Gibson Dunn is pleased to announce that James O’Donnell has today joined the firm’s London office as a partner in its Investment Funds Practice Group.

Commenting on James’ arrival, Shukie Grossman, Global Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Investment Funds Practice Group, said: “We have been expanding our elite Investment Funds Practice, and, as one of London’s leading investment funds practitioners, James is a natural fit, and a very welcome addition. James’ practice encompasses fund formation and strategic arrangements with institutional investors, and he is known as a market leader in advising on matters that sit at the intersection of these disciplines.”

“With Gibson Dunn’s prestigious global platform, and its fast-growing transactional practices in London, this is a fantastic opportunity, and a wonderful way to start the year. We have great ambitions for our London funds team, and I’m excited to begin working with new colleagues in London and internationally as part of the elite funds transaction practice,” said James.

James is joined by Hannah Watson Fanin, with whom he has worked for many years. Hannah, who is ranked as ‘Up and Coming’ by Chambers UK 2025 for Investment Funds — Investor Representation, will join the firm as of counsel.

Gibson Dunn has expanded its transactional practices in London, with other recent arrivals including M&A partner Will McDonald, private equity partner Will Summers, and finance partners Kavita Davis and David Irvine. The London office has also been joined in recent years by transactional partners Isabel Berger, Alice Brogi, Wim de Vlieger, Robert Dixon, Federico Fruhbeck, and Till Lefranc.

About James O’Donnell
James advises sponsors of, and investors in private investment funds. His experience includes the establishment and operation of funds, managed accounts and joint ventures, carried interest arrangements, management spin-outs, and secondary and co-investment transactions. His clients include fund managers, fund-of-funds managers, sovereign wealth funds, banks, development finance institutions, pension plans and insurance companies.

James is recommended for Investment Fund Formation and Management: Private Funds in Legal 500 United Kingdom 2025 and has consistently been ranked Band 1 for UK-wide Investment Funds: Investor Representation in Chambers UK 2025, where clients describe him as “absolutely top of the class, top in his field” and a “shining star of the funds sector.” He is also ranked for Africa-wide Investment Funds in Chambers UK 2025.

James earned his BA Honours History at the University of Durham.

About Hannah Watson Fanin
Hannah’s experience spans a variety of fund-related transactions, from fund formation, co-investments and secondary transactions, through to GP and LP-led restructurings, enforcement actions and advising on end-of-life issues. Having worked in-house prior to joining her previous firm, Hannah has first-hand knowledge of the unique needs and objectives of institutional investors.

Hannah is described by Chambers UK 2025 as being a “fantastic lawyer” who “consistently provides expert advice, leads negotiations and represents our interests with aplomb.”

Gibson Dunn is a leader in royalty finance, including royalty monetizations and synthetic royalty financing transactions. With an interdisciplinary team bringing together expertise in M&A, licensing, finance, intellectual property, FDA regulatory matters and tax matters, Gibson Dunn has extensive experience representing buyers and sellers of royalty entitlements, including academic institutions, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and royalty acquisition funds. This breadth of experience provides valuable insight and commercial perspective that can be critical to an efficient and successful royalty financing transaction.

The Gibson Dunn team has represented clients in royalty finance transactions with a total aggregate value of approximately $8 Billion.  Since 2020, Gibson Dunn has completed (representing either company/seller or fund/buyer) nearly 30% of the royalty finance transactions entered into by the most active funds in the space.

As a leading firm in the royalty finance space, we are using our resources and market knowledge to compile and curate all royalty finance transactions that have occurred since January 1, 2020.  If you are aware of a transaction that is not appropriately reflected below, please email GibsonDunnRoyaltyTracker@gibsondunn.com with the applicable details.

Patrick Stokes and Katharina Humphrey are the authors, together with Annabel Dornauer, of “Ende des Foreign Corrupt Practices Act? Wie sich die Executive Order von US-Präsident Trump auswirkt“ (The End of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act? The Impact of U.S. President Trump’s Executive Order), published by Börsen-Zeitung on February 14, 2025.

The article discusses the impact of Trump’s FCPA executive order and its impact on the enforcement of the FCPA both for U.S. and non-U.S. companies.

Gibson Dunn understands that the flurry of executive orders and other announcements from the White House during President Trump’s opening days is difficult to follow. To assist, we have taken on the assignment of cataloging and digesting each order as it is announced.

