Profile: Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP - Who's Who Legal '70'

What is the Who's Who Legal '70'?

Today the firm counts big names such as Lehman Brothers, Goldman Sachs, Hilton Hotels, Intel and Wal-Mart among its many clients. Gibson Dunn is now a global law firm with approximately 900 lawyers in 14 locations throughout the United States, Europe and the Middle East. The firm performs well in our latest research, boasting 33 nominees in 14 of the chapters.

ANTITRUST, INTERNATIONAL TRADE and disputes
Gibson Dunn was founded in 1890, the same year that the Sherman Act was passed by Congress, and antitrust forms an important part of the firm’s practice today: we highlight ten partners in our competition chapter. The group recently worked on Leegin Creative Leather Products v PSKS where they represented Leegin before the Supreme Court in a case that saw them overturn the century-old per se rule against vertical price fixing. Gary Spratling in San Francisco co-chairs the firm’s antitrust and trade regulation group and comes recommended as “top for cartels” and “the best criminal [competition law] litigator in the country”. Daniel Swanson in Los Angeles also features prominently as does “fabulous litigator” Daniel Cooper.

Among other high-profile matters, Cooper successfully defended American Airlines in three publicised cases and victories. His undoubted competency in the area also sees him listed in the commercial litigation chapter. The firm also puts in a strong performance in Washington, DC, where the “phenomenal” Joseph Kattan is “intellectually huge” according to rivals. Michael Denger (a “deep thinker”), and Jarrett Arp (“a serious up-and-comer”) both feature in the upper reaches of the research. Sean Royall practises in both Dallas and DC and was praised as “really fantastic […] a really smart guy with a very successful practice” while Peter Sullivan now gives the firm a very well respected presence in New York.

On the other side of the Atlantic, Peter Alexiadis is well known in the Brussels market. Alexiadis’s pre-eminence on telecoms matters was noted on a number of occasions and he also features in the regulatory communications chapter. David Wood completes Gibson Dunn’s showing in competition.

Daniel Plaine and Donald Harrison both feature in the trade and customs chapter. Plaine’s work relating to disputes, anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations and litigation is said to be particularly noteworthy. Harrison has a similar focus and also concentrates on US customs matters.

The firm also features in the arbitration chapter this year thanks to the lateral hire of Laurence Shore from Herbert Smith in London. Shore is based out of New York and comes recommended for his “brilliant mind”.

CORPORATE AND FINANCIAL
Andrew Bogen is “one of the most well-known individuals in the state” of California and a “clear leader in the field” for M&A work. Bogen has represented clients such as Northrop Grumman, Boeing and Hilton Hotels. He is joined in the mergers and acquisitions chapter by Dennis Friedman in New York, co-chair of the firm’s M&A practice. Bogen is also recommended for his counsel to independent committees of the board of directors in “going-private” transactions and consequently appears in the corporate governance section. John Olson, a founding partner of the firm’s Washington, DC office, is another prominent player in the chapter. From 2000 to 2005 he served as chairman of the American Bar Association’s business law section’s committee on corporate governance. In 2006 he also led a group of lawyers advising the board of the American Red Cross on an audit of its governance practices. Amy Goodman spent 11 years with the SEC before joining the firm and also comes highly recommended for corporate governance advice.

Edward Sopher in the private funds chapter is a “great lawyer” and current chair of the firm’s investment funds practice group. Sopher’s work on fund formation is said to be particularly noteworthy.

Gibson Dunn also puts in a strong performance in the banking chapter. Brian Kilb in Los Angeles is said to be “excellent: thoughtful, careful and skilled”; he comes highly recommended for his work on the borrower side. Cantwell Muckenfuss appears in the DC section and before joining the firm in 1981 served as senior deputy comptroller for policy at the office of the comptroller of the currency. Respondents to our survey noted his knowledge of banking regulation.

Recent white-collar scandals ensure that business crime lawyers are at a premium. Thomas Holliday in Los Angeles co-chairs the firm’s business crimes and investigations practice group and representative experience includes acting as counsel for the defendant in United States v General Dynamics et al, a seven-count indictment alleging conspiracy and fraud in connection with a government contract for the army. One source remarked of Holliday: “There is no one better in the US.”

LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT
Gibson Dunn’s labour and employment practice spans its network of offices and three of its number make the corresponding chapter. Eugene Scalia co-chairs the group and joined the firm in 2003 having served as a solicitor of the US Department of Labor. William Kilberg also served in government from 1973 to 1977 and is currently a senior partner at the firm. Kilberg counsels and advises clients on a range of issues such as labour relations, employee relations, employee compensation and benefits and was variously described as “very good” and “a big player”. Pamela Hemminger in Los Angeles also put in a good performance in the research. Hemminger has recently worked on high-profile cases in the areas of disability discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, sexual harassment and the constitutionality of private sector applicant drug testing and was recommended as an “outstanding lawyer”.

REAL ESTATE, CONSTRUCTION AND ENVIRONMENT
The firm’s real estate group is particularly good in Los Angeles, according to our findings. Dennis Arnold is “extremely sharp and a noted academic”. Michael Sfregola was praised for his REIT work and is “very strong for real estate tax”. Jesse Sharf co-chairs the real estate department and comes recommended for the representation of real estate funds in their fund formation and investment activities. Fellow co-chair Andrew Levy in New York boasts a broad real estate practice spanning the Atlantic. Levy is a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and forms part of an excellent quartet in our chapter on real property lawyers.

Washington, DC-based Joseph West chairs the firm’s government and commercial contracts practice and appears in the construction chapter. His dispute resolution skills were brought to our attention and representative clients include owners such as the United States Navy, Bonneville Power Administration and Manulife Financial, as well as prime contractors such as Parsons Corporation and Fluor Corporation.
Los Angeles-based Patrick Dennis chairs the environmental law and natural resources practice group and “has been a leader in the Californian bar for a long time”. Dennis appears in the environment chapter and respondents to our survey recommended him for litigation, compliance counselling, defence of environmental enforcement actions and due diligence on large transactions.