Karen Y.Bitar

Partner

Commercial Litigation

kbitar@seyfarth.com

New York

+1 (212) 218-5261

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Karen brings both enthusiasm and practicality to her work, and partners with her clients to achieve value-added results.

More About Karen

Karen focuses her practice on investigations, litigation, and trials. She understands that a properly conducted investigation should nonetheless be conducted with an eye toward what may be ensuing litigation. Clients look to Karen for strategic advice on how to best manage a diverse array of matters in public and private entities of every type, and in situations where the entities' reputation and dollars are at risk.

Involved in  many high-profile  cases,  Karen has also testified  as an expert witness and been declared  a national expert in litigation of sexual abuse claims by the Court. Karen has written and been quoted extensively on the consequences of the recent #MeToo movement on federal securities laws, and with respect to recent changes in the civil law. This includes changes to the statutes of limitations in New York and elsewhere. When Karen takes on a matter that is important to her clients, she owns it, and fully immerses herself into the matter.

Karen has tried approximately 40 cases, most to a jury. In addition to the criminal trials she has prosecuted, she has also defended a broker dealer in an insider trading case brought by the SEC, represented an international accounting firm in various cases involving alleged violations of GAAS and their related federal securities claims and state law claims, in addition to other trials. Karen enjoys trying cases, and brings that confidence to the table.

Clients receive the benefit of Karen's career path, which is as diverse as her practice. She began her career as an assistant district attorney in Brooklyn, New York,  where she routinely handled sex crimes and violent felony offenses, and concluded her tenure in the homicide bureau. From there, she served as in-house counsel at Ernst & Young LLP, where she defended the firm in areas relating to accounting and financial fraud, securities class actions, and professional liability. She later joined a major international law firm, where she continued to focus her practice in these and other areas, while also serving as the national co-chair of its securities litigation practice. Since joining Seyfarth in 2014, she has become actively involved in investigating and defending institutions with respect to allegations of sexual abuse, sexual harassment, whistleblower, and other workplace-related claims. Based on her experience working in both the public and private spheres, and in an in-house environment, Karen's background enables her to provide a unique perspective to her clients.

As a recognized practitioner in the Child Victim Act (CVA) space, the New York Deputy Chief Administrative Judge in charge of administering all CVA cases in New York City requested that Karen assist him as a liaison counsel to work with other counsel and other judicial districts to consider CVA case management parameters and to ensure CVA cases are handled in an efficient and uniform way. She also has defended cases under the recently enacted New Jersey Statute.

At Seyfarth, Karen works with a multidisciplinary team that is well-versed in both the law and matters specific to her clients. She develops strategies that maximize value, while reducing the toll her retention has on her clients.

Karen truly enjoys her Seyfarth practice, particularly representing clients in connection with possible litigation, where they face new legal challenges and matters. Each new client or new matter presents a clean slate and an opportunity to roll up her sleeves, provide creative solutions, and meet the needs of her client. Karen appreciates that there are so many like-minded people at Seyfarth who have the same dedication and commitment to their clients.

  • AB, Vassar College
    Political Philosophy
  • JD, Temple University School of Law
  • Connecticut
  • New York
  • US Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • US Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
  • US Court of Federal Claims
  • US District Court, District of Connecticut
  • US District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • US District Court, Southern District of New York