OVERVIEW
Victoria Forson has a national practice that focuses on creatively and efficiently resolving complex commercial disputes, with a critical emphasis on achieving her client's ultimate business goals. Consistently working with teams in different locations across the country, Victoria utilizes the firm's full-service national platform to counsel her clients. Her extensive litigation experience allows her to provide valuable legal counsel to help businesses avoid the pitfalls that frequently lead to costly and extenuated litigation. Victoria helps clients with the initial analysis, negotiation, and, where necessary, subsequent litigation of a wide variety of complex commercial matters in state and federal trial and appellate courts in different jurisdictions. She is a part of the firm's complex commercial and financial services litigation groups.
Her commercial litigation experience includes resolving disputes involving commercial contracts, class actions, real estate, land use, consumer protection, technology services, partnership dissolution, digital crisis issues (i.e., data breach and online defamation), and commercial landlord-tenant disputes. Victoria has experience in compliance issues under various consumer protection statutes, including state Deceptive Trade Practices Acts and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).
Given her litigation experience, Victoria can offer clients a strategic and customized solution to successfully resolve any dispute—whether through trial, appeals, or a negotiated settlement. Sometimes leverage may be obtained through dispositive motion practice or limited discovery to posture disputes for early resolution, and other times, through alternative dispute resolution conferences, such as mediation or arbitration. She was selected to the Rising Stars list from 2017 through 2023.
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
Before joining the firm, Victoria practiced as an associate attorney at a national U.S. law firm after a summer associate internship during her first and second years in law school at the same firm. Before becoming a lawyer, Victoria worked as a bankruptcy counselor—providing comprehensive financial assessments for individuals in bankruptcy and educating them on using available resources to meet their short-term priority expenses and support their long-term financial goals.
She received her law degree from the University of Florida, Levin College of Law. She was an executive board member of the University's Moot Court Team, Black Law Students Association, Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Society. During law school, she also served as a teaching assistant for legal writing, legal research, and appellate advocacy.
Victoria's sophisticated oral advocacy skills have garnered her trial practice and mediation awards. She has also presented on several topics, including shifting the costs of discovery in litigation, focusing on federal and state court treatment of electronically stored information, and ethical considerations in social media.
As a zealous supporter of pro bono legal services, Victoria has spent numerous hours providing free legal and appellate services to the underprivileged through her participation in local and statewide legal aid organizations. She worked with the Florida Capital Resource Center, where she assisted attorneys defending capital cases, and has worked on pro bono appellate cases. For her service, Victoria received the pro bono service award.
ACHIEVEMENTS
- Top 40 Under 40 Black Lawyers in Texas by The National Black Lawyers
- Texas Rising Stars list (2021-2023)
- Florida Rising Stars list (2017-2020)
- Florida Supreme Court Pro Bono Award (2015-2018)
PROFESSIONAL / CIVIC ACTIVITIES
- Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD)
- Coaching Circle, Group Leader (2023)
- LCLD Alumni Symposium Committee (2023)
- Pathfinder Facilitator (2022)
- Member, Technology and Connectivity Committee (2020-2021)
- Member, Advocacy Group (2022)
- Pathfinder (2018)
- 1L Scholar (2012)
- Dallas Bar Association's 2023 Class of Women Empowered to Lead in the Legal Profession
- Dallas Bar Association Minority Participation Committee, Member (2023)
- Dallas Hispanic Law Foundation, Board Member (2023)
- Co-Chair of the Diversity Committee, Hillsborough County Bar Association (2016-2018)
- Associate, Clifford Cheatwood Inn of Court (2014-2016) - Won Best Program of the Year
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
- Moderator, Diversity in Management: A Panel Discussing Recent Trends Impacting DEI Initiatives (2023)
- Presenter, The In-House Counsel's Arbitration Playbook: Best Practices and Current Trends (2022)
- Panel Speaker, Technically Speaking: Boomers, Xers, and Millennials - Generational Diversity and Legal Technology Competence (2017)
- Presenter, Ethical Considerations in Social Media (2015)
- Presenter, Cost-shifting in E-Discovery (2012)
EDUCATION
- J.D., University of Florida Levin College of Law, 2014 (cum laude)
- B.A., Georgia State University, 2008
BAR ADMISSIONS
- Bar of Florida
- Bar of Texas
COURT ADMISSIONS
- United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
LANGUAGES
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP POWERED BY HUB
- 29 September 2022, Litigation Minute: Protect Your Company Against Mass Arbitrations
- 20 September 2022, Litigation Minute: No Relief From Judges in Mass Arbitration Challenges
- September 2022, September 2022 Accolades
- 13 September 2022, Litigation Minute: The Changing Landscape of Mass Claims Procedures
- 6 September 2022, Litigation Minute: What Is Mass Arbitration?
- 6 September 2022, Banks Take Notice: FDIC Continues Regulatory Scrutiny of Fees Charged to Consumers
- 17 May 2022, Litigation Minute: Navigating Government Inquiries After a Data Security Incident
- 26 October 2021, Banks and Non-Banks Beware: New Types of Redlining Claims are on the Horizon
- 14 July 2021, Not "If" But "When"—The Ever Increasing Threat of a Data Breach in 2021
- 23 June 2021, Litigation Minute: Provisional Remedies in Federal Court: A Minute on Prejudgment Writs
- 11 November 2020, Congratulations to Our Diverse and Women Lawyers
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
- "The Evolving Landscape of Business Email Compromise Litigation — A Focus on Texas," The Texas Lawbook, 16 March 2023
- "Banks Take Notice: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Continues Regulatory Scrutiny of Fees Charged to Consumers,” The Banking Law Journal, January 2023
- "Mortgage Lenders Must Prioritize Anti-Bias Compliance," Law360, 8 December 2022
- 11th Circ. Ruling May Mark Turning Point For TCPA Litigation, Law360, September 6, 2019
- Standing in Foreclosure Cases: Still a Recurring Issue, July 28, 2016
- Amended FRCP 26(b) in Action: Trio of Recent Northern District of California Cases Address Who Has the Burden of Establishing the Proportionality Requirement, March 8, 2016
NEWS & EVENTS
- 19 December 2022, K&L Gates Adds 40 Lawyers to Firm's Partnership
- 2 November 2020, Numerous K&L Gates Diverse and Women Lawyers Recognized for Leadership and Legal Accomplishments
AREAS OF FOCUS
- Commercial Disputes
- Appellate Litigation
- Financial Institutions and Services Litigation
