A partner in the Litigation Department, chair of the Digital Technology Group and a member of the Antitrust Practice Group, Katherine Forrest is one of the foremost legal experts worldwide in artificial intelligence matters. She is sought after by companies in every industry regarding the legal strategies and risks relating to the development and adoption of AI models and use cases. A veteran trial attorney, Katherine regularly handles sensitive high technology investigations, complex commercial and antitrust litigation and intellectual property matters. Katherine previously served as a U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York and as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division.
A remarkable litigator and trial talent with more than 30 years of experience, Katherine has led sensitive, high-profile investigations involving the DOJ, FTC and other U.S. and foreign regulators, and complex, high-stakes litigation spanning numerous substantive areas such as antitrust, copyright, patent, media, sports & entertainment and high technology including artificial intelligence, Web3 and digital assets. She has also worked extensively in the pharmaceutical, financial services, toxic tort and employment sectors. Sources quoted in Chambers USA note that Katherine “is one of the best if you have a significant litigation or internal investigation,” while Legal 500 US sources call her “a force in court.”
Besides her current work as lead outside counsel to various leading fintech enterprises, she is also highly sought after as a speaker and author in the areas of antitrust, intellectual property and investigations, and regularly writes and speaks on topics concerning the use of artificial intelligence in the practice of law, and algorithmic bias. Among other publications, Katherine authored two books examining the implications of AI systems: When Machines Can be Judge, Jury and Executioner: Justice in the Age of Artificial Intelligence and Is Justice Real When “Reality” Is Not: Constructing Ethical Digital Environments.
Katherine is also a regular technology columnist for the New York Law Journal and is frequently called on by Bloomberg Law and other media outlets to comment on AI and other technology topics. In 2020, she earned a distinguished legal writing award in 2020 from The Burton Awards for her article “The Holographic Judge.” Additionally, she co-hosts the recently launched Waking Up With AI, a podcast series delving into the latest AI developments and use cases.
Katherine has been recognized as a leading lawyer by numerous industry publications including most recently named an individual Innovation Award winner in the New York Law Journal’s 2023 Legal Awards for her work in AI and shortlisted as an Innovative Practitioner finalist in the Financial Times’ Innovative Lawyers Awards North America 2023. She has also been recognized by The American Lawyer, Benchmark Litigation, Chambers USA, Global Competition Review, IP Law & Business, Lawdragon and The Legal 500 US. She has received Benchmark Litigation’s Hall of Fame Award and has been named to the publication’s “Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America” list and “Top 250 Women in Litigation” list.
Katherine is active in numerous charitable and professional organizations. Among others, she is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation (ABA), a member of the ABA Taskforce on Law and Artificial Intelligence, co-chair of the New Jersey Court Systems AI Initiative, a Governor of the New York Academy of Sciences and currently serves as the Vice Chair of the board of trustees of Choate Rosemary Hall, a boarding school.
Updated July 2024
