Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP

01 August 2007

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Who's Who Legal: California

Antitrust became a significant part of the firm’s practice more than fifty years ago and has remained an active area ever since. Described to researchers as “a strong firm in California for antitrust – fantastic” it is clear that it is has a real presence in this market. With four partners in our competition chapter, Gibson Dunn boasts strength-in-depth unsurpassed anywhere else in the state. Gary Spratling received more nominations for competition work than anyone. He was praised for cartel work and described as a “very significant player”. Spratling co-chairs the firm’s antitrust and trade regulation group and is joined in the chapter by Daniel Swanson, Joel Sanders and Robert Cooper. Swanson has a doctorate in economics “that really shines through” and Sanders is also “intellectually strong”. Cooper was described by a peer as “one of the best of our generation” and a “fabulous litigator”. His strength in the courtroom also gives the firm a presence in the commercial litigation chapter, where he was described as a “heavy-hitter”.


Gibson Dunn is a “terrific firm” for real estate work and boasts four nominees in our chapter covering that area. Dennis Arnold is “extremely sharp and a noted academic” and has experience in all aspects of commercial and residential real estate. Michael Sfregola was noted by one source as being “very strong for real estate tax” with a “great knowledge of the Asian market”. Jesse Sharf also received strong endorsements from his peers, with sources calling him “premier” and “a very smart guy”. Sharf co-chairs the real estate department and is experienced in the representation of funds and investors. Amy Forbes rounds off this “impressive group” with a sparkling reputation for land use.
One competitor described Gibson Dunn as “the top firm in LA for environment work”, and it fields three highly regarded individuals in this chapter. Patrick Dennis “has been a leader in Californian bar for a long time” and is known for his environmental litigation work. The “top-flight” Thomas McHenry is closely followed in the research by Jeffrey Dintzer, also applauded for his skills in the courtroom.


Pamela Hemminger is an “outstanding lawyer” and one of two Gibson Dunn practitioners in the management labour & employment chapter. The “superbly qualified” William Claster joins her and together they form part of “a cohesive and impressive team”. The firm also puts in a strong performance in the employee benefits chapter where David West was “excellent for traditional benefits” and Stephen Fackler was lauded as “a master at designing plans and compensation arrangements”.


Andrew Bogen appears in both the mergers & acquisitions and corporate governance chapters. He is “truly a leader in this field” (for corporate governance) and “one of the most well known and senior M&A folks in California”. Bogen is a former head of the firm’s mergers and acquisitions practice and has served as counsel to independent committees of boards in three recent ‘going-private’ transactions. Jonathan Layne, who was described to researchers as “a first-rate M&A lawyer”, completes the firm’s excellent showing in the chapter. The banking section is also home to two of the firm’s leading practitioners. The “excellent – thoughtful, careful and skilled” Brian Kilb is joined by “rising star” Cromwell Montgomery. Douglas Smith represents the firm in the capital markets chapter.


Thomas Holliday also flies the flag for Gibson Dunn in the business crime chapter – one source claimed, “there is no-one better in the US” for white-collar work. Dean Kitchens can be found on the pages devoted to insurance and reinsurance and Wayne Barsky appears thanks to numerous nominations during the patents research.

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