Overview
Beatrice Franklin is a trusted, high-stakes litigator who has secured over $1 billion in judgments and settlements in the last three years alone, along with a string of decisive defense-side dismissals. She navigates complex legal issues, drives case-critical discovery, and delivers persuasive oral advocacy — skills that have won cases across the spectrum of commercial disputes including in financial services, energy, real estate, and antitrust.
Ms. Franklin has been consistently recognized for her litigation achievements. Her honors include being named a Rising Star by both the New York Law Journal (2024) and New York Super Lawyers (2024, 2025), inclusion in Lawdragon’s Next Generation of Leading Lawyers (2023–2026) and Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers (2024–2026), and selection to Benchmark Litigation’s 40 & Under Hot List every year since 2023.
Recent wins include:
- Obtaining over $1 billion in proposed settlements for the plaintiff class of home sellers relating to anticompetitive residential broker commissions
- Securing dismissals of cases seeking over $500 million in damages brought by the Kansas AG and private plaintiff classes for alleged natural-gas overcharges during Winter Storm Uri, including through a published opinion from the Tenth Circuit following her oral argument
- A $36 million post-trial judgment for a commercial real estate client
- Defeating a motion to halt a limited partner vote in an expedited Delaware Chancery dispute between the founders of a private equity firm
- Winning dismissal of a multimillion-dollar breach of fiduciary duty claim in the Southern District of New York
- Winning a grant of asylum for a Nigerian political activist
Ms. Franklin is currently representing Virtual Dining Concepts in its dispute with Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast) over their MrBeast Burger partnership, where she has defeated motions to dismiss and for summary judgment, and fought off a string of discovery challenges. She also serves as co-lead counsel for the constructors seeking $1 billion in underpayment on the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge project, and represents the ABA in its suit challenging the Administration’s retaliation against lawyers and law firms where the ABA recently defeated the Government’s motion to dismiss. Read more about the ABA litigation in Reuters, Politico, andLaw360.
Ms. Franklin joined Susman Godfrey after clerking for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Susan Carney on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and Judge Jesse Furman on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University and received her J.D. from Columbia Law School, where she received the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Prize and won Best Oralist and Best Brief in the Harlan Fiske Stone Honors Moot Court competition.
Notable Representations
- Moehrl, et al., v. National Association of Realtors, et al. (N.D. III.); Gibson, et al. v. National Association of Realtors, et al. (W.D. Mo.). Serving as co-lead counsel against the country’s largest real estate services companies and the National Association of Realtors, secured proposed settlements of over $1 billion. Ms. Franklin opposed the defendants’ motions to dismiss, secured class certification, won discovery motions, and deposed nearly a dozen key witnesses, including defendants’ senior executives. Read more.
- Tang v. USCIS (S.D.N.Y.). Representing proposed class of millions of immigration benefit applicants seeking refund of illegally exacted application fees.
- Macquarie Winer Storm Litigation. Secured dismissals of cases seeking hundreds of millions in damages brought by the Kansas AG and private plaintiff classes for alleged natural-gas overcharges during Winter Storm Uri, including through a published opinion from the Tenth Circuit following her oral argument on behalf of client Macquarie Energy and the joint defense group. Listen to her argument here. Read more.
- Glacier Park Iron Ore Properties v. United States Steel Corp. (Minnesota Supreme Court) Represented Glacier Park Iron Ore Properties in its lease dispute with U.S. Steel Corporation over mining lands in the Minnesota Iron Range. Ms. Franklin briefed and argued arbitrability issues in the Minnesota Court of Appeals, then petitioned the Minnesota Supreme Court for review after the Court of Appeals denied her team’s motion to compel arbitration — and argued that appeal herself. Her argument was covered by The American Lawyer, which spotlighted Ms. Franklin’s work and sought her opinion on how to get more young, female lawyers in front of appellate courts and by the St Cloud Times, with whom Ms. Franklin discussed the case and reflected back on her time clerking for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
- Beast Investments, LLC v. Celebrity Virtual Dining, LLC, et al. (New York Commercial Division) Representing Virtual Dining Concepts in its dispute with Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast) over their MrBeast Burger partnership. Ms. Franklin defeated motions to dismiss and for summary judgment, took critical fact and expert depositions, and litigated a variety of discovery disputes.
- Tappan Zee Constructors LLC v. New York State Thruway Authority (New York Court of Claims)Representing constructors of the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge seeking $1 billion in underpayment for the completed bridge project.
- Calicchio v. Jackson (S.D.N.Y.) Won dismissal of a multimillion-dollar breach of fiduciary duty claim brought against her client, the executors of a family trust.
- In re P3 Health Group Holdings, LLC (Delaware Chancery)Represented investor asserting breach of contract and fiduciary duty claims arising out of undervalued de-SPAC transaction. Case settled favorably on the eve of trial, two days following submission of Ms. Franklin’s pre-trial brief.