Below, you will find a searchable and filterable list that includes the executive orders and other significant announcements made to date. The list provides a summary of each order and announcement, along with information on the agencies involved and the subject matters covered. It also includes links to in-depth analyses Gibson Dunn has undertaken on a number of the executive orders. The list will be updated promptly upon the issuance of new announcements and orders. If you have any questions about any of the executive orders, please do not hesitate to reach out.

For additional insights, please visit our resource center, Presidential Transition: Legal Perspectives and Industry Trends.

Document Type
Categories
Key Affected Agencies
Date Range – X
Keyword X
No Results Available

The life sciences industry is entering 2025 with a largely favorable set of catalysts for the coming year, but also with some larger risks that will impact companies differently.

Key developments in 2024 laid the groundwork for the coming year, including the following:

  • a modest year-over-year increase in M&A activity in 2024, which should continue and accelerate in 2025 with a more favorable regulatory environment;
  • a modest increase in capital markets activity in 2024, including a nearly 55% increase in initial public offerings (off a low base level to start), which is also expected to continue to gain momentum in 2025;
  • continued growth in non-dilutive financing through debt, royalty financings and synthetic royalty financings, with a deeper pool of capital on the investor-side and a favorable macro-economic environment, provided that inflation does not return, and interest rates increase;
  • continued momentum in licensing activity in 2024, including an increase in out-licensing deals from China, which is expected to continue into 2025 depending on geopolitics; and
  • significant strides in artificial intelligence (AI) applications, including the release of AlphaFold3, which predicts not only structures of proteins, but also the interaction of complex proteins, potentially dramatically accelerating drug discovery, as well as the development of AI tools to help design and manage clinical trials, lowering costs and increasing the likelihood of success.

Against this backdrop, we must also take into account the expected impacts of a shifting geopolitical environment and regulatory landscape driven by the incoming Trump administration. The life sciences sector stands to gain from continued innovation and a number of positive tailwinds, but must also navigate risks related to macroeconomic volatility, potential supply chain disruptions, and evolving public policy priorities. This report provides an integrated outlook on the industry’s key areas, including mergers and acquisitions (M&A), capital markets, royalty finance, collaborations and licensing, regulatory policies, and AI, identifying trends and uncertainties that will shape the year ahead.

Read More

The following Gibson Dunn lawyers prepared this update: Ryan Murr, Branden Berns, Katlin McKelvie, Melanie Neary, Karen Spindler, and Todd Trattner.

Gibson Dunn’s lawyers are available to assist in addressing any questions you may have regarding these issues. Please contact the Gibson Dunn lawyer with whom you usually work, any leader or member of the firm’s Life Sciences practice group, or the authors:

Ryan Murr – San Francisco (+1 415.393.837, rmurr@gibsondunn.com)
Branden Berns – San Francisco (+1 415.393.4631, bberns@gibsondunn.com)
Katlin McKelvie – Washington, D.C. (+1 202.955.8526, kmckelvie@gibsondunn.com)
Melanie Neary – San Francisco (+1 415.393.8243, mneary@gibsondunn.com)
Karen Spindler – San Francisco (+1 415.393.8298, kspindler@gibsondunn.com)
Todd Trattner – San Francisco (+1 415.393.8206, ttrattner@gibsondunn.com)

© 2025 Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.  All rights reserved.  For contact and other information, please visit us at www.gibsondunn.com.

Attorney Advertising: These materials were prepared for general informational purposes only based on information available at the time of publication and are not intended as, do not constitute, and should not be relied upon as, legal advice or a legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances. Gibson Dunn (and its affiliates, attorneys, and employees) shall not have any liability in connection with any use of these materials.  The sharing of these materials does not establish an attorney-client relationship with the recipient and should not be relied upon as an alternative for advice from qualified counsel.  Please note that facts and circumstances may vary, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Gibson Dunn has created this dynamic Resource Center to provide ongoing updates on and analyses of the Corporate Transparency Act, featuring client alerts, links to FinCEN resources, and developments related to pending litigation about the constitutionality and enforcement of the CTA.

Gibson Dunn has deep experience with issues relating to the Bank Secrecy Act, the Corporate Transparency Act, other AML and sanctions laws and regulations, and challenges to Congressional statutes and administrative regulations.  For assistance navigating white collar or regulatory enforcement issues relating to the CTA, please contact any of the authors, the Gibson Dunn lawyer with whom you usually work, or any leader or member of the firm’s Anti-Money Laundering, Administrative Law & Regulatory, Investment Funds, Real Estate, or White Collar Defense & Investigations practice groups.

This hub brings together our analyses of the legal and industry impacts stemming from the presidential transition.

