Gibson Dunn is pleased to announce that Keith Enright, former Vice President and Chief Privacy Officer for Google LLC, has joined the firm’s Palo Alto office as a partner. Keith will serve as Co-Chair of the firm’s Artificial Intelligence Practice Group and Co-Chair of the Tech and Innovation Industry Group, where he will focus on AI, data privacy, and technology risks and strategies for an array of clients.
“Keith is a recognized global leader on privacy, AI and data innovation, with experience navigating countless front-page legal and regulatory issues and investigations,” said Ashlie Beringer, Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Tech and Innovation Industry Group. “Keith’s technical depth and strategic insights will strongly benefit Gibson Dunn’s burgeoning and market-redefining technology, artificial intelligence, privacy, and cybersecurity platform.”
Keith’s arrival further strengthens Gibson Dunn’s global bench of leading lawyers with former senior executive experience at the world’s largest and most disruptive technology companies. Last year, former Apple Inc. Chief Privacy Officer Jane Horvath joined Gibson Dunn’s D.C. office, former Apple Inc. senior attorney Vivek Mohan joined the Palo Alto office in 2022, and former Facebook (now Meta) Deputy General Counsel Ashlie Beringer rejoined the firm in Palo Alto in 2021.
“With the swell of technology regulation globally, coupled with the technological shifts that GenAI is driving across industries, we are in a transformational era, and I look forward to expanding this growing practice at Gibson Dunn,” said Keith. “Gibson Dunn has built a destination practice for companies embracing the digital migration and grappling with data strategies and risks associated with these new disruptive technologies. I am excited to begin the next chapter of my career alongside the firm’s talented team to help clients address these complex challenges.”
Gibson Dunn recently added several heavyweights to its tech practices in the UK and Europe, including Robert Spano, former president of the European Court of Human Rights who joined in 2023 and is based in Paris; Joel Harrison, who joined the London office in 2022; and Lore Leitner, who also joined in London this year. The firm also added Connell O’Neill in Hong Kong in 2020. They work closely with Ahmed Baladi, Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation practice in Paris, to lead the firm’s strong bench of privacy, AI and technology lawyers in U.S., Europe and Asia. The team works closely together to develop integrated global strategies for implementing a wave of EU regulation and defending regulatory disputes with cross-border reach. Keith’s deep experience navigating global regulation and his relationships with global regulators will add to this rapidly growing area for the firm.
About Keith Enright
Keith’s practice will focus on advising clients in all sectors to navigate the complex regulatory, public policy, compliance, and customer challenges that arise when deploying AI and data-driven product offerings, often against a backdrop of government scrutiny, evolving regulation, and fierce competition. He has over 20 years of senior executive experience, focusing on legal leadership, international strategy, AI governance, data privacy/protection, cybersecurity, information management, regulatory engagement and response, compliance, and risk management. As Google’s Vice President and Chief Privacy Officer, Keith led the company’s worldwide privacy and consumer protection legal functions, with teams across the United States, Europe, and Asia. He is also an experienced public company, private enterprise, and nonprofit board director, with a particular passion for entrepreneurship and the maximization of the benefits of technology for society and people everywhere. He has previously served on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and currently serves as a founding member of the IAPP AI Governance Center Advisory Board.
Gibson Dunn and Solomon Simmons Law today on behalf of the Estate of police shooting victim, Terence Crutcher, appealed the dismissal of a civil rights lawsuit arising out of Mr. Crutcher’s killing.
On September 16, 2016, a Tulsa Police Officer shot and killed Terence Crutcher while he was unarmed with his hands raised. The police officer who killed Mr. Crutcher approached him as he was walking down the street and then senselessly and violently escalated the encounter to deadly force within minutes. Mr. Crutcher’s killing is captured on video—which was released shortly after his death following public outrage. The video shows that the officer pursued Mr. Crutcher with her gun pointed at his back as he walked slowly toward his car parked in the street. The video then shows Mr. Crutcher with his hands raised as the officer fires her weapon at him with a bullet that entered under his raised right arm. At the time of his death, Mr. Crutcher had no weapon and was not under arrest. The Tulsa County District Attorney charged the officer with first-degree manslaughter, but she was acquitted after trial in May 2017.
Mr. Crutcher’s Estate filed this civil rights lawsuit seven years ago, alleging the officer and the City of Tulsa violated Mr. Crutcher’s Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment Rights. After years of delays, the lower court dismissed the case, ruling the officer was entitled to “qualified immunity,” despite shooting an unarmed man whose hands were held in the air. The lower court also dismissed claims against the City of Tulsa for its unconstitutional police practices that resulted in the shooting.
