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Batya Forsyth

Batya F. Forsyth

Partner
415-995-5827

Intro

Batya's banking and business practice includes advice and litigation involving a wide variety of customer disputes related to secured and unsecured loan products and deposit accounts, as well as broader business disputes for owners, licensors, and service providers related to breach of contract, fiduciary duty and fraud.  Her business-owner matters have included minority shareholder dissolution actions, dissenter's rights actions, breach of fiduciary duty and fraud from the initial stages of litigation through fair value appraisals and buy-outs. Batya's real estate experience includes commercial lease disputes, eminent domain proceedings and fraudulent non-disclosure matters.

Education

J.D. with honors Golden Gate University School of Law ( 1997 )
B.A. University of Pennsylvania ( 1992 )

Admissions and Courts

California
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

Role

Litigation Section Leader
E-Discovery Task Force

Representation of 50% of the shareholders of a family-owned manufacturing company in an action for dissolution that led to a favorable buyout

Representation of a shareholder in the buy-out phase of a family dispute involving alleged breaches of fiduciary duties and self-dealing related to ownership and operation of substantial commercial real estate holdings

Representation of two beneficiaries of a large family trust against a sibling/trustee in a dispute involving alleged breaches of fiduciary duties and self-dealing related to management of life insurance trusts and ownership and operation of substantial commercial real estate holdings

Representation of a shareholder in a freeze-out of a real estate holding company, leading to extraordinary dividend payment and restructuring of corporate governance

Representation of founding shareholders in a family-run transportation company against two takeover attempts brought by other minority shareholders under dissolution statutes

Representation of a dissenter to a corporate merger transaction where client alleged under-valuation under a dissenters' rights statute, leading to a higher payout to the dissenter

Representation of an initial investor and shareholder in a telecommunications venture in dispute with a majority owner engaged in self-dealing, leading to a favorable buyout

Representation of two founding shareholders against a third shareholder alleging fraud and breach of contract where the primary asset in dispute was a purported license to sell the clients' original intellectual property

Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Board of Governors

International Association of Privacy Professionals, CIPP/US

California Cybersecurity Information Sharing Organization, Board Member

Bay Area Council Cybersecurity Committee, Co-Chair

Association of Business Trial Lawyers (ABTL)

San Francisco Bank Attorneys Association

Western Independent Bankers Association

Bar Association of San Francisco

Bar Association of San Francisco

Association of Business Trial Lawyers (ABTL)

San Francisco Bank Attorneys Association

Western Independent Bankers Association

"Amid the Pandemic, Opportunity for Change Emerges," Of Counsel (June 2020)

“Pandemic and Its Economic Repercussions Slowed and Then Re-ignited Litigation," Of Counsel (June 2020)

"Anxiety, Policy Limits Rising Ahead of California’s Sweeping Data Privacy Law," Insurance Journal (July 2019)

"Marriott Hack Shows High Premium Placed On Travel Details," Law360 (December 2018)

"How to use GDPR to clean out your inbox once and for all," Mashable (May 2018)

"What Zuckerberg’s Testimony Means for Facebook Shares," Barron's (April 2018)

"As Cyber Fears Rise, Smaller Firms Struggle to Cope," The Recorder (August 2016) 

"The Rise of the Female Rainmaker," Law360 (August 2016)

"East Bay Security Startup Tanium Powers Up as Cyber Attacks Mount," San Francisco Business Times (March 2016)

Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States

Recommended Lawyer, The Legal 500 (2019)

Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services (2002, 2003, 2005)