Lydia Lee
Of Counsel, San Francisco Office
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415 956-1000
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“I am proud that my career has been primarily devoted to being an advocate for the protection of the pension funds that are established and held for the benefit of public employees.”
Lydia Lee
Lydia Lee

Lydia Lee is Of Counsel to our firm and has been practicing law for 40 years. She is an experienced and accomplished attorney specializing in corporate governance, pension practices, and fiduciary matters. Born and raised in Oklahoma, Lydia spent 19 years as the general counsel for a multi-billion dollar governmental retirement fund, advising a thirteen-member Board of Trustees and overseeing four different defined benefit and defined contribution plans.

Lydia has published articles on topics including fiduciary best practices and pension plan administration. She is also a member of numerous legal and pension organizations, including the Oklahoma Bar Association, the National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems, and the National Association of Public Pension Attorneys, where she has served on the Executive Board and is the former President. In addition, Lydia currently served as an administrative law judge for several Oklahoma state agencies, including the Oklahoma Merit Protection Commission and the Oklahoma Department of Labor.

Lydia has substantial responsibility for client communications. She frequently counsels public funds and other institutional investors with respect to corporate and board governance principles and fiduciary liability issues. She also has a significant role in advising our clients on such issues and is available to serve as governmental liaison to our institutional investor clients.

Long form bio (click to open pdf).

  • Oklahoma City University School of Law, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
    J.D. – 1983
  • University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, Oklahoma
    B.A. – 1980
  • Oklahoma, 1983
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court Western District of Oklahoma
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of Oklahoma
  • Ruth Bader Ginsberg Inn of Court, 2015-present, Outstanding Master of the Bench, 2016 – 2017
  • American Bar Association Judge for NAAC Regional Student Moot Court competitions, 2017-present
  • Edmond Neighborhood Alliance Board of Directors, 2005 – Present; President, 2012 – 2013, 2006 – 2007
  • Oklahoma Bar Association, Member, 1983 – present; OBA Women in Law Committee, 2007 – 2013; Bench and Bar Committee, 2013 – present; Government and Administrative Law Practice Section, 2009-present
  • National Association of Public Pension Attorneys, 1988 – Present, President, 2002 – 2004, Vice-President 2001 – 2002, Executive Board member, 1998 – 2004, Chair of Benefits Section, Emeritus Board member, 2004-present
  • Edmond Sun newspaper, Editorial Board member 2014-2021
  • Edmond Way newspaper, Editorial Board member 2021-present
  • Edmond Planning Commission, 2008 – 2010
  • Central Edmond Urban Development Board, 2006 – 2008
  • Midwest City Regional Hospital, Board of Governors, Served on Physician/Hospital Organization Board, Pension and Insurance Trust Committees, and Chairman of Woman’s Health Committee, 1992 – 1996
  • City of Midwest City, Planning Commission, 1984 – 1998, Chairman, 1990 – 1995, Vice-Chairman, 1987 – 1990, Served on Capital Improvement Committee, Airport Zoning Commission (Tinker AFB), and Parkland Review Board, served on Midwest City Legislative Reapportionment Committee, 1991
  • National Association of Public Pension Attorneys
    Benefits Subcommittee, Chair – moderator/speaker: February 1996-June 2007
    Small and Medium Fund Affinity Group, Convenor – moderator/speaker: June, 2011; June, 2012; June, 2013; June, 2014; June, 2015; June, 2016; Defined Contribution Plan Affinity Group – moderator, June 2017, 2023; New Member Session, June 2018-present
  • National Conference on Public Employees Retirement Systems
    Public Safety Employees Conference: “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, the Sequel”, October, 2011; “Top Ten Practices of Highly Performing Public Retirement Boards”, October, 2015
    Trustee Education Seminar: “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, the Pension Edition”, May, 2012; “Who wants to be a Fiduciary?”, April, 2014
    Annual Conference: “In the beginning – Trustee 101”, May, 2023; “Avoiding Front-page Scandals at your Pension Fund”, May, 2013
  • Oklahoma Public Fund Trustee Education Conference
    “Pay to Play and Best Practices”, October, 2010
  • Oklahoma Employees Benefit Council
    “Prevention of Sexual Harassment and Sexual Discrimination”, August, 2008
  • Oklahoma Bar Association
    Opinion Writing Seminar, December, 2005
  • Fire and Police Funds Summit (Information Management Network)
    “Understanding Your Fiduciary Obligations”, June, 2005
  • Special Problems in Dividing Retirement for Employees of the State of Oklahoma, (co-author), 2002 OBA/FLS Practice Manual, Chapter 27.3
  • QDROs for Oklahoma’s Public Pension Plans, Oklahoma Family Law Journal, Volume 13, September, 1998
  • Featured Guest Speaker, Saturday Night Law, KTOK Radio
  • Contributor and Editor, INFRE Course Books for CRA program
  • Law Office of Lydia Lee, Partner, 2005 – 2008
  • Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System, General Counsel, 1985 – 2005
  • Law firm of Howell & Webber, Associate, 1983 – 1985
  • San Francisco