The Estate’s appeal contends that the lower court’s ruling was grievously wrong. The court refused to consider the evidence the Estate put forward, failed to apply governing Supreme Court and appellate case law, and disregarded forty years of precedent forbidding officers from using deadly force against unarmed Americans—like Mr. Crutcher—who pose no threat. The court also dismissed the claims against the City, ruling the Estate did not establish “any link” between Mr. Crutcher’s killing and the unconstitutional police practices alleged, holding the Estate to the wrong pleading standard, and ignoring the Estate’s detailed allegations, including the officer’s own admission that it was her police training that dictated that she shoot an unarmed Mr. Crutcher.
The Estate seeks reversal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and is asking the appellate court to order that the case proceed to trial.
Karin Portlock, partner at Gibson Dunn, stated: “Eight years ago today, Terence Crutcher—a son, brother, and father—was senselessly killed. He was unarmed and holding his hands up when a Tulsa police officer shot him and ended his life. The court’s dismissal of his family’s lawsuit was deeply flawed and unjust. It is fundamental to our Constitution and our rights as Americans that an officer cannot shoot an unarmed person who poses no threat. We are honored and privileged to represent the Crutcher family in this appeal and stand with them in their enduring pursuit of justice for Terence Crutcher.”
Damario Solomon-Simmons of Solomon Simmons Law also stated: “While I am confident that after watching the video of an unarmed, non-threatening Terence being shot while his hands were in the air, the Tenth Circuit will reverse the district court’s unjust dismissal of our case, we remain heartbroken that Terence’s unnecessary and unconstitutional shooting was yet another example of the City of Tulsa’s deadly police culture, unconstitutional policing, and overall culture of excessive force.
Today, as I have for the last eight years as their lead counsel and decades-long family friend, I stand with the Crutcher family to remember Terence, and recommit to our work holding the City of Tulsa and Officer Betty Shelby accountable and seeking justice for Terence.”
Rev. Crutcher, Mr. Crutcher’s father, stated: “Over the last eight years not a day has gone by without thinking about Terence. My family and I are haunted by the video of my son being gunned down while unarmed and with his hands up. We just can’t understand why, when Terence needed help from Officer Betty Shelby, she instead shot and killed him for no reason. Nothing will ever take away the pain Terence’s death has caused our family, but we can’t even begin to try to heal if his killers are not held liable. We are praying that the Tenth Circuit court allows us to move forward with the trial against Shelby and the City of Tulsa.”
The brief is available here.
Gibson Dunn is pleased to announce that Ryan Kim has joined the firm’s New York office as a partner. Ryan will be heading Gibson Dunn’s private credit efforts.
“We are excited to welcome Ryan to Gibson Dunn,” said Scott Greenberg, Global Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Business Restructuring and Reorganization Practice Group. “Ryan is a versatile finance lawyer with significant experience in private credit space. He is well known to our clients and a natural fit for our growing team.”
“Ryan’s comprehensive and distinctive practice spans the full life cycle of a credit investment, from initial capital deployment to liability management transactions and in-court and out-of-court restructurings for debtors and creditor groups. He will be an invaluable resource for our clients in a highly active private credit market,” added Doug Horowitz, Co-Chair of the firm’s Finance Practice Group.
“I’m thrilled to begin the next chapter of my career at Gibson Dunn,” said Ryan. “The talent across the firm is unmatched, and I very much look forward to working alongside this outstanding team. Gibson Dunn’s premier platform is an excellent foundation as I continue to build out my practice.”
Ryan’s arrival continues the growth of Gibson Dunn’s New York office, with the recent additions of M&A partner George Sampas, private equity partner Brian Scrivani, special situations partner Caith Kushner, regulatory finance partner Ro Spaziani, real estate finance partners Michael Weinberger and Krystyna Blakeslee, and executive compensation and employee benefits partner Kate Napalkova.
About Ryan Kim
Ryan is spearheading the firm’s private credit initiatives and focuses on advising creditors, asset managers and alternative capital sources on all aspects of financing transactions. He has experience with a wide variety of finance transactions, including syndicated loan financing, cash flow and asset-based lending, rescue financings, debtor-in-possession financings and other special situation opportunities. He is particularly active in representing asset managers deploying capital in the middle market and direct lending spaces. Ryan was previously a partner at an international law firm. He earned his law degree, with honors, from Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar.
Judge Carol Whitehurst of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana issued a Report and Recommendation denying Defendants’ motion to dismiss a civil rights lawsuit seeking to hold Louisiana District Attorney’s office liable for the unconstitutional incarceration of innocent third-party witness for more than six months in flagrant disregard of her constitutional rights.
