Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP > Los Angeles, United States > Firm Profile

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Antitrust > Cartel Tier 1

Counting a bevy of high-profile US and multinational actors in the food, tech, and pharma industries among its clients, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP‘s antitrust team has a market-leading cartel defense offering in both domestic and international litigation. San Francisco’s Rachel Brass co-heads the practice and focuses on representing international and domestic clients in federal, state, and Supreme Court appellate litigation. Over on the East Coast, co-head Stephen Weissman, a former Deputy Director for the FTC’s Bureau of Competition, represents clients in civil and criminal DOJ and FTC investigations. On the international front, Jeremy Robison and former DOJ prosecutor Scott Hammond serve as bridge counsel for multinational companies involved in cartel investigations in jurisdictions outside of the EU and the US. Other key members include Cynthia Richman, who has extensive experience with cartel-related grand jury investigations by the DOJ and international authorities. Unless otherwise stated, all mentioned lawyers are in Washington DC. Adam Di Vincenzo left the firm in June 2022.

Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense Tier 1

The team at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP offers a full-service antitrust practice and excels in bet-the-company defense civil litigation and class actions on behalf of market leading clients , particularly in the media, entertainment and high-tech sectors, such as McDonalds and Apple. The practice is jointly headed up by California based and highly respected Rachel Brass, who has extensive experience litigating in antitrust, labor and employment matters with recent work involving allegations of no poach agreements and monopolization; and Washington DC’s Stephen Weissman, former deputy director of the FTC’s bureau of competition, who counsels clients in antitrust investigations and acts as lead counsel in bench and jury trials concerning claims under the Sherman Act and Clayton Act. Also located in DC is the experienced trial and regulatory lawyer Rich Parker, who has a broad antitrust practice involving cartel matters, class actions and government investigations, Cynthia Richman who defends clients in cartel, tying and price-fixing litigation before state and federal courts, and Scott Hammond, an expert in price-fixing and cartel matters, as well as cross border investigations. In Los Angeles, Daniel Swanson handles antitrust and commercial litigation disputes while New York-based Eric Stock focuses on antitrust litigation and investigations particularly in the pharma, financial services, technology and healthcare space.

Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)

Widely acknowledged as a ‘go-to’ firm for appellate work, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP‘s formidably deep bench nationally is reflected by its consistent involvement in complex appeals across the US. A dominant player in cases involving government powers–an increasingly topical trend–the group also excels in business and international disputes. At the US Supreme Court level, Washington DC-based Helgi Walker recently scored a unanimous victory on behalf of the National Association of Broadcasters in a high-profile case concerning media ownership restrictions. Other key contacts in Washington DC include former Solicitor General Theodore Olson, Miguel Estrada, who has argued 24 cases before SCOTUS, and department co-chair Thomas Dupree. Allyson Ho, who has recently secured high-profile wins at the Fifth Circuit and Texas Supreme Court among others, and Julian Poon additionally co-chair the practice from Dallas and Los Angeles respectively. Also in Los Angeles, Theodore Boutrous is sought after for his premier record before federal and state appellate courts, including SCOTUS. The group was strengthened in 2022 through a trio of lateral hires: Lauren Goldman joined in New York from Mayer Brown, where she was co-head of the supreme court and appellate practice; Jonathan Bond rejoined the firm in Washington DC after serving as an Assistant to the Solicitor General; while Gregg Costa, formerly a judge for the Fifth Circuit, joined in Houston.

Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP has extensive know-how in a variety of white-collar crime cases, such as those involving sanctions violations, benchmark manipulation, money laundering, and international bribery. The practice is headed by a quartet consisting of Stephanie Brooker in Washington DC, Nicola Hanna  in Los Angeles, San Francisco's Charles Stevens and Joseph Warin in Washington DC, all of whom sports experience in matters ranging from FCPA and FCA issues to crisis management and securities enforcement. In New York, seasoned litigator Reed Brodsky regularly handles internal investigations and enforcement proceedings for a broad range of high-profile corporate and individual clients. In November 2022, Gustav Eyler rejoined the firm in DC, having previously served as Director of the Consumer Protection Branch at the DOJ. Formerly part of the practice leadership, Randy Mastro left the practice in August 2022. At the beginning of 2023, Robert Hur and Joel Cohen left the firm. The firm’s DC office welcomed former US District Judge for the State of Maryland George Hazel to its ranks in March 2023.

Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes Tier 1

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP offers clients deep trial experience in state and federal courts, as well as extensive experience in the Supreme Court, non-judicial settings and international arbitrations.  The firm boasts market-leading partners across a wide geographical spread, with Reed Brodsky, Theodore Boutrous and Orin Snyder in New York, as well as Theane Evangelis in Los Angeles and Helgi Walker in Washington, D.C. Snyder notably secured a summary judgement for AMC in the California Superior Court in their profit sharing case concerning The Walking Dead. The firm has also recently secured wins for longstanding clients State Farm General Insurance Company, GrubHub and Chevron U.S.A. Zainab Ahmad is also noted for her recent success for Amazon in the Eastern District of New York. Veronica Moyé left the team in February 2024.

Dispute resolution > International litigation Tier 1

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP has extensive experience in multi-jurisdictional disputes, notably involving global warming as well as ESG-related matters brought by various plaintiffs against the firm’s clients. The practice focuses on sectors including food and beverage, technology and energy, frequently obtaining complete dismissals of claims, particularly class actions, including tort cases, fraud, and extensive climate litigation. Perlette Michèle Jura, co-founder and co-chair of the group based in Los Angeles, plays a significant role in these transnational environmental, consumer and mass tort matters, with a focus on transnational supply chain litigation and ESG. Also in Los Angeles is William Thomson, co-chair of the group with specific experience in constitutional litigation and environmental claims. Another co-chair of the group is Andrea Neuman, based in New York, who has deep experience of transnational litigation, with expertise relating to section 1782 discovery applications and global warming cases, representing Chevron in several multi-jurisdictional matters. New York-based Anne Champion plays a lead role in international disputes, including RICO, fraud and tort claims at both state and federal level.  Randy Mastro, Mark Kirsch and Matthew Biben departed in August 2022.

Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense Tier 1

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP’s securities litigation and SEC enforcement practice groups have a strong track record in defending high-stakes cases for large corporations, among them Marriott and HP. Brian Lutz in San Francisco is one of the lead partners, and he continues to be involved in some of the most high-profile cases in the market. A prime example is his work for Meta Platforms, formerly Facebook, in one of the biggest securities cases of all time. It arose from news in March 2018 that Cambridge Analytica had misappropriated Meta user data and then lied to Meta about deleting that data, leading plaintiffs are seeking billions of dollars in damages. The firm has secured three motions to dismiss, though derivative litigation is ongoing. Monica Loseman in Denver and Craig Varnen in Los Angeles are the other practice co-heads. Loseman is defending ViewRay, Inc., in a case that alleges the company made misleading statements or omissions relating to its reported backlog. Varnen is defending First American Financial Corp. in investor lawsuits that were filed in the wake of a data security incident. The case was ultimately dismissed.

Environment > Environment: litigation

The environmental litigation and mass tort team at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP acts for top-tier clients on a range of domestic and international disputes, including civil and criminal matters, bet-the-company litigation, and product liability cases. It is well versed in issues pertaining to catastrophic environmental disasters and has recently been handling a number of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions cases. The practice is led by Stacie Fletcher and Daniel Nelson, with Fletcher recommended for enforcement and defense matters brought by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and various state agencies, and Nelson a key name for class actions and environmental and mass tort litigation. In Los Angeles, Abbey Hudson is a key name for regulatory work, compliance and government investigations, as well as ESG matters, while Patrick Dennis is active in litigation in the manufacturing, energy, aerospace, real estate, and oil and gas sectors. David Fotouhi is an EPA alumnus with considerable experience of enforcement and regulatory issues, while Perlette Jura, who splits her time between LA and Washington DC, is a name for trial and appellate litigation and often handles cross-border matters. Rachel Levick was recently promoted to partner. Named attorneys are based in DC unless otherwise stated.

Government > Government relations Tier 1

Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions) Tier 1

Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation Tier 1

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is a key destination for corporations and individuals from across the media & entertainment industry, handling matters from film finance litigation and contract disputes to securities and class action lawsuits. Practice head Scott Edelman operates from the firm’s Century City office, representing the likes of Netflix and CBS Studios in arbitrations and employment suits. New York-based Orin Snyder is a regular advisor to well-known individuals and technology giants, currently advocating on behalf of Meta in a high-profile securities fraud complaint that has been covered extensively in the media. Fellow New York resident Brian Ascher specializes in civil litigation with notable experience in trade secrets matters and founder disputes. Theodore J. Boutrous Jr.  is a widely praised Los Angeles-based media lawyer who is focuses on First Amendment litigation. Another name to note in Los Angeles is Ilissa Samplin who, alongside Edelman, Snyder and Boutrous Jr., recently successfully represented AMC in a long-pending profit participation case heard in New York State Court that followed a previous victory for the firm in Los Angeles concerning the same case.

