Keith Paul Bishop Joins the Orange County Office of Allen Matkins

Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP, a leading California business and real estate law firm, announces the addition of Keith Paul Bishop as a partner in the firm's Orange County office.

Bishop joins Allen Matkins' corporate and securities practice group. He represents clients in a wide range of corporate finance transactions, including public and private securities offerings of debt and equity, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance matters and federal and state securities laws (including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002), investment adviser and financial services regulation, and California administrative law. He regularly advises clients on compliance, licensing, regulatory and civil enforcement issues. He has advised clients in connection with several internal corporate investigations, including investigations of stock option backdating.

"We are excited about having Keith join Allen Matkins. He will expand our growing corporate securities practice," said Joe Davidson, chair of Allen Matkins' corporate practice group. "Known for his expertise on federal and state securities law and corporate governance issues, he regularly serves as outside corporate counsel to a number of leading international, national and California businesses."

“Keith is highly regarded in the business community and has vast experience working on corporate and securities law issues,” said Bob Hamilton, managing partner of Allen Matkins’ Orange County office. “He will be a major asset to the firm and our clients.”

He has held several significant California government positions including Commissioner of Corporations for the State of California (1996-1997); Deputy Secretary for Business Regulations and General Counsel to the California Business Transportation and Housing Agency (1993-1996); and Interim Savings and Loan Commissioner for the State of California (1993-1996). In 1991, Bishop was appointed by the Rules Committee of the California Senate to the California Senate Commission on Corporate Governance, Shareholder Rights and Securities Transactions.

As Commissioner of Corporations, he was responsible for the administration and enforcement of the laws governing the offer and sale of securities, securities broker-dealers, investment advisers, financial lenders, mortgage lenders, credit unions, the offer and sale of franchises, escrow companies, and health maintenance organizations. As Deputy Secretary and General Counsel to the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, he was responsible for policy of the business regulatory departments with the agency.

He is a past co-chair of the Corporations Committee of the Business Law Section of the California State Bar and a past member of the Executive Committee of the Business Law Section. He has also served as Chairman of the Business and Corporate Law Section of the Orange County Bar Association and a member of the Administration of Justice Committee of the Orange County Bar Association. Bishop is currently the California liaison to the American Bar Association's Committee on the State Regulation of Securities.

Bishop has written numerous articles on corporate and securities laws and is the author of a treatise on the corporate law of Nevada, "Nevada Law of Corporations and Business Organizations." He is a practice consultant to "Marsh & Volk, Practice under the California Securities Laws". He is also a frequent speaker on securities and corporate law topics and for the last several years has been an adjunct professor of law at Chapman University Law School.

He was most recently a partner with the law firm of Buchalter Nemer and managing partner of Buchalter's Orange County office.

Bishop received his Juris Doctorate from University of Southern California Law School and his Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University.

ABOUT ALLEN MATKINS

Allen Matkins, founded in 1977, is a California-based law firm with approximately 220 attorneys in four major metropolitan areas of California: Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco and San Diego. The firm's core specialties include real estate, real estate and commercial finance, bankruptcy and creditors' rights, construction, land use, natural resources, environmental, corporate and securities, intellectual property, joint ventures, taxation, employment and labor law, and dispute resolution and litigation in all these matters. For more than 30 years, Allen Matkins has helped clients turn opportunity and challenge into success by providing practical advice, innovative solutions and valuable business opportunities. When clients' challenges require experienced trial counsel, Allen Matkins has a proven track record of successful litigation before juries, judges and arbitrators.

Allen Matkins is located on the web at www.allenmatkins.com.