Lafayette, La. Magistrate Judge Carol Whitehurst has recommended denial of the defendants’ motion to dismiss a civil rights action filed by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP and Barrasso Usdin Kupperman Freeman & Sarver, LLC on behalf of Tayjha Alfred against Martin Bofill (“Bo”) Duhé, the District Attorney for the 16th Judicial District of Louisiana, and Assistant District Attorney Alister Charrier. The suit seeks damages and injunctive relief for the constitutional violations Ms. Alfred suffered when the defendants caused her to be incarcerated as a material witness for more than six months despite never charging her with a crime, and for similar constitutional violations against other material witnesses. The suit also seeks to have Louisiana’s material-witness statute declared facially unconstitutional.
In 2019, Ms. Alfred happened to be in the vicinity of an area that later became the scene of a murder and voluntarily told police who she saw in the area before any crime occurred. More than three years passed before Bo Duhé and Alister Charrier decided they wanted Ms. Alfred to testify at the trial for the murder suspect. In the interim, Ms. Alfred had obtained a nursing degree and became a traveling nurse, providing care to the nation’s most vulnerable at the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic. In February 2023, rather than serve Ms. Alfred with a subpoena, they caused Ms. Alfred to be arrested and incarcerated for more than six months as a material witness until she testified at the trial. Ms. Alfred was never charged with committing any crime, nor was she a suspect. During her incarceration, Ms. Alfred was never appointed counsel—as every accused criminal defendant receives upon arrest—nor was she provided with an appearance bond or any meaningful hearing to challenge her incarceration. Ms. Alfred lost her job and her spot in an advanced nursing program while she was incarcerated and suffered severe mental and emotional distress.
Mr. Duhé and Ms. Charrier moved to dismiss Ms. Alfred’s complaint on multiple grounds, including that they are immune from any liability for their actions against Ms. Alfred. Ms. Alfred opposed that motion, and Judge Whitehurst recommended denying it in full. Judge Whitehurst recognized that Mr. Duhé’s and Ms. Charrier’s actions of allowing an innocent third-party witness “to remain in jail for six months without the chance to defend herself and without the most basic rights given even to accused criminals” are not protected by prosecutorial immunity. She also held that they are not entitled to qualified immunity, because Mr. Duhé and Ms. Charrier should have known of the “obvious constitutional problems of incarcerating an innocent witness for an extended period of time without access to counsel, the opportunity for bail or bond, or the opportunity to defend herself.”
Judge Whitehurst also rejected the defendants’ attempts to dismiss Ms. Alfred’s claims against Mr. Duhé in his official capacity as district attorney, finding that Ms. Alfred had alleged that Mr. Duhé’s office had misused the material witness statute 100% of the time it had invoked the statute. And Judge Whitehurst recommended denying dismissal of Ms. Alfred’s claim for negligent infliction of emotional distress, and requests for declaratory and injunctive relief and damages for reputational harm. Mr. Duhé and Ms. Charrier have until September 11, 2024 to file objections to Judge Whitehurst’s Report and Recommendation to the district court.
Katherine Marquart, partner and chair of Gibson Dunn’s pro bono program, stated: “We are grateful to the Court for its ruling, recommending denial of the District Attorney’s motion to dismiss Ms. Alfred’s civil rights lawsuit. As the Court recognized, imprisoning an innocent witness for 6 months to testify at a trial for 30 minutes is an obvious and outrageous constitutional violation. District Attorney Bo Duhé and Assistant District Attorney Alister Charrier put Ms. Alfred in jail and threw away the keys, without providing even the barest procedural processes. This unconscionable conduct cost Ms. Alfred her nursing job and educational opportunities she had earned to advance her career even further. We look forward to holding the Defendants accountable.”
Judge Whitehurst’s order recommending denial of the defendants’ motion to dismiss is available here: Report and Recommendation, Alfred v. Duhé.
The Amended Complaint is available here: Tayjha Alfred v. Martin Bofill (“Bo”) Duhé, in his individual capacity and in his official capacity as the 16th Judicial District Attorney; and Alister Charrier, in her individual capacity.
Hillel International, ADL (the Anti-Defamation League), the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP today announced that the Campus Antisemitism Legal Line (CALL) has received more than 650 requests for assistance from university students across the country who experienced antisemitic harassment, violence or discrimination in the first nine months of the program.
Through CALL, lawyers from leading firms provide free assistance to students reporting antisemitic discrimination and hate by conducting in-depth information-gathering interviews and offering pro bono representation in cases of violations of students’ civil rights under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Since CALL’s launch, nearly 100 attorneys from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP and 40 other law firms fielded students’ requests for help. More than 250 individual practitioners also volunteered their time to support Jewish students.
Examples of CALL’s work on behalf of students include:
- Providing legal support to a Jewish student at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst who was verbally harassed and physically assaulted because he was supportive of Israel and the hostages taken in the Hamas attack on Oct. 7.
