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

Is The End Of FINRA Drawing Nigh?

AThe Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, aka FINRA, is a non-profit Delaware corporation. It was formed in 2007 by the combination of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and the regulatory arm of the New York Stock Exchange,...

Delaware Now Authorizes Exculpation Of Officers, But On What Basis?

Effective August 1, 2022, Delaware amended Section 102(b)(7) of its General Corporation Law to allow a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a provision exculpating certain of its officers. Notably and unlike the...

Judge Rules CFL Applies To Cryptocurrency Lending

The California Financing Law prohibits any person from engaging in the business of a "finance lender" without a license from the Department of Financial Protection & Innovation.  Cal. Fin. Code § 22100(a).  The CFL provides that a "'finance lender' ...

Nevada Supreme Court Affirms Contemporaneous Ownership Requirement In LLC Derivative Action

I a short order of affirmance issued last week, the Nevada Supreme Court affirmed a basic requirement of derivative litigation. J. McDonald Co. v. Tropical & Losee, LLC, 2022 WL 6833521 (Nev. Oct. 11, 2022).  The case involved an attempt by J....

When Selling Partnership Interests May Require A Real Estate Broker's License

The definition of a "real estate broker" under the California Real Estate Law encompasses much more than simply selling real estate.   For example, Business & Professions Code Section 10131.3 defines a real estate broker as "a person who, for another...

The General Corporation Law's Filioque

The Nicene Creed as approved by the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D. included the following: "τὸ ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκπορευόμενον (who proceeds from the father). About 200 years later at the Third Council of Toledo, the Western Christian Church,...

Did The Ninth Circuit Find That Intent Matters In Determining Whether A Partnership Had Been Formed?

Earlier this week, I wrote about a recent article by Professor Douglas K. Moll that argues that treating contractual disclaimers of partnership as dispositive is inconsistent with modern statutes, including the Revised Uniform Partnership Act. Among...

If California's Pork Law Falls, Will Section 2115 Be Next?

This week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in National Pork Producers Council v. Ross (Docket No. 21-468). The case involves a challenge to 2018 proposition that, among other things, forbids the sale of "any uncooked cut of pork" in...

Partnership Disclaimers Are Called Into Question

Professor Douglas K. Moll at the University of Houston recently published an interesting article in The Journal of Corporation Law that tackles the question of whether parties may contract out of a general partnership relationship. He concludes...