found in Article 1, Section 9 of the California Constitution. This prohibition extends to...

DFPI Posts Annual B-D/IA Report To The Legislature

The California Department of Financial Protection & Innovation recently posted its 2023 Annual Report to the Legislature regarding its broker-dealer and investment adviser programs. The report's title is a bit of a misnomer as most of the data in...

Newly Minted California Law Tautologically Declares Void Noncompete Agreements Unenforceable Regardless Of Where They Were Signed

Since at least 1941, California has declared, with certain limited exceptions, that every contract by which anyone is restrained from engaging in a lawful profession, trade, or business of any kind is to that extent void". Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §...