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Batya Forsyth

Batya F. Forsyth

Partner
(415) 995-5827

Intro

Batya is the leader of the firm's Litigation Section and Privacy, Data Security and Governance Section. She is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (US) with the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP.org). Batya counsels clients regarding crisis management / data breach response, privacy policies, compliance issues, and related insurance coverage issues across multiple industries and jurisdictions.

Batya previously chaired the firm's Business Litigation Practice Group. Her banking and business litigation practice includes bringing and defending all types of complex contract actions related to real estate, professional services, vendor, and customer disputes. Her business-owner matters have included high net worth family trust litigation, minority shareholder dissolution actions, dissenter's rights actions, breach of fiduciary duty, and fraud. 
 

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
Privacy, Data Security and Governance 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

Bay Area Financial Services Legal Association (BAFSLA), Co-President

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

"Calif. Privacy Board Turns To New Regs As Uncertainties Swirl," Law360 (September 2023)

"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)