Explore insights on how policy changes are shaping key sectors and what businesses can do to navigate the evolving landscape. Check back regularly for future updates and informed perspectives as the transition unfolds.

View our Executive Order Tracker.

To subscribe to future mailings, please click here.

Gibson Dunn advised Delivery Hero and talabat in connection with the initial public offering (IPO) and listing of talabat on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), marking the largest technology sector IPO globally and the largest IPO in the GCC in 2024. This is the second year running that Gibson Dunn was issuer’s counsel on the largest IPO in the UAE, following last year’s $2.5 billion ADNOC Gas IPO.

The IPO, which raised gross proceeds of approximately $2 billion, resulting in an implied market capitalization of c.$10.1 billion, also marks the first-ever technology sector IPO on DFM.

talabat is the leading on-demand online food ordering, delivery, takeaway, and groceries and convenience retail marketplace in the MENA region, with operations in the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Oman, Jordan, and Iraq.

The Gibson Dunn team comprised partners Marwan Elaraby, Jade Chu, and Ibrahim Soumrany; associates  Omar Morsy, Krishna Parikh, Ashley Cywicki, Vlad Zinovyev, Rachel Treasure, Anthony Forde, Huw Thomas, Ian Mwiti Mathenge, and Sherif Hashem; and staff attorney Hazim Alfreahat.

Gibson Dunn advised global private equity firm KKR on its growth investment in Lighthouse, a leading data analytics and commercial intelligence platform for the travel and hospitality industry.

The Gibson Dunn team advising KKR was led by partner Wim De Vlieger, and was comprised of partner Isabel Berger, of counsel Michael Skouras, and associates Sarah Reder and Lena Tarrin.

The team also included partners Stephane Frank and Kristen Limarzi and associates Jan Przerwa and Jesse Schupack (Antitrust); partner Lore Leitner and associate Chris Puttock (IP/IT and Data Protection); partner Benjamin Fryer and associate Jason Richards (Tax); partner James Cox, of counsel Christina Andersen and associate Georgia Derbyshire (Employment).

Ted Olson


Gibson Dunn is deeply saddened by the passing of our partner and friend, Theodore B. Olson, on November 13, 2024. A towering figure on the national stage, Ted was a once-in-a-generation lawyer – and a central part of Gibson Dunn’s legacy and success.

He was a founder of the firm’s Appellate and Constitutional Law Practice Group and served in many firm leadership positions as well as senior government roles, including Solicitor General of the United States.

“Ted was a titan of the legal profession and one of the most extraordinary and eloquent advocates of our time,” said Barbara Becker, Chair and Managing Partner of Gibson Dunn. “He was creative, principled, and fearless – a trailblazing advocate who cared about all people. We mourn his loss profoundly and send our condolences to his wife Lady, a cherished member of our firm family, and to all of Ted’s loved ones.”

“Ted has been the heart and soul of Gibson Dunn for six decades and made us who we are today,” said Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., partner at Gibson Dunn. “He was not just an incomparable lawyer, mentor, role model, and friend, but he has made immeasurable contributions to the rule of law, our Constitution, and our country. We will miss him with all our hearts.”  

In June 2024, the firm held a ceremony, attended by Ted, to christen the Theodore B. Olson Moot Courtroom in Los Angeles, in honor of his pioneering methods of appellate argument preparation and his bold and powerful style of delivery. May his memory be a blessing.

About Theodore B. Olson

Theodore B. Olson was Solicitor General of the United States during the period 2001 to 2004. From 1981 to 1984, he was Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Office of Legal Counsel in the U.S. Department of Justice. Except for those two intervals, he was a lawyer with Gibson Dunn in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. since 1965.  

Selected by TIME in 2010 as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, Ted was one of the nation’s premier appellate and U.S. Supreme Court advocates.

He argued 65 cases in the Supreme Court, including the two Bush v. Gore cases arising out of the 2000 presidential election; Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission; Hollingsworth v. Perry, the case upholding the overturning of California’s Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriages; and U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California, successfully challenging the Trump Administration’s rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Ted’s Supreme Court arguments included cases involving separation of powers; federalism; voting rights; the First Amendment; the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses; patents and copyrights; antitrust; taxation; property rights; punitive damages; the Commerce Clause; immigration; criminal law; securities; telecommunications; the internet; and other federal constitutional and statutory questions.

Ted served as private counsel to two Presidents, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, in addition to serving those two Presidents in high-level positions in the Department of Justice.

He was twice awarded the U.S. Department of Justice’s Edmund J. Randolph Award, its highest award for public service and leadership, and also received the Department of Defense’s Distinguished Service Award, its highest civilian award, for his advocacy in the courts of the United States, including the Supreme Court.