- After Jewish students attending The Ohio State University were assaulted, CALL worked with Jewish partner organizations to file a Title VI complaint.
- As a result of a CALL intake, ADL and the Brandeis Center filed a Title VI complaint alleging the Pomona College administration failed to protect Jewish students as anti-Israel organizations held on-campus protests in violation of college regulations that resulted in physical violence, intimidation, and occupation of campus buildings.
- CALL drafted a letter to Princeton University leadership condemning the use of no-contact orders to silence a Jewish student journalist trying to report on anti-Israel protests. This led Princeton to change its policy so that these no-contact orders could no longer be issued under such circumstances and affirmed that the student would not face consequences for her journalism.
“As antisemitism on campus skyrockets, CALL is making a difference in the lives of Jewish students every day by providing outstanding legal support to fight harassment and bigotry,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO and National Director. “CALL empowers students to take action and push back against those who perpetrate and enable hate on their campus.”
So far, CALL has received a wide variety of antisemitic incident reports including physical assaults; in-person and online harassment; exclusion from student organizations and other educational opportunities on campus; harassment, discrimination, and improper political indoctrination from professors in the classroom; protestors who confront and harass Jewish and Israeli students on campus; vandalism and unauthorized removal of hostage and pro-Israel posters on campus; disruptions of regular classroom instruction and events sponsored by Jewish and pro-Israel organizations; and retaliatory bad faith complaints filed against Jewish students through universities’ internal grievance processes.
“We know that addressing the scourge of antisemitism requires a multifaceted approach, and I am proud of the critical role that the Campus Antisemitism Legal Line has played during the past year,” said Adam Lehman, president and CEO of Hillel International. “As a complement to our broader work supporting Jewish life on campus and addressing antisemitism, CALL offers an essential tool for Jewish students to get the help they need from leading legal experts to protect their civil rights.”
Recognizing the mounting concerns about the upcoming school year, the CALL helpline remains ready to assist and support Jewish students who face antisemitic incidents on campus. Students, family members, faculty, or staff members can go to the CALL website or text “CALLhelp” to 51555 to report incidents of antisemitic discrimination, intimidation, harassment, vandalism, or violence that may necessitate legal action.
“The law is a powerful motivator and an essential tool in the effort to combat antisemitism and protect Jewish students from harassment and discrimination on campus,” said Alyza D. Lewin, president of the Brandeis Center. “Through CALL, we have educated students on their legal rights, demanded universities meet their legal obligations, and perhaps most importantly, come together as a community in strength to empower and protect our students. They know that if they have the courage and confidence to wear their Jewish identity proudly, and they come under attack for that, we will have their back.”
During the 2023-2024 academic year, colleges and universities saw more than 1,400 antisemitic incidents on campuses – by far the highest number of antisemitic incidents in a single school year ever on record according to ADL and Hillel International tracking. Following the Oct. 7 attack, a survey by Hillel and ADL found that 73 percent of Jewish college students and 44 percent of non-Jewish students experienced or witnessed antisemitism on their campuses last fall.
“We’re grateful to be part of this important effort to help victims of campus antisemitism. Gibson Dunn is committed to combating antisemitism and all forms of hate and intolerance,” said Barbara Becker, Gibson Dunn Chair and Managing Partner.
CALL’s supporting organizations include Alpha Epsilon Phi, Alpha Epsilon Pi, the American Jewish Committee, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the Jewish Agency for Israel, Jewish on Campus, the Jewish Federations of North America, JGO: The Jewish Grad Organization (formerly JGSI), the Israel on Campus Coalition, the Israeli-American Council, Masa, Olami, the OU Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus, Sigma Alpha Mu, Sigma Delta Tau, and Zeta Beta Tau.
A separate legal helpline providing pro bono legal assistance to parents whose children are experiencing antisemitism in California’s K-12 schools is run by the Brandeis Center, ADL, and StandWithUs, along with four leading law firms. Parents and other interested adults in California can report incidents of antisemitic discrimination, intimidation, harassment, vandalism or violence occurring in K-12 schools to the Legal Protection K-12 Helpline.
Gibson Dunn is advising TPG’s The Rise Fund in their significant strategic investment in BillEase, a leading digital consumer finance platform in the Philippines.
More information can be found here.
The Gibson Dunn corporate team from Singapore and Hong Kong was led by partner Scott Jalowayski and included counsel Marcus Tan, and associates Tyler Cohen, Sean Pan, John Cheah, Amanda Ng and Oscar Hwang. Partner Oliver Welch and counsel Ning Ning advised on compliance matters.