Media, technology and telecoms > Outsourcing Tier 1

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP’s strategic sourcing and commercial transactions group, predominantly based in New York and Los Angeles, is known for its experience in structuring and negotiating international and domestic IT and business process sourcing arrangements, including offshoring, shared services and strategic alliances. The firm frequently works with major companies in the hospitality, healthcare, insurance, asset management and beverages industries on digital transformation projects. Co-chair Stephen Nordahl, based in New York, assists clients, in the consumer products, energy, pharma, and financial services sectors, with complex licensing and system implementations, including infrastructure and applications developments. Los Angeles-stationed William Peters, also co-chair, leverages his general counsel experience at a leading HR BPO provider to guide clients on negotiating and structuring global business transformation agreements and ERP implementations. Data center operations, network operations and desktop support are areas of experience for Peters across an array of industries. Tech-related transactions specialist Daniel Angel, working from the New York office, supports start-ups and major technology-driven clients across finance, private equity, life sciences, energy and telecoms, in complex international transactions. Angel also is a name to note for supply and distribution agreements and servicing arrangements. Los Angeles-based Kari Krusmark is a go-to advisor for the full cycle of the outsourcing transaction, from the RFP stage to restructurings, disputes and terminations. Associate Meghan Hungate, in the New York office, routinely counsels clients, not limited to financial institutions, high-tech and media companies, on intersecting outsourcing, IP and licensing matters.

Real estate > Land use/zoning Tier 1

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is renowned for its capabilities when it comes to large-scale and complex developments, handling the full-suite of associated land use and property development issues in the process, and particularly noted for its work on major stadium and arena work, advising on flagship projects for elite-level sports teams. Entitlements, permitting, development agreements, environmental compliance reviews and public/private partnerships represent the team’s key specialisms in the space. Two senior attorneys co-chair the department: Los Angeles-based Amy Forbes, who focuses on work at the administrative level, and San Francisco’s public private partnerships and historic rehabilitation expert, Mary Murphy. The latter is supported in San Francisco by Allison Kidd, whose sophisticated commercial real estate financing practice includes frequent complex land use work. Of counsels Neil Sekhri  and Sara Ghalandari are other key names in San Francisco. Douglas Champion departed the group in September 2022.

Real estate > Real estate finance Tier 1

Real estate Tier 1

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP boasts significant capabilities across all aspects of real estate with regular work on the acquisition, disposition and development of high-end assets and portfolios. Expanding the practice's West coast offering, Lauren Giovannone joined the Los Angeles office from Paul Hastings LLP, and lends her expertise in the hotel, sports, restaurant and entertainment sectors. Co-chairs Eric Feuerstein (New York) and Jesse Sharf (Los Angeles) act for institutional and non-institutional investors and lenders in financings, acquisitions and restructurings. Also with a strong borrower and lender-side focus are Los Angeles partners Drew Flowers, Mike Szczurek and Sean Tierney. Based in San Francisco, Allison Kidd is active on the Bay area’s largest mixed-use developments, public-private partnerships, and ground leases.

Transport > Rail and road: litigation and regulation Tier 1

The enviable client base at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP‘s Washington DC-based road transportation industry practice comprises auto manufacturers, large rental car companies, automobile trade associations, and companies involved in the manufacture of materials for the transportation industry. It covers a broad array of specialisms, including litigation, appellate matters involving punitive damages, environmental matters and franchising work. The group also fields experts in antitrust and unfair competition issues, false advertising claims, class actions, and labor and employment matters, along with international trade and anti-dumping issues. The group is additionally well known for its longstanding efforts to ensure that punitive damage awards and procedures comply with constitutional requirements. In the rail space, the firm consistently handles railroad critical matters in the federal and state courts, as well as before regulatory bodies. The principal advisers are Raymond Ludwiszewski, whose career includes several years in senior US government legal positions, and experienced trial and appellate advocate Thomas Dupree Jr. Also key to the group’s offering are Theodore Boutrous Jr in Los Angeles, who acts in federal and state appellate courts throughout the US, while Daniel Nelson focuses on environmental and mass tort litigation, along with business, antitrust and class action claims.

Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense Tier 2

The securities litigation practice at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP has a national presence that sees it involved in deal-related litigation across the US. Although it handles a broad range of work, the firm is particularly well known for takeover defense matters. Monica Loseman in Denver, Brian Lutz in San Francisco and Craig Varnen in Los Angeles are the co-chairs of the practice. Lutz and newly promoted partner Colin Davis in Orange County have recently handed cases before the Nevada courts. In 2022, specialist M&A litigator Adam Offenhartz in New York secured the Delaware Supreme Court’s first decision concerning a special litigation committee in several years.

