Lisa Babish Forbes
Ms. Forbes is a partner in the Vorys Cleveland office and a member of the litigation group. As a business litigator, she litigates disputes involving breaches of fiduciary duties, breach of contract, mortgage fraud, claims of lender liability, employment discrimination, intellectual property matters, torts, and claims under the False Claims Act. In addition to proceedings in state and federal courts throughout Ohio and across the country, her practice includes alternative dispute resolution, mediation and arbitration.
Career highlights include:
- Overseeing litigation in 28 states defending against lender liability claims
- Securing a defense verdict following a bench trial, defeating 13 claims of breach of fiduciary duty against a trustee of an irrevocable trust
- Winning a unanimous defense verdict in an age discrimination case brought under state law
- Achieving a settlement beneficial to the client in qui tam action involving the Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Attorney's Office
- Defeating a motion for a temporary restraining order in a trademark dispute in federal court leading to a federal settlement
- Obtaining successful settlements in a complex mortgage fraud case in state court involving 22 borrowers
Ms. Forbes is a member of the American Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association, the Ohio Women's Bar Association and the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Bar Association.
Ms. Forbes has spoken on a variety of topics including depositions, trial practice, and professionalism to organizations including the Cleveland Bar Association, the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA) and the Ohio Women's Bar Association.
Ms. Forbes received her J.D. summa cum laude from Case Western Reserve University School of Law where she was a member of the Order of the Coif and the Executive Notes Editor of the Case Western Reserve Law Review. She received her B.S. from Cornell University.
Professional and Community Activities
- Center for Families and Children, Board of Directors, 2008-present
- Ohio Women’s Bar Association, Eighth District Trustee, 1999 to 2002
Honors & Awards
- Cleveland's Top Lawyers, 2012
- Ohio Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2010-2011
- YWCA Business Women of Professional Excellence Award, 2008
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Peer Review Rated
News
- 72 Vorys Attorneys Recognized as 2011 Ohio Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
- 54 Vorys Attorneys Recognized as 2010 Ohio Super Lawyers
Publications
- "Protect Your Product, Reputation in Today's Global Marketplace," Crain's Cleveland Business, June 30-July 6, 2008.
- “Take Steps To Safeguard Proprietary Info,” Crain's Cleveland Business, February 9-15, 2004
- “Federal Election Regulation and the States: An Analysis of the Minnesota and New Hampshire Efforts to Regulate Congressional Elections,” Case Western Law Review, 1992 (42 Case W. Res. L. Rev. 509)