Gibson Dunn is pleased to announce that Will Summers has today joined the firm’s London office as a partner in its Private Equity Practice Group. The group will also be joined in London by of counsel, Michael Skouras.
Commenting on the arrivals, Richard Birns, Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Private Equity Practice Group, said: “Will has a reputation for excellence and a solid track record as a trusted advisor to large PE sponsors. We’re thrilled to have both Will and Michael join our global private equity team.” “I am excited to be joining a top-tier practice in one of the world’s most prestigious law firms. Gibson Dunn’s global footprint and strong reputation in private equity were a huge draw to me, together with its ambitious expansion plans in the UK, Europe and beyond. I am looking forward to utilising the firm’s expertise across all major practice areas to deliver the best possible service to the firm’s existing and future private capital clients,” said Will.
Gibson Dunn has expanded its transactional practices in London in recent years, with the arrival of private equity partners Isabel Berger, Alice Brogi, Wim de Vlieger, Robert Dixon, Federico Fruhbeck, and Till Lefranc. In the past year, the London office was also joined by finance partners Kavita Davis and David Irvine.
About Will Summers
Will advises private equity houses and financial sponsors on cross-border acquisitions, divestitures, co-investments, joint ventures, minority and growth capital investments, carve-outs, and corporate restructurings. He is a recommended practitioner in The Legal 500 for London for Private Equity: Transactions – High-Value Deals (£250 million+), where clients commend his “exceptional talent and dedication” and “sharp focus, attention to detail and pragmatism.” He earned his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Law with Another Legal System (Hong Kong) from the University College London.
About Michael Skouras
Michael advises private equity sponsors and other investors on complex cross-border acquisitions, divestitures, co-investments, minority and growth capital investments. He earned his Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the University of Exeter.
Gibson Dunn represented Mondelēz International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDLZ), one of the world’s largest snack companies, on its SEC-registered offering of $500 million aggregate principal amount of 4.750% Notes due 2034. The notes offering closed on August 28, 2024. BBVA Securities Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Mizuho Securities USA LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC acted as joint book-running managers in the notes offering.
The Gibson Dunn corporate team was led by partner Andrew Fabens and included of counsel Rodrigo Surcan and associates Lawrence Lee and Ian Mwiti Mathenge; and partner Lorna Wilson advised on tax aspects.
Gibson Dunn has advised Hahn & Company, a leading South Korea-based private equity firm, on the formation of Hahn & Company IV, its fourth Korea-focused buyout fund.
Hahn & Company IV raised approximately US$3.4 billion in capital commitments, surpassing its target of US$3.2 billion, and is reported to be the largest single-country investment fund ever formed in Asia, excluding China. Capital commitments came from investors globally, with 35% coming from Asia, 30% from North America, and 20% from the Middle East.
The Gibson Dunn team was led by Hong Kong partner Albert Cho and included associates Kathy Wen, Brian Ham, Keira Su, Christina Fong and Rachelle Tong. Tax advice was provided by partner Daniel Zygielbaum (Washington, D.C.), Pamela Endreny (New York), of counsel Loren Lembo (New York), and associates Rebecca Friedman (Los Angeles) and Duncan Hamilton (Dallas). Partner Michael Collins (Washinton, D.C.) advised on ERISA aspects, and partner Darius Mehraban (New York), and associates Aja Sanneh (New York) and Vlad Zinovyev (Abu Dhabi) advised on financing aspects.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is advising Goldman Sachs as financial advisor to Kellanova on Kellanova’s $35.9 billion sale to Mars, Incorporated.
The Gibson Dunn corporate team consists of partner George Sampas and associate Brennan Halloran.
Gibson Dunn is advising Vitol B.V. on its acquisition of Noble Resources Trading Limited, one of Asia’s leading independent energy products and industrial raw materials supply chain managers.
The transaction is subject to customary conditions precedent and is expected to close before the end of 2024. Additional information is available in the release.
The Gibson Dunn core team is led by partners Elaine Chao and Saptak Santra and includes Kai Wen Chua, Amanda Ng, Peter Madden, Sean Pan, Jun An Chee and Qingxiang Toh in Singapore, with support from Sébastien Evrard, Brian Schwarzwalder, David Wolber, Katie Cheung and Margaret Li in Hong Kong, and Nicole Lee in Washington, D.C.
Gibson Dunn is pleased to announce that Elizabeth “Liz” Ryan has joined the Dallas office as a partner in the firm’s Litigation and Trials Practice Groups.
“Liz is an outstanding trial lawyer known for her exceptional courtroom skills. She has an earned reputation as a tough, smart, and well-prepared trial lawyer. We are thrilled to welcome her to the Gibson Dunn litigation team,” said Trey Cox, Co-Partner in Charge of Gibson Dunn’s Dallas office and Co-Chair of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. “She has a proven track record of leading significant trials. Liz excels in navigating complex legal matters and providing invaluable counsel during challenging litigation. Her addition will enhance our robust litigation practice in Texas and beyond.”