- Beck v. Waglay (Delaware Chancery) Defeated a motion to halt a limited partner vote in an expedited dispute between the founders of a private equity firm. Ms. Franklin argued the motion for a status quo order and won; the parties resolved their dispute shortly after, leaving her client as the company’s sole remaining founder.
- Confidential Hedge Fund Arbitration. Represented major hedge fund in a contested arbitration that settled favorably shortly before the hearing.
- 255 Butler Associates LLC v. 255 Butler LLC (Kings County) Won a $36 million judgment for a commercial tenant in its dispute with a landlord over historic commercial space in Brooklyn, New York. At trial, Ms. Franklin presented multiple witnesses and cross-examined the defendant’s sole expert. Both before and after the judgment, she briefed and argued numerous motions in the trial court and Second Department. Read more.
- Mocco v. Ellington (New Jersey Superior Court)Represented defendant Ellington Management in breach of contract and tort claims arising out of several New Jersey real estate financing transactions. Ms. Franklin defeated the plaintiff’s partial motion for summary judgment on issues of res judicata. The case resolved in a favorable confidential settlement after further summary judgment briefing and pretrial motions drafted by Ms. Franklin.
- Prelitigation Commercial Real Estate Dispute. Brokered an agreement among several interested parties for sale of a commercial Manhattan property.
- Stoneberger v. BP, et al. (Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals) Secured dismissals of putative class actions seeking over $500 million in damages for alleged natural-gas overcharges during Winter Storm Uri through a published opinion from the Tenth Circuit following her oral argument on behalf of client Macquarie Energy and the joint defense group. Listen to her argument here. Read more.
- Glacier Park Iron Ore Properties v. United States Steel Corp. (Minnesota Supreme Court) Represented Glacier Park Iron Ore Properties in its lease dispute with U.S. Steel Corporation over mining lands in the Minnesota Iron Range. Ms. Franklin briefed and argued arbitrability issues in the Minnesota Court of Appeals, then petitioned the Minnesota Supreme Court for review after the Court of Appeals denied her team’s motion to compel arbitration — and argued that appeal herself. Her argument was covered by The American Lawyer, which spotlighted Ms. Franklin’s work and sought her opinion on how to get more young, female lawyers in front of appellate courts and by the Cloud Times, with whom Ms. Franklin discussed the case and reflected back on her time clerking for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
- Osariemen v. Garland (Second Circuit Court of Appeals) Argued and won a pro bono appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on behalf of a petitioner whose asylum application had been rejected by the immigration court and BIA. Shortly after her argument, the Second Circuit granted the petition and remanded for a new asylum hearing. Click here to read the opinion and here to listen to Ms. Franklin’s argument.
- Barclays Capital v. Platt, et al. (Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals) Affirmed approval of a multimillion-dollar arbitration award in an employment dispute.
- Gibson, et al. v. National Association of Realtors, et al. (Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals)Defeated a petition for mandamus seeking to transfer the case, after the Court requested briefing in opposition.
- 255 Butler Associates LLC v. 255 Butler LLC (N.Y. Appellate Division, Second Department) Briefed and argued numerous appeals in the commercial real estate case, including emergency applications.
- Osariemen v. Garland (Second Circuit Court of Appeals, Executive Office of Immigration Review) Represented a Nigerian political activist seeking asylum on appeal, reversing the asylum denial, and then in continuation proceedings below. After briefing and a hearing before the immigration judge on remand, won asylum for the client after nearly a decade of litigation.
- American Bar Association v. Executive Office of the President, et al. (D.D.C.)Representing the ABA in litigation challenging the Administration’s policy of unconstitutional retaliation against lawyers and law firms.
- Oost-Lievense v. Westport (Westport Board of Education) Represented varsity soccer coach in employment appeal before the Westport BOE, singlehandedly examining witnesses and delivering oral argument in a 14-hour hearing. Ms. Franklin’s representation caused her to be named an “Unsung Hero” of the Westport community.
Honors & Distinctions
Honors and Awards
- Lawdragon 500X – The Next Generation of Leading Lawyers (2023, 2024, 2025, 2026)
- Lawdragon Top 500 Plaintiff Financial Lawyers (2024, 2025, 2026)
- 40 and Under Hot List, Benchmark Litigation (2023, 2024, 2025, 2026)
- Rising Star, New York Super Lawyer (2024, 2025, Thomson Reuters)
- Rising Star, New York Law Journal (2024, ALM)
- Rising Star of the Plaintiffs Bar, National Law Journal Elite Trial Lawyers (2024, ALM)
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg Prize
- James Kent Scholar
- Best Oralist and Best Brief, Harlan Fiske Stone Moot Court Competition
- National Association of Women Lawyers, Outstanding Law Student
Clerkships
- Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Supreme Court of the United States
- Honorable Susan Carney, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- Honorable Jesse Furman, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
Education
Education
- Columbia Law School
- Harvard University (B.A., magna cum laude)
Admissions
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- New York
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Languages
Languages
- French
- Italian