Ted was appointed by President Barack Obama to the 10-member Council of the Administrative Conference of the United States as well as the Commission on White House Fellowships. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, the Board of Visitors of the Federalist Society, the Board of Directors of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, and the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial Foundation. He previously served as a member of the President’s Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board.

Ted was a Fellow of both the American College of Trial Lawyers and the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. He received his law degree in 1965 from the University of California, Berkeley where he was a Member of the California Law Review and Order of the Coif.

Gibson Dunn today announced that Barry Berke, one of the country’s leading trial lawyers and white-collar criminal defense attorneys, has joined Gibson Dunn, where he will serve as Co-Chair of the firm’s global Litigation Practice Group. Barry joins Gibson Dunn’s New York office with an elite team of first-chair trial partners, all of whom are former federal prosecutors: Dani James, Michael Martinez, Darren LaVerne, and Jordan Estes.

Barbara Becker, Chair and Managing Partner of Gibson Dunn, said: “Our firm’s preeminent litigation platform is an important part of our identity, and we are proud to welcome Barry and the team as we continue to build on this legacy. With their extensive experience across a wide range of litigation and investigative matters, this stellar group is a natural fit for Gibson Dunn. We are thrilled to begin our work together in service of clients around the globe.”

Described as “America’s greatest trial lawyer,” Berke represents individuals and corporations in sensitive and high-profile trials, investigations, complex litigation, and internal investigations. He also handles financial litigation and complex commercial disputes. For decades, Berke and the team have handled many of the most sensitive and high-profile criminal and civil matters in the country.

Berke commented: “We are honored to join forces with Gibson Dunn and their world-class litigation group. We are excited for our next chapter and to serve our clients from this extraordinary platform.”  

The team joins from Kramer Levin, where Berke chaired the Litigation practice. Berke noted: “Kramer Levin was a wonderful home for us for many, many years. We have deep respect for the firm and our former colleagues, and we look forward to working with them in the future.”

The elite litigators joining Gibson Dunn with Barry — all former federal prosecutors with experience handling both civil and criminal cases — are:

  • Dani James – A former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, James served as Co-Chair of Kramer Levin’s White Collar Defense and Investigations practice. She represents executives and companies in sensitive, complicated and high-profile criminal and regulatory matters conducted by federal and state agencies, including the DOJ, the SEC, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, among other agencies.
  • Michael Martinez – An accomplished trial lawyer and leading national health care fraud practitioner, Martinez is a former federal prosecutor for the District of New Jersey, where he served for three years as the Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney, in charge of all criminal and civil health care fraud cases.
  • Darren LaVerne – A former federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of New York, LaVerne counsels and advocates for individuals and companies in sensitive, complicated, and high-stakes matters involving criminal and regulatory trials, hearings, investigations, and related civil proceedings. He has litigated cases in courts around the country, as well as in arbitral forums in the United States and abroad. 
  • Jordan Estes – A former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, Estes has been lead or co-lead counsel on 14 federal trials over the past eight years. Estes spent more than eight years in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where she served as co-chief of the General Crimes Unit and tried some of the Office’s most high-profile cases as a senior member of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force.

Vidal v. Elster, No. 22-704 – Decided June 13, 2024

Today, the Supreme Court held that the Lanham Act’s prohibition on registration of trademarks that include a living person’s name without that person’s consent does not violate the First Amendment.

  • “We conclude that a tradition of restricting the trademarking of names has coexisted with the First Amendment, and the names clause fits within that tradition.”

Justice Thomas, writing for the Court

Background:

The Lanham Act establishes certain statutory requirements for trademark registration. One requirement is the Act’s “names clause”—no trademark may include “a name, portrait, or signature identifying a particular living individual except by his written consent.” 15 U.S.C. § 1052(c). In 2018, Steve Elster applied to register the mark “Trump too small,” a reference to then-President Donald J. Trump. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office denied his request because he had not obtained written consent from President Trump.

Elster appealed, and the Federal Circuit reversed, holding that the names clause violated Elster’s right to free speech under the First Amendment. The Federal Circuit explained that the names clause is a content-based restriction, which is subject to heightened scrutiny under the First Amendment. And it held that the names clause does not satisfy heightened scrutiny here because there is no government interest in restricting speech critical of government officials in the trademark context.

Issue:

Whether the refusal to register a mark under the names clause violates the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment when the mark contains criticism of a government official or public figure.