“It is an incredibly exciting time to join Gibson Dunn. The firm’s growth in Texas is both explosive and impressive,” said Liz. “Even with this growth, Gibson Dunn has maintained a collaborative atmosphere, collegiality, renowned client service, and unparalleled litigation results. Having repeatedly co-counseled with outstanding Gibson Dunn attorneys throughout my practice, I’m now honored to join their ranks. I look forward to expanding my trial practice and appearing before courts and juries with even more frequency.”
Liz’s arrival continues the expansion of Gibson Dunn’s market-leading litigation practice in Texas, which features exceptional litigators who previously joined the firm, including Trey Cox and David Woodcock in Dallas and Gregg Costa, Collin Cox, and Sydney Scott in Houston, as well as recently promoted litigation partners, such as Christine Demana, Brad Hubbard, Ashley Johnson, and Betty Yang in Dallas. The firm’s Texas litigators are regularly recognized in industry rankings, such as Chambers USA, The Legal 500 United States, and Benchmark Litigation US. Last year, The American Lawyer named Gibson Dunn as the Texas Regional Litigation Department of the Year winner, which recognizes “the best litigation department in [the] jurisdiction.”
About Elizabeth “Liz” Ryan
Liz is a first-chair trial lawyer who handles complex, high-stakes disputes involving a wide array of legal issues, including antitrust, breach of contract, business tort, employment, intellectual property, product liability and mass torts. She has extensive courtroom experience and advises clients on how to navigate disputes through federal courts, state courts, and arbitrations.
Liz was previously a partner at both an international law firm and a preeminent trial boutique. She clerked for Judge Eugene E. Siler, Jr. in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. She earned her law degree in 2007 from William & Mary Law School, where she was admitted to the Order of the Barristers.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Keith Puckett, a Black resident of the City of El Segundo, against the City of El Segundo for racial profiling and unlawful detention by the El Segundo Police Department (ESPD). The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages and an injunction barring the City from engaging in unconstitutional conduct and requiring the adoption of appropriate policies and training of ESPD officers.
Empirical data collected by El Segundo under the Racial and Identity Profiling Act confirms ESPD is engaged in widespread racial profiling. Most notably, even though fewer than 5 percent of El Segundo’s residents are Black, more than 20 percent of all ESPD stops are of Black people. Recently, a documentary film called “Black in Mayberry” premiered at a local El Segundo museum. The film incudes powerful stories of racism experienced by El Segundo residents, many of which were echoed in the experiences of community members Gibson Dunn interviewed while preparing Mr. Puckett’s complaint.
Mr. Puckett has directly experienced racial profiling by ESPD, having been targeted for his race and unlawfully detained twice in 2021. In one incident, six ESPD officers arrived outside Mr. Puckett’s home in the middle of the night and questioned him after having seen a Black man (a guest of Mr. Puckett) outside Mr. Puckett’s home. Eventually, the officers said it was all a simple misunderstanding with the Department of Motor Vehicles, and then they left.
Less than two months later, when Mr. Puckett drove to a gym to play basketball with his son, an ESPD officer drove past him in the opposite direction. The officer did a U-turn and stopped Mr. Puckett, falsely claiming the light above Mr. Puckett’s rear license plate wasn’t working. When the officer failed to discover any evidence of wrongdoing, he let Mr. Puckett go.
Mr. Puckett reported these incidents to the Chief of Police, City Manager and Deputy City Manager, and has advocated for policy changes to improve the treatment of Black people in El Segundo and reduce the use of blatant profiling tactics. But he continues to meet with resistance and the ESPD practices haven’t stopped. Mr. Puckett himself has been followed by ESPD on multiple occasions, and ESPD officers regularly follow, stop, and use displays of force and numbers to interrogate Black residents – including Black children on their way home from school – for no reason.
Mr. Puckett is an active community member, who has worked as a parent volunteer, PTA member, recreational youth sports coach, basketball coach at his son’s school, volunteer crossing guard, and lunchtime security support member.
“Racism by law enforcement is unlawful, unconstitutional and harmful to everyone who experiences it, even when it doesn’t involve violence,” said Lauren Blas, Gibson Dunn partner and counsel for Mr. Puckett. “Even if it doesn’t make national news, it’s the kind of harassing, demeaning, insidious conduct that Black people and people of color have to contend with every day. We have brought this action to protect Mr. Puckett’s constitutional rights, to hold the City accountable for its unlawful conduct and to compel it to stop racially profiling the residents of the El Segundo community.”