Energy > Energy regulation: electric power Tier 2

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP‘s energy, regulation and litigation group provides a full range of services related to all aspects of the energy business, such as in representing clients in high-profile FERC enforcement and litigation cases. The team regularly represent clients on regulatory matters involving utilities and private equity companies in the acquisition of other utilities and large generating facilities, including wind and solar projects in the United States. One such example is the matter of Berkshire Hathaway Energy Renewables (BHE Renewables), worked on by William Hollaway (in Washington, DC), where the team served as lead counsel for a number of fronts including all FERC, Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), ERCOT, PJM and MidContinent Independent System Operator (MISO) considerations. Jeffrey Jakubiak counsels a wide variety of clients across electric matters at FERC, with Janine Durand standing out for her representation of businesses engaged in the development and management of energy transmission and generation before FERC.

Energy > Energy transactions: electric power Tier 2

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP has a focus on complex and high stakes M&A transactions (public and private), project acquisition and investments, project development, joint ventures, capital market transactions and project financings. In terms of M&A, the transactions team have represented the acquirer or target in a number of large utility M&A transactions. In renewables, the firm has represented the acquirer, principal investor and issuer in numerous transactions involving utility scale solar and wind power projects. Peter J. Hanlon ‘s practice, based in New York, encompasses M&A, project investments, financings, public and private securities offerings and joint ventures. Nicholas H. Politan Jr. , is focused on domestic and cross-border energy related transactions including mergers and acquisitions, financings and project development. Gerald Farano, situated in Denver, is a member of the corporate transactions practice group and has experience in the sale and purchase of renewable and nuclear generation assets and in advising clients on significant electric transmission and infrastructure projects.

Energy > Energy transactions: oil and gas Tier 2

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP acts for leading oil and gas exploration, development and production companies, as well as oilfield services and equipment companies, pipeline corporations and downstream entities on a wide range of transactions and project developments in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors. Practice chair Michael Darden focuses on domestic and international oil and gas ventures and infrastructure projects, in addition to asset acquisitions and energy financings. Michael De Voe Piazza joined the firm from Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in March 2022, boasting the practice’s expertise in handling private equity mandates arising out of the energy sector, and Rahul Vashi joined from Kirkland & Ellis LLP in May 2023. All named partners operate from the Houston office.

Energy > Renewable/alternative power Tier 2

Headed by Peter Hanlon and Nicholas Politan in the New York office, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP‘s power and renewables team has a strong focus on transactional work including M&A, project investments and financing, and capital markets transactions. Hanlon and Politan each have significant experience in corporate transactions in the renewables space, including power transmission and storage, as well as wind and solar generation. Gerald Farano in Denver advises on joint ventures and strategic alliances in the sector, while Emad Khalil in New York has experience in overseas markets in the Middle East and Asia. Marwan Azzi, also in New York, is a key contact for work in the Latin American market, and represents private equity houses and infrastructure funds among others on private, domestic and cross-border acquisitions. George Stamas, who splits his time between New York and Washington DC, is also noted and well-versed in M&A.

Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP has an outstanding record in debt offerings. It has impressive links to a multitude of issuers, along with a number of underwriters. It recently advised Amazon.com on its SEC-registered offering of notes, totalling $12.75bn. General Electric is another major client. The capital markets team benefits from the firm’s strong expertise in securities regulation and corporate governance. Andrew Fabens has a huge reputation in big-ticket investment grade debt offerings, while Houston partner Hillary Holmes is noted for energy-sector offerings. San Francisco partner Stewart McDowell is another key partner, while the arrival of Douglas Horowitz in April 2022 brings further senior-level credibility.

Finance > Project finance

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP pulls together a strong offering in project finance, drawing on the expertise of lawyers in its projects and infrastructure, global finance, capital markets, M&A, tax, regulatory, and disputes practice areas. New York-based Tomer Pinkusiewicz chairs both the projects and infrastructure, and Latin America practices, and has experience advising on project financing matters in conventional and renewable power generation, energy transmission, toll roads, ports, water and wastewater systems, and a wide range of public use facilities. Anita Girdhari focuses on capital markets and infrastructure, and is particularly experienced in Latin America-related transactions. Nicholas Politan has broad transactional expertise, with a focus on renewable energy, while Toren Murphy  focuses on PPP work and related concessions. The firm’s clients are primarily on the sponsor side, though it also acts for banks and other major lenders. All named lawyers are based in New York.

Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate Tier 2

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP offers debtor- and creditor-side expertise and boasts a particularly strong reputation for representing lenders in relation to Chapter 11 bankruptcies. With experience representing a wide range of clients in high-profile restructurings both in and out of court, Scott Greenberg in New York chairs the practice. Greenberg, alongside Michael Cohen, also in New York, has recently led a team serving as restructuring counsel to an ad hoc group of first lien lenders to pharmaceutical company Mallinckrodt in connection with its Chapter 11 case. Matt Williams in New York is a key name, noted for his work for bondholders’ groups and indenture trustees, respectively. New York-based Joshua Brody‘s experience includes negotiating and litigating plans of reorganization and debtor-in-possession financings. Jason Goldstein in New York also stands out for his contribution. In May 2023 Joseph Zujkowski joined the firm’s New York office as partner from O'Melveny & Myers LLP. Robert Klyman left for DLA Piper LLP (US) in September 2023.