Court’s Holding:

No. The names clause does not violate the First Amendment because, while it is content based, it is viewpoint neutral and fits within historical tradition.

What It Means:

  • The Court underscored that today’s decision is “narrow” because it holds “only that history and tradition establish that the particular restriction before [the Court] . . . does not violate the First Amendment.” Other content-based trademark requirements that lack a similarly well-established history and tradition may still be vulnerable to First Amendment challenges.
  • Although the Court’s judgment was unanimous, the fractured opinions demonstrate the Court’s disagreement about how to assess the constitutionality of content-based trademark registration requirements. The majority focused on history and tradition. Justice Barrett in a separate opinion (joined by Justice Kagan in full and by Justices Sotomayor and Jackson in part) expressed the view that content-based restrictions should be upheld “so long as they are reasonable in light of the trademark system’s purpose of facilitating source identification.” Justice Sotomayor in a concurring opinion (joined by Justices Kagan and Jackson) said the Court should look to the “well-trodden terrain” of “trademark law and settled First Amendment precedent.”
  • Today’s ruling distinguished other recent Supreme Court decisions holding that restrictions on trademark registrations do violate the First Amendment when they discriminate based on viewpoint. See Matal v. Tam, 582 U.S. 218 (2017) (disparaging marks) and Iancu v. Brunetti, 588 U.S. 388 (2019) (immoral or scandalous marks). In contrast to those precedents, the Court held that a uniform rule against registering trademarks that include personal names without consent does not single out a trademark based on the specific motivating ideology or the opinion or perspective of the speaker.

The Court’s opinion is available here.

Gibson Dunn’s lawyers are available to assist in addressing any questions you may have regarding developments at the U.S. Supreme Court. Please feel free to contact the following practice group leaders:

Appellate and Constitutional Law Practice

Thomas H. Dupree Jr.
+1 202.955.8547
tdupree@gibsondunn.com		Allyson N. Ho
+1 214.698.3233
aho@gibsondunn.com		Julian W. Poon
+1 213.229.7758
jpoon@gibsondunn.com
Lucas C. Townsend
+1 202.887.3731
ltownsend@gibsondunn.com		Bradley J. Hamburger
+1 213.229.7658
bhamburger@gibsondunn.com		Brad G. Hubbard
+1 214.698.3326
bhubbard@gibsondunn.com

Related Practice: Intellectual Property

Kate Dominguez
+1 212.351.2338
kdominguez@gibsondunn.com		Y. Ernest Hsin
+1 415.393.8224
ehsin@gibsondunn.com		Josh Krevitt
+1 212.351.4000
jkrevitt@gibsondunn.com
Jane M. Love, Ph.D.
+1 212.351.3922
jlove@gibsondunn.com		Howard S. Hogan
+1 202.887.3640
hhogan@gibsondunn.com		Ilissa Samplin
+1 213.229.7354
isamplin@gibsondunn.com

This alert was prepared by associates Daniel Adler and Jason Muehlhoff.

© 2024 Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.  All rights reserved.  For contact and other information, please visit us at www.gibsondunn.com.

Attorney Advertising: These materials were prepared for general informational purposes only based on information available at the time of publication and are not intended as, do not constitute, and should not be relied upon as, legal advice or a legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances. Gibson Dunn (and its affiliates, attorneys, and employees) shall not have any liability in connection with any use of these materials.  The sharing of these materials does not establish an attorney-client relationship with the recipient and should not be relied upon as an alternative for advice from qualified counsel.  Please note that facts and circumstances may vary, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

The National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA) has named Gibson Dunn one of its 2024 Beacon of Justice Award recipients, which recognizes honorees “for their efforts to address issues related to civil & human rights. ” The award is in recognition of the firm’s substantial pro bono work, including: (i) winning a historic jury verdict for Deon Jones, a peaceful protestor subjected to police violence; (ii) defending the Fearless Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides Black women business-owners with charitable grants and mentorship; and (iii) assisting more than 300 Afghans with their humanitarian parole applications.

The Legal Benchmarking Group named Gibson Dunn as the winner of the 2024 Social Impact Pro Bono Firm of the Year award, at its inaugural 2024 Social Impact Awards Americas ceremony, “celebrating social impact and inclusion,” and recognizing “strides made by trailblazing firms in fostering diverse, equitable, and inclusive environments.”

Gibson Dunn lawyers were honored by the Daily Journal with its 2024 California Lawyer Award for their role in a “first-of-its-kind jury verdict in a historic civil rights case” in Deon Jones v. City of Los Angeles.  The Award recognizes the best legal teams in California for their work over the past year.