Blas added, “Mr. Puckett cares deeply about racial justice. El Segundo is his home, and he wants to live there without fearing that ESPD will continue to violate his constitutional rights and the rights of other Black community members. This lawsuit is a final effort to hold the City accountable for its unlawful conduct and to compel it to end racial profiling by the ESPD.”
The complaint is available here.
Gibson Dunn is pleased to announce that Ekaterina (Kate) Napalkova has joined the firm’s New York office as a partner in the firm’s Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Practice Group.
“We are excited to welcome Kate to Gibson Dunn,” said Krista P. Hanvey, Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Practice Group. “Kate has a reputation for being a trusted counselor to her clients, and with her excellent technical skills, she will add further depth and support for our growing transactional practices.”
“I am thrilled to join the Gibson Dunn team,” said Kate. “The Gibson Dunn platform will serve as an excellent foundation on which to continue building my practice. The firm’s reputation precedes it, and I look forward to collaborating with my talented colleagues and mentoring the team’s future leaders.”
Kate’s arrival continues the growth of Gibson Dunn’s New York office, including the recent additions of leading M&A dealmaker George Sampas, private equity partner Brian Scrivani, special situations partner Caith Kushner, regulatory finance partner Ro Spaziani, and real estate finance partner Michael Weinberger.
About Kate Napalkova
Kate advises public and private companies, private investment funds, boards of directors and management teams on a broad range of compensation and employee benefits matters. Her advice focuses on the compensation and employee benefits aspects of mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, public offerings, spin-offs, and other corporate transactions. She is experienced in the negotiation and implementation of benefit and compensation plans, as well as compensation-related securities and corporate governance matters. Before joining Gibson Dunn, Kate served as a partner at an international law firm. She received her law degree cum laude in 2009 from the Fordham University School of Law, where she also served as the editor-in-chief of the Fordham International Law Journal.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP advised Welltower Inc. and Welltower OP LLC in a private offering of $1.035 billion aggregate principal amount of Welltower OP’s 3.125% Exchangeable Senior Notes due 2029. The notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Welltower Inc. and are exchangeable into shares of common stock of Welltower Inc. under certain circumstances and during certain periods. The offering closed on July 11, 2024. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC acted as representatives of the initial purchasers for the offering.
The Gibson Dunn corporate team was led by partners Andrew Fabens and Stewart McDowell and included associates Lawrence Lee, Sarah Ediger, Ian Mathenge and Lily Paulson Stephens. Partner Brian Kniesly and associate Adam Gregory advised on tax aspects.
Gibson Dunn is pleased to announce that Lore Leitner has joined the firm’s London office as a partner in the Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation Practice Group. She is also a member of the firm’s Artificial Intelligence Practice Group.
Commenting on Lore’s arrival, Joel Harrison, Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation Practice Group, said: “A wave of new legislation is leading to unprecedented demand among our clients for top-tier advice, and Lore’s arrival is an important step in growing our global data privacy, cybersecurity, and AI capability. She brings a wealth of experience in advising on data strategies and adjacent issues across a number of industry sectors, as well as engaging with regulators in the U.K. and the EEA to advance and defend those strategies.”
“I am thrilled to be joining one of the world’s top firms in Gibson Dunn and cannot wait to work alongside a talented team of leading practitioners in the Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation Practice Group,” said Lore. “Laws governing the digital world are only increasing, and I am looking forward to helping a variety of clients navigate that complexity.” Gibson Dunn is the leading law firm in privacy, cybersecurity, and data innovation. It is ranked by Chambers USA as an Elite firm and Band 1 Nationwide in Privacy & Data Security: Litigation. Global Data Review named Gibson Dunn the #1 law firm for Investigations in 2023. The firm has been named Cybersecurity & Privacy Practice Group of the Year by Law360 in three of the past seven years, and BTI Consulting Group recognized the firm as the Best of the Best Firms in Cybersecurity/Data Privacy Litigation. Lore’s hire continues the expansion of the group, with recent arrivals including Alison Beal and Joel Harrison (London), Robert Spano (London and Paris), Vivek Mohan (Palo Alto), and Stephenie Gosnell Handler and Jane Horvath (Washington, D.C.).
About Lore Leitner
Lore’s practice covers data privacy, technology, AI, and cybersecurity clients, and focuses on strategic counseling and advice, corporate support, incident preparedness and response, and regulatory engagement and investigations. She supports clients with the design and implementation of strategic global data privacy compliance programs, including those driven by GDPR, and she has advised companies in the context of business strategies that involve large-scale data use, regulatory investigations and engagement strategies, and mitigation of cyber intrusions or data breaches. She has substantial expertise in M&A and capital markets transactions, as well as advising on privacy litigation matters.