Insurance > Advice to insurers Tier 2

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP handles critical litigation for a number of the insurance sector’s biggest names, advising on COVID-19-related business interruption cases, health care coverage matters and cyber disputes, including appeals and class actions. Additionally, the practice represents clients involved in cost of insurance, bad faith and False Claims Act and securities disputes, while also providing support to clients facing regulatory investigations. The team is led by Deborah Stein, who assists insurers facing coverage and business practices claims, and Geoffrey Sigler in Washington DC, who specializes in defending class action suits. Richard Doren is an experienced trial and appellate litigator, while Matthew Hoffman focuses on insurance and reinsurance disputes, including sexual abuse, environmental and product liability coverage matters. All lawyers are Los Angeles-based unless otherwise specified.

Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage) Tier 2

The intellectual property group at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is highly adept at handling high-value and complex cases, frequently representing pharma companies in cases involving billion-dollar drugs and using the wide range of technical expertise available in the team to excel in telecoms-related cases. The group works closely with the appellate and constitutional law group at the firm, with appellate litigators often brought into develop legal strategy. The firm counts a number of household names as clients including Fitbit, Dell, Pfizer, AT&T, SoundCloud, and SharkNinja. All based in New York, Jane Love, Kate Dominguez, and Josh Krevitt all co-chair the intellectual property practice, alongside Ernest Hsin, operating out of the San Francisco office. The team continues to grow, with Charlotte Jacobsen joining the New York office from Ropes & Gray LLP in April 2022.

Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters) Tier 2

From its Los Angeles hub, Ilissa Samplin leads the practice at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, which has a strong reputation for its capabilities representing high-profile corporate and individual clients, both plaintiffs and defendants, across the media, entertainment, and technology industries in particular. The team has a strong national reach with offices across California, New York, Washington DC and Texas. Particularly standout work includes its upheld its appellate victory for Amrock in a matter worth $706m, wherein appeal was rejected by the Texas Supreme Court. Further, its representation of the founders and early employees of Tinder in the high-profile trade secrets matter which is one of the largest to go to trial in the history of the technology industry,  wherein the defendants agreed to pay $441m of the $2bn claimed to settle the litigation; partner Orin Snyder, who works in the New York office, led on this matter.

Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital) Tier 2

The ‘excellent technical knowledge‘ displayed by the private equity funds team at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is appreciated by its client base of major private equity firms and other financial institutions. It has its strengths in substantial fund formation matters, acting for the sponsors in forming traditional funds, funds-of-one, separately managed accounts and co-investment vehicles. The team also covers fund manager servicing, transaction that involve funds and fund managers, and representation of institutional investors. A trio of lawyers coordinate the practice in this area: fund formation expert Shukie Grossman; Edward Sopher, who focuses on the establishment and operation of private investment funds; and LA-based Jennifer Bellah Maguire, who comes with client recommendation. Roger Singer‘s ‘specific real estate expertise‘ is appreciated by clients working in that field, while A.J. Frey focuses on advising large venture capitalists on investment in established companies. The Houston office saw the additions of Michael Piazza in March 2022 from Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, who is strong on GP-led secondaries, and James Hays from the same firm in November 2022, who has niche strength in establishing platforms in Europe. Unless otherwise stated, above lawyers are based in New York.

M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: large deals ($1bn+) Tier 2

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is routinely sought out by a litany of market-leading corporates across the media, consumer goods, energy, and technology sectors. The practice has continued to concentrate its position as an advisor in high-end US and cross-border M&A, including negotiated and contested mergers, spinoffs, restructurings and private equity investments. With the ability to call on its corporate governance and securities regulation experts, the firm is a go-to destination for hostile bids, shareholder activism and other governance issues. Co-leader Robert Little, a specialist in corporate transactions involving both private and public entities, is based in the Dallas office while fellow co-head Saee Muzumdar, a key contact for both strategic companies and private equity clients, sits in New York. Based in the same office, managing partner Barbara Becker is an elite M&A lawyer, and a reference for clients in the retail, healthcare, industrial, and tech industries. Also in New York, Andrew Kaplan has recently advised on several high-value M&A deals, such as VMware’s $61bn acquisition by Broadcom, where he acted alongside Becker and Muzumdar.

Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection) Tier 2

The team at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP handles the full range of mandates, including global privacy compliance program developments, FTC and regulatory investigations, class action litigation and cyber due diligence for corporate transactions. The privacy, cybersecurity team also assists major tech companies in strategic product counselling. New York-based Alexander Southwell, a specialist practitioner in advising clients on data breaches and cyber fraud crises, and Palo Alto-stationed Ashlie Beringer, experienced in representing media and tech companies in various non-contentious and contentious matters, head the team. Ryan Bergsieker, in Denver, focuses on cyber-related white-collar defenses and government investigations. Co-chair of the AI and automated systems team, based in Palo Alto, Cassandra Gaedt-Sheckter works on legal and regulatory compliance with the CPRA, GDPR and COPPA as well as other federal state regulations. Former Director of the DOJ’s Consumer Protection Branch, Gustav Eyler in Washington DC, adds depth to the practice group, having re-joined the Washington DDC office in November 2022. Other key advisors for big tech clients include Lauren Goldman and Vivek Mohan, who both arrived from Mayer Brown in the summer of 2022- the former is based in New York, while the latter is in Palo Alto. Rosemarie Ring, in San Francisco, Ashley Rogers, in Dallas, and Eric Vandevelde, in Los Angeles, are also names to note. Joining in April 2022 from an in-house position, former FTC official Svetlana S. Gans is noted for her expertise in digital platform matters.

Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional Tier 2

Tax > US taxes: contentious Tier 2

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP represents clients in a broad range of high-profile tax disputes, including audits, trial court proceedings, and judicial appeals, with additional expertise in alternate dispute resolution methods. Transfer pricing expert Sanford Stark, based in Washington DC, co-leads the practice group with federal tax specialist Michael Desmond, who works from both the DC and San Francisco offices. Stark joined the firm from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in November 2021, while Desmond joined in May of the same year, and was previously Chief Counsel of the IRS. Other recent additions to the team include Saul Mezei, whose practice covers a broad range of civil tax issues, and Terrell Ussing, who is active for both large multinationals and high-net worth individuals. Both Mezei and Ussing joined the DC office from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in November 2021. Of counsel Anne Devereaux, who joined the firm in July 2022, was previously deputy associate chief counsel within the IRS.

Tax > US taxes: non-contentious Tier 2

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP works with a broad spectrum of leading corporations and financial institutions on the full range of tax matters, including public M&A and private equity transactions, fund formations, and capital markets deals. The group has a notable reputation in oil and gas M&A for midstream and upstream clients, as well as energy-related MLP deal structuring. Practice head Eric Sloan is a recognized expert on the use of partnerships and limited liability companies in domestic and cross-border acquisitions, financings, and restructurings, with substantial experience handling spin-offs and IPOs. Edward Wei‘s far-reaching practice encompasses public company spin-offs, split-offs and Reverse Morris Trusts, as well as debt and equity capital markets (including issuances involving SPAC and UP-C structures) and real estate transactions. In California, Dora Arash concentrates on federal income tax planning for corporations and partnerships, tax-free reorganizations, and debt offerings. In addition to his expertise in renewable energy transactions, Dallas-based Michael Cannon represents investment fund sponsors on tax structuring mandates, with a focus on oil and gas, real estate, and infrastructure funds. Seasoned transactional tax specialist Pamela Lawrence Endreny is also recommended. All named individuals are based in New York unless noted otherwise.

Antitrust > Merger control Tier 3

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP advises a global client base on merger clearances in the US and internationally, leveraging the firm’s global reach in multijurisdictional mandates involving multiple regulatory approvals and investigations by US, European, and UK antitrust authorities. The firm handles matters in a variety of industries, with key representations for the likes of LIV Golf, Apple, and Norvatis, and combines merger filing expertise with standout contentious capabilities, supporting clients throughout investigations and high-stakes litigation. The team is led by San Francisco’s Rachel Brass alongside former FTC Deputy Director Stephen Weissman, with Michael Perry, who has long-standing experience in DOJ and FTC merger proceedings, Scott Hammond, and Cynthia Richman other key names to note. Lawyers are in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

Dispute resolution > Financial services litigation Tier 3

Led by Stephanie Brooker and Kendall Day, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP’s financial institutions practice consists primarily of former federal prosecutors and regulatory agency staff, resulting in a stand-out capacity to defend enforcement actions as well as regulatory compliance investigations, particularly those relating to the application of the FCPA and the AMLA. Notably, the firm is representing Binance, a major crypto exchange, in multiple investigations by regulatory bodies including the DOJ, SEC, CFTC and FinCEN, as well as corresponding international regulatory inquiries. This signals the firm’s wider expansion into the fintech sector, advising both financial and non-financial institutions on matters relating to digital assets and fintech services. Arthur Long departed the firm in August 2022 along with Matthew Biben. Richard Grime is a key name to note for his securities enforcement and litigation experience and Jeffrey Steiner is focused on digital assets, blockchain technology, derivatives, and international financial regulation. All lawyers mentioned are in Washington DC.

Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers Tier 3

Orin Snyder – Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. Co-chair of the firm’s global trial practice and former federal prosecutor Orin Snyder is a prolific litigator, representing clients from a diverse range of industries, including tech powerhouses Meta, PayPal, and Pinterest. On the 6th April 2022, Snyder led for AMC Network in a sweeping summary judgment victory concerning a high-stakes lawsuit brought by the executive producers of the hit television show The Walking Dead. Snyder is based in the firm’s New York office.

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: toxic tort Tier 3

Energy > Energy litigation: oil and gas Tier 3

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is adept at handling FERC enforcement and litigation cases on behalf of major players in the oil and gas sector, such as TotalEnergies. The team regularly supports clients on regulatory litigation mandates, including rate proceedings, investigations, complaints and acquisitions. William Holloway is a key contact in the group, based in Washington DC, with a client roster consisting of independent power producers and transmission companies. Hollaway chairs the firm's energy regulation and litigation practice and has considerable experience standing before the FERC, while Janine Durand, who advises on energy-related transactions and administrative litigation, is another key member of the team. Jason Fleischer, Jeffrey Jakubiak and Jennifer Mansh left the firm to join Vinson & Elkins LLP in February 2023.

Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP has a formidable debt offerings practice, which includes a healthy pipeline of high-yield debt offerings. The recruitment of Douglas Horowitz from high-yield powerhouse Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP in 2022 gives the practice with additional firepower on the banks side; previously, he has handled high-value high-yield debt offerings for JPMorgan Chase, amongst other clients. Andrew Fabens is another big name to note in the debt capital markets space.

Government > Government contracts Tier 3

Industry focus > Sport Tier 3

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP offers a multidisciplinary practice encompassing contentious and non-contentious issues for sports industry clients, with a strong capability in corporate and commercial agreements for sport sector clients. Directing the practice out of New York are Richard Birns, who co-chairs the firm’s private equity group and handles high profile transactions in the sports industry, and Maurice Suh, who acts for a diverse range of household-name clients, and is particularly active in litigious matters in the federal and state courts.

M&A/corporate and commercial > Corporate governance Tier 3

At Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, key expertise includes advising clients on IPOs after going public as a company, and on laying out their SEC and corporate governance platforms. Elizabeth Ising in Washington DC, James Moloney, also in Washington DC, and Lori Zyskowski in New York are practice group heads. Another key lawyer is Thomas Kin in Washington DC, whose practice runs the gamut of SEC disclosure and regulatory issues. Aaron Briggs in San Francisco is proficient in the technology and life sciences sectors.

M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: large deals ($500m+) Tier 3

Highly active on both the buyer and seller side of transactions, the team at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP represents a diverse range of funds, portfolio companies, financial sponsors, and sovereign wealth funds including KKR, Platinum Equity and Aurora Capital. The firm has recently bolstered the depth of their expertise with some significant lateral hires in Houston from Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP between March and May 2022, including partners Michael De Voe Piazza and Jess Myers, as well as of counsel Adam Whitehouse. De Voe Piazza joins as co-chair of PE in Houston, who brings extensive experience advising in GP stakes transactions, leveraged buyouts, and portfolio investment and fund formation projects. Richard Birns and Ari Lanin also lead the team from New York and Los Angeles respectively, both highly skilled handling high-value acquisitions including Evergreen Coast Capital’s $16.5 billion acquisition of Citrix Systems and Platinum Equity’s $6.5bn acquisition of Solenis. New York-based Steven Shoemate handles a steady stream of club deals and recapitalizations, while in Century City Candice Choh counsels sponsors on firm structuring and internal governance. Sean Griffiths has a solid reputation for complex carve out and spin-off transactions in New York.

Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions Tier 3

Dispute resolution > International arbitration Tier 4

Over the past year, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP handled a string of prominent arbitrations, with a strong pipeline of Venezuela-related investor-state disputes. Largely split between New York and Washington DC, the US practice also benefits from its ability to draw on well-staffed teams in London and Paris for support in multi-jurisdictional proceedings. Rahim Moloo steers the US international arbitration group from New York and combines strength in arbitral and enforcement matters. Moloo acted alongside New York's Lindsey Schmidt to represent two subsidiaries of Liberty Mutual in a claim against the Government of Venezuela, arising under the Spain-Venezuela and UK-Venezuela BITs. Washington DC-based of counsel Ankita Ritwik has growing experience across a range of commercial, investor-state and enforcement cases.

