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

NMLS Slowdown Frustrates Debt Collector License Applicants As Application Deadline Looms

California had been one of 16 states that did not require licensing of debt collectors.  That changed last year with the enactment of the Debt Collection Licensing Act.  2020 Cal. Stats. ch. 163 (SB 908). The law takes effect on New Year's Day. The...

Could The SEC Have Made A Weaker Case For Mandating Enhanced Repurchase Disclosures?

Earlier this month, the Securities and Exchange Commission proposed rule amendments that would require an issuer, including a foreign private issuer and certain registered closed-end funds, to report any purchase made by or on behalf of the issuer...

Does Anybody Really Know When Form SR Will Be Due?  Does Anybody Really Care (Care About Time)?

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently proposed to amend its rules to require issuers to disclose share repurchases on a new Form SR which must be furnished "before the end of the first business day on which the share repurchase has been...

Court Rules "Thoughtful," "Disciplined," and "Dynamic" Are But Short Blasts Of Wind

Semper Midas Fund, Ltd was formed for to invest primarily in mortgage-related instruments. Five months after investing over $300,000 in the fund, the Alan Kalin was told that that the fund had lost over 50% of its value. Mr. Kalin filed a lawsuit in...

DFPI Grants Year-End Reprieve To CFL Licensees

Last August, I alerted readers of this blog to the Department of Financial Protection & Innovation's determination to require all existing licensees under the California Financing Law to transition to the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System. The...

Volunteer Loses Bid For Employee Classification

Nonprofit organizations depend heavily upon their volunteers. What if a court were to hold that volunteers were in fact employees entitled to minimum and overtime wages, meal and rest breaks, wage statements and other benefits required by law? The...

SEC Runs Away From Its Staff's Response To Congress

Earlier this week, the Securities and Exchange Commission proposed to amend its rules to require issuers to disclose share repurchases within one business day on a new Form SR. The SEC based its proposal on its thesis that "information asymmetries"...

Why Does The SEC Staff Forbid Accurate Statements?

Item 601(b)(5)(i) of Regulation S-K requires that all filings under the Securities Act of 1933 include as an exhibit an opinion of counsel regarding the legality of the securities being registered, indicating whether they will, when sold, be legally...

"Disinterested" May Be Pretermitted In Delaware But Not In California

In this post, Professor Stephen Bainbridge posits that the Delaware Supreme Court incorrectly decided Fliegler v. Lawrence, 361 A.2d 218 (Del. 1976) by requiring that stockholder approval of conflicted transaction requires a majority vote of the...