Lore was recognized in Global Data Review’s 40 Under 40 and Women in Data listings in 2021 and 2022, and Lawdragon recently identified her as one of the 100 Leading AI & Legal Tech Advisors and 500 Leading Global Cyber Lawyers. She is a Recommended Lawyer in the Legal 500 UK 2024 for Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity, where clients highlight her “no nonsense, commercial approach” and “deep understanding of data protection compliance and industry expertise.” Lore earned a Master of Law magna cum laude from the University of Antwerp in 2008 and a postgraduate LLM from King’s College London in 2009.
About Gibson Dunn’s Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation Practice Group
The Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation Practice Group brings together a global team of former in-house executives and technologists, former regulators, prosecutors, and government leaders, as well as cross-disciplinary experts from our regulatory investigations, litigation and appellate, corporate, crisis management, and compliance practices. The practice stands out for the remarkable breadth of high-stakes matters handled, its successes for clients in cross-border regulatory and multijurisdictional matters, and deep technical knowledge of data-driven business models.
Gibson Dunn is pleased to announce that Krystyna Blakeslee has joined the firm’s New York office as a partner in the Real Estate Practice Group.
“Krystyna is a brilliant lawyer who has built a formidable lender-side practice representing top-tier financial institutions,” said Eric Feuerstein, Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Real Estate Practice Group. “She is a generational talent, and her addition to our best-in-class team will enable us to provide even more strength and experience to our leading real estate clients.”
“I have seen Gibson Dunn’s impressive real estate lawyers in action and I am looking forward to working with and building alongside the extraordinary talent here to scale the success of the Real Estate group,” said Krystyna.
Krystyna’s arrival continues the firm’s strategic transactional growth in New York, adding to recent hires including special situations partner Caith Kushner, M&A partner George Sampas, private equity partner Brian Scrivani, financial services regulatory partner Ro Spaziani, and real estate finance partner Michael Weinberger. The Real Estate Practice Group was recently named the 2024 Chambers USA Real Estate Law Firm of the Year, as well as Vault’s 2025 Best Law Firm for Real Estate Law.
About Krystyna Blakeslee
Krystyna is a commercial real estate finance lawyer, with a focus on lender-side representation in every phase of the life cycle of loans secured directly or indirectly by all types of commercial real estate. She has substantial experience in loan origination, loan purchases, loan dispositions (whether through syndication, sales, or securitization), financing/leverage transactions, post-closing loan modifications and loan workouts.
She represents all types of commercial real estate lenders, including commercial banks, life
insurance companies, CMBS lenders, specialty finance companies, debt funds, mortgage REITs and hedge funds. She has substantial experience in wide variety of asset classes, including data centers, office and retail properties, hotels, and assisted living/nursing care and condominium properties. Before joining Gibson Dunn, Krystyna was a partner at a New York law firm. She graduated with high honors in 2009 from the University of Connecticut School of Law, where she served as the Managing Editor of Connecticut Law Review. Krystyna was previously a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Iraq.
Gibson Dunn advised leading global investment firm KKR on the agreement to launch, together with IGNIS, a new Power-to-X platform (IGNIS P2X) to develop green hydrogen and ammonia projects for industrial applications in hard-to-abate sectors.
KKR and IGNIS, a leading integrated global renewable group based in Spain, will each own 50% of IGNIS P2X when launched, which will start with a global pipeline of P2X and renewable projects.
As part of this joint venture agreement, KKR will provide up to €400 million to develop and build future projects. This investment is only the third for KKR’s global climate strategy launched in late 2023.
The Gibson Dunn corporate team was led by partners Federico Fruhbeck and Alice Brogi and included associates Gisele Zouein and Romain Tourenne.
Gibson Dunn represented Mondelēz International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDLZ), one of the world’s largest snack companies, in its CAD-denominated, SEC-registered offering of C$650,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.625% Notes due 2031. The CAD notes offering closed on July 3, 2024. CIBC World Markets Inc., Merrill Lynch Canada Inc., RBC Dominion Securities Inc. and TD Securities Inc. acted as joint book-running managers in the notes offering.
The Gibson Dunn corporate team was led by partner Andrew Fabens and included of counsel Rodrigo Surcan and associates Lawrence Lee and Lily Paulson Stephens; and partner Jennifer Sabin advised on tax aspects.
Gibson Dunn advised SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. on a private offering of $300 million aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 2.250% convertible senior notes due 2029 and the concurrent capped call transactions.
The Gibson Dunn corporate team was led by partners John Gaffney and Eric Scarazzo and included associates Lawrence Lee and Andrew Watson. Partner Jennifer Sabin advised on tax aspects; and partner Darius Mehraban and of counsel Adam Lapidus advised on derivatives aspects.