Energy > Energy litigation: electric power Tier 4

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP handles a range of complex energy matters, including FERC enforcement and litigation cases, regulatory matters involving acquisitions, rate proceedings, investigations, complaints and rulemakings. William Hollaway has experience with numerous wind and solar renewable power projects, among others, and represents clients in energy regulation matters and transactions, including proceedings before FERC. Senior counsel Janine Durand focuses on the development and management of energy transmission and generation, and also represents clients before FERC. Jeffrey Jakubiak left the firm in January 2023. All mentioned lawyers are based in Washington DC.

Energy > Energy regulation: oil and gas Tier 4

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP’s energy, regulatory and litigation group handles a broad range of energy regulation mandates, with demonstrable capability in handling FERC enforcement and litigation cases. Counting IMG Energy Solutions and TotalEnergies among its key roster of clients, the team’s regulatory expertise extends to rate proceedings, acquisitions, investigations and rulemaking. Jeffrey Jakubiak, Jason Fleischer and Jennifer Mansh left the team in February 2023 to Vinson & Elkins LLP. William Hollaway remains a key contact in the group and handles a variety of oil and gas mandates, including federal regulations and authorizations.

Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is widely known for its issuer-side engagements, though it does have strong connections to major underwriters. The capital markets team has a notable record in retail and consumer products, pharmaceuticals and life sciences, construction and infrastructure, and technology and software. New York’s Andrew Fabens and Texas based Hillary Holmes have fine reputations and advised Excelerate Energy on its IPO in 2022.

Finance > Commercial lending Tier 4

Finance > Structured finance: derivatives and structured products Tier 4

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP handles regulatory and compliance matters associated with regulations and guidance issued by the CFTC, SEC and US federal banking agencies, in addition to non-US regulators. The team’s current workload includes regulatory and transactional advice concerning initial margin implementation and LIBOR transition matters, as well as CFTC enforcement cases and digital asset mandates related to derivatives. In the firm’s Washington DC office, practice leader Jeffrey Steiner has experience in over-the-counter products and listed derivatives, commodities, regulatory and enforcement issues, and is frequently supported by Michael Bopp. New York-based Darius Mehraban, whose practice covers equity derivative structures, is another key contact in the group.

Healthcare > Life sciences Tier 4

The life sciences team at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP advises a diverse client roster of life sciences and investment companies, including Gilead Sciences, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Amyris. Jane Love leads the team alongside Ryan Murr, working from New York and San Francisco, respectively. Love routinely acts in patent litigations concerning biologics, RNA therapies, and therapeutic nucleic acids, while Murr advises investors targeting the medical device and diagnostics, biotech, and pharmaceutical industries on securities offerings and licensing transactions. Working out of the San Francisco office, Brandon Berns assists clients with corporate transactional matters, while of counsel Todd Trattner works with research institutes, diagnostics companies, and biotech companies – both public and private – on IP transactions. Charlotte Jacobsen joined the New York practice from Ropes & Gray LLP in April 2022, contributing her experience in handling chemical and biotech patent and licensing disputes, often appearing before the PTAB, AAA, and ICC.

International Trade > Customs, export controls and economic sanctions Tier 4

Centered in Washington DC, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP’s international trade group demonstrates strong skill sets in economic sanctions and export controls matters. A popular choice to advise its broad base of multinational clients on compliance issues, the group notably provides ongoing advice to Amazon, and its subsidiary Twitch Interactive, on economic sanctions and export controls. Judith Alison Lee co-chairs the wider international trade practice and specializes in international trade regulation, including economic sanctions and export controls; notably, she spearheads the trade practice’s advice to Amazon. The team also includes Adam Smith, a former Senior Advisor to OFAC, and technology-focused trade specialist Stephenie Gosnell Handler, who recently rejoined the firm from McKinsey & Company. The group also has significant capability in customs matters, where it routinely advises on preferential trade regimes.

M&A/corporate and commercial > Venture capital and emerging companies Tier 4

Transport > Aviation and air travel: finance

Latin America: International firms > Compliance and investigations

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is another global leader in FCPA and anticorruption investigations, with a number of senior practitioners that have a significant focus on Latin America. This was further augmented by the hire of Latin America specialist Bryan Parr as of counsel from Paul Hastings LLP in November 2022. The firm has an extensive record in Latin America white-collar and investigations matters, including due diligence related to M&A and other transactions. Moreover, it has an especially impressive background in FCPA monitorships pursuant to settlements with the SEC and DOJ. The practice is also noted for its prominence in investigations related to Operation Lava Jato in Brazil. Joseph Warin is chair of the litigation department and co-chair of the white-collar defence and investigations group; a leader in the field, he has a long track record in Latin America. Similarly highly rated, Los Angeles partner Michael Farhang is prominent in Latin-America-related internal investigations and M&A diligence, thanks to key roles in some of the biggest cases to have involved the region.