Demet Basar

Demet Basar joined Beasley Allen in 2020 with more than 30 years of experience handling complex class action lawsuits. She focuses on representing consumers against unfair and misleading practices, including defective products.

Demet’s journey began as a paralegal at The Legal Aid Society in NYC, where she helped indigent families secure public assistance. Seeing the struggles of these families inspired her to become a lawyer and pursue high-impact litigation. With a finely tuned sense of justice, she transitioned from the defense bar to representing plaintiffs, aiming to benefit many people at once. At her new firm, she prosecuted class actions for investors and consumers, working on notable cases like the Sienna Sliding Doors auto defect litigation with Dee Miles and Clay Barnett. Seeking new opportunities, she eventually reached out to Beasley Allen, continuing to use her sense of justice to make a difference.

Accomplished in multidistrict litigations, Demet has achieved significant settlements and corporate governance reforms. Her most notable case was the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper litigation, where she represented 4.7 million parents after the product caused at least 32 infant deaths and hundreds of injuries. Demet felt strongly about addressing this economic injustice and was fortunate to work with a great team of lawyers on the case. She also co-led the Denso Fuel Pumps litigations, securing a $287 million settlement for Toyota/Lexus owners, as well as valuable settlements for Subaru and Mazda owners. She is co-lead counsel in the ARC Airbag Inflators case. At her previous firm, she secured a $40 million settlement for Toyota Sienna minivan owners and recovered over $300 million for investors in securities fraud cases related to the Madoff Ponzi scheme. 

She is a member of the American Bar Association and the New York City Bar Association.

Demet and her husband, John, call New York City home but love escaping to their cozy lake house in the mountains with their dog, Levon. Demet is passionate about traveling, diving into great books, and exploring the city’s vibrant galleries and museums. For her, reading and traveling are not just hobbies—they’re ways to embrace new ideas and cultures, making life richer and more exciting. She also enjoys leisurely walks through New York’s diverse neighborhoods. Beyond her personal interests, Demet is dedicated to her community, actively fundraising for organizations that support public housing residents. 

Education

Demet graduated with top honors from Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she was a member of the Phi Omega Epsilon honor society. She then went on to earn her law degree from Rutgers University School of Law in 1990. 

During her time at Rutgers, she received the prestigious West’s Scholarship Award and served as the Senior Notes and Comments Editor for the Rutgers Law Review.

Licenses

• New Jersey (1990)
• New York (1992)