Alyson Foster
Partner
​alyson@dempseyfoster.com
(208) 867-5354
Alyson is a founding member of Dempsey Foster. She helps her clients in contract negotiation, business formation and governance, employment, arbitration, mediation, and federal and state court litigation. 

Alyson is dedicated to her pro bono practice, helping victims of domestic violence and underserved members of the community. She advises nonprofit organizations on startup and governance issues to help them accomplish their mission. She has co-authored several amicus curiae briefs for the U.S. Supreme Court on constitutional law issues.

Alyson, her park ranger husband, and their two rescue dogs love living in Idaho.
REPRESENTATIVE WORK
  • Conducted and resolved sexual harassment investigation involving semi-public figure.
  • Represented asset-based lender as first-chair trial counsel in fraudulent transfer case brought against debtor; achieved bench verdict in client's favor.
  • Represented local entrepreneur in negotiating buyout agreement of business partner.
  • Formulated nationwide anti-workplace violence and gun policies for international agribusiness.
  • Represented financial adviser in licensure disqualification before FINRA; restored adviser to full licensure.
  • Represented real estate broker against former client for breach of contract; achieved favorable settlement.
  • Represented author and copyright holder in contract dispute with publisher.
  • Represented individual investor against investment advisor in securities fraud action in federal court.
  • Represented insurance firm in preparing producer agreements for multiple-broker agency.
  • Represented labor organization against discrimination complaint filed in state human rights commission; achieved dismissal of complaint.
  • Represented low-wage condominium employee in state court sexual harassment case against employer and abuser; achieved favorable settlement.
  • Obtained 501(c)(3) approval from IRS for multiple nonprofits.
  • Developed bylaws and conflict of interest policies for Idaho nonprofit.
  • Represented biofuels investor in breach of contract action against construction company hired to build complex biofuel processor; achieved favorable settlement.
  • Represented law firm against claims brought by former co-counsel for breach of contract, negligence, and fraud; achieved summary judgment verdict on majority of claims and favorable settlement on remaining.
  • Represented agribusiness in state court litigation brought by former customer alleging consumer protection violations and related contract breaches; achieved favorable settlement.
EDUCATION
  • University of Michigan Law School, 2000, cum laude
    • Michigan Law Review, Executive Articles Editor
    • Women Law Students' Association, Co-President
  • University of California, Berkeley, B.A., Mathematics, B.A., German 1995
    • Georg-August University, Goettingen, German, 1993-1994
    • Highest Honors with Thesis, German

ADMITTED TO PRACTICE​
  • Idaho
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • District of Columbia (inactive)
  • U.S. District Court, Idaho
  • U.S. District Court, Utah

JUDICIAL CLERKSHIP 
  • Judge Sidney R. Thomas, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2000- 2001

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
  • City of Good, Board Member
  • Federal Bar Association (FBA), Idaho Chapter, President
  • Idaho Business for the Outdoors, Board Member
  • Idaho State Bar, Litigation Section, Vice-Chair
  • Idaho Volunteer Lawyers Program (IVLP), Policy Council Member
  • Treefort Community Fund, Board Member
PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS 
  • "Batten Down the Hatches: Handling Business Data in a Pandemic (and Always)," The Advocate, co-authored with Jennifer Schrack Dempsey, forthcoming May 2021
  • Idaho and Fourth District Rules: Recent Amendments, Idaho State Bar Litigation Section, April 16,  2021
  • Employment Discrimination, Guest Lecturer, Boise State University, MBA Program, March 24, 2021
  • Business Law: Issues in Employment Law, Guest Co-lecturer, Boise State University, MBA Program, April 2019
  • Judges’ Panel – Federal Practice: Tips & Trends, Moderator, Federal Bar Association Tri-State Seminar, September 2018
  • “Gaslighting in Litigation,” The Woman Advocate, Spring 2017, Vol. 22, Issue 3, May 25, 2017
  • Liability Insurance Issues for Litigators, Alyson Foster & Haley Krug, Idaho Bar Employment Section, May 2017
  • Marijuana in the Workplace, Idaho Bar Litigation Section, May 2017
  • The Impact of Legal Marijuana Use on the Workplace: Should employers hire marijuana users?, Jennifer Schrack Dempsey & Alyson Foster, Federal Bar Association Annual Meeting and Convention, September 2015
  • Overview of Written Discovery From a Lawyer’s Perspective, Idaho Association of Paralegals Spring Meeting, April 2015
  • How to Look Good in a Derivative Suit, Tom Banducci & Alyson Foster, Idaho Trial Lawyers’ Association Seminar, February 2015
  • Current Issues in Discovery and Retention of Electronically Stored Information, Boise In-House Counsel Working Group, January 2015