Anya Freedman advises institutional investors on fiduciary law and governance matters. Bringing insights gained as general counsel to public pension funds, she empowers leaders to build best-in-class policies and make sound strategic decisions in securities and corporate governance litigation. Anya is a partner in BLB&G’s Los Angeles office.
Before joining BLB&G, Anya served for nearly a decade as the principal legal advisor to the City of Los Angeles public pension systems, which cumulatively invest approximately $70 billion in trust funds and administer retirement and healthcare programs on behalf of Los Angeles police officers, firefighters, municipal employees, and their families. She led the Public Pensions General Counsel Division of the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office and served as a founding member of the Los Angeles City Attorney Equity Panel and Chair of its Advancement and Promotions Committee.
Anya provides informed and innovative counsel so the firm’s clients can protect the long-term value of their investments by taking legal action to remedy fraud, hold corporate insiders accountable for self-dealing and other misconduct, and level the playing field in financial markets. Anya brings to bear her deep expertise on fundamental fiduciary duties to advise BLB&G’s institutional clients every step of the way when making decisions how and whether to proceed in securities and corporate governance matters, including decisions to initiate a confidential inspection of books and records, file an independent case, opt out of a class action, remain a passive class member, partner with other investors to lead an action, or seek appointment as sole lead plaintiff.
Having led the complex legal operations of public pension systems, Anya understands that securities and governance litigation is only one tool in the fiduciary toolbox and must be integrated into a pension system’s governance and investment policies. Anya offers unique value for BLB&G’s institutional clients through fiduciary counsel advisory projects addressing the myriad legal and management challenges facing public pension leaders today. She serves as a trusted sounding board for in-house counsel and brings a collaborative approach to supporting interdisciplinary teams to advise boards and executives, refine policies and processes, and manage risk. Clients value her ability to communicate legal developments into actionable advice and integrate best practices and fiduciary principles to help leaders make sound decisions.
Anya has served on the Fiduciary and Plan Governance Steering Committee for the National Association of Public Pension Attorneys since 2019 and frequently speaks on fiduciary and governance topics at pension and institutional investment industry conferences. She has extensive experience providing fiduciary advice, training, and education to pension funds, including without limitation, strengthening compliance and risk management, engaging effectively with regulators and diverse stakeholders, consulting on strategic and business plans, supporting succession planning and leadership transitions, and implementing operational and technological changes in response to new legal requirements.
Anya has completed the Women in Governance certificate program at UCLA Anderson School of Management, the Portfolio Concepts and Management certificate program at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and the Management Academy for Retirement System Managers certificate program through the California Association of Public Retirement Systems. Previously, she served as a judicial law clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and practiced appellate and public law in private practice.