Litigation and Derivative Experience

Denis Forster began his legal career as a United States Air Force judge advocate trial lawyer. He then practiced as a litigator with a major San Francisco law firm. While based in London in the late 1970’s, he became involved with the first currency exchange agreements representing Bank of America (then the world’s largest bank) and, since then, has been continuously involved with over-the-counter derivatives. Mr. Forster participated in the development of the 1987, 1992 and 2002 ISDA Master Agreements, the industry standard documentation for derivative transactions. In 1994, he initiated and led the successful industry effort in the New York State Legislature to amend the New York Statute of Frauds so as to make oral (telephone) derivative trades enforceable.

Before establishing the Firm, he headed from 1989 to 1994 Baker & McKenzie’s derivatives practice group in New York.  Mr. Forster is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School, is admitted to practice law in New York and California, and has served as a member of the Executive Committee of the New York State Bar Association Business Law Section.

Admitted to Practice:

• New York
• California 

Education:

• University of Wisconsin Law School, Madison, Wisconsin, J.D.
• Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio, B. S. 

Seminars — Teaching Positions:

• Chairperson, Derivative Litigation, Practicing Law Institute, New York City
• Invited Professor of Comparative Law, University of Buenos Aires School of Law
• Associate Professor, Business Law, University of Maryland (Europe)
• Co-Director and Lecturer, Advanced Legal Issues in Swaps and Other Derivatives, Euromoney, London, New York, Hong Kong
• Adjunct Professor, Derivative Risk and Litigation, Fordham University School of Law , New York, New York 

Professional Affiliations:

• New York State Bar Association
• California State Bar Association
• American Bar Association 

Other:

• Cooperative for Education – Guatemala – Board Member
• Cosmos Club, Washington, D.C. – Member 

Military Service:

• U.S. Air Force, JAG, 1964 – 1968 – Captain 

Languages:

• Spanish