Gibson Dunn recently advised Gran Tierra Energy Inc. in the issuance of an additional $100,000,000 of its 9.500% Senior Secured Amortizing Notes due 2029. This offering is in addition to Gran Tierra Energy Inc.’s previous offering on October 20, 2023 of $487.6 million aggregate principal amount of notes in the same series.
Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (GTE: NYSE, TSX) is an independent international energy company currently focused on international oil and natural gas exploration and production with assets currently in Colombia and Ecuador.
The transaction involved multiple Gibson Dunn offices across the United States, and complex cross-border considerations including international securities, finance, and tax issues.
The Gibson Dunn team included Houston partner Hillary H. Holmes, New York of counsel Rodrigo Surcan, Houston of counsel Justine Robinson, and Houston associates Malakeh Hijazi and Matthew Goldstein. Houston partner Shalla Prichard advised on financing. New York partner Pamela Lawrence Endreny and associate Kate Long advised on tax aspects. London partners Chris Haynes, Hugo Hernández-Mancha, and Kavita Davis, and associate Martin Coombes advised on UK law matters. Singapore associate Alexandra Jones advised on Singapore law matters.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce that Stuart Delery has rejoined the firm’s Washington, D.C. office, where he will serve as partner and Co-Chair of the firm’s Crisis Management Practice Group and its Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Group. Stuart most recently served as White House Counsel for President Joseph R. Biden Jr.
“We are thrilled to have Stuart rejoin the firm,” said Barbara Becker, Chair and Managing Partner of Gibson Dunn. “During his tenure as White House Counsel, Stuart was well known for his innovative thinking and his ability to navigate court challenges, changes in the law, Congress, and investigations—all while keeping an eye on workable solutions. His insight and experience will be invaluable to our clients and teams as we partner together on cutting-edge issues.”
“We are delighted to welcome Stuart back to Gibson Dunn,” said Helgi Walker, Co-Chair of the firm’s Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Group. “What sets us apart is our ability to offer our clients deep expertise in how and why the government regulates, how it makes and enforces the law, and what the best response to adverse government action is, whether negotiation or litigation. We have an unparalleled bench of exceptional lawyers with prior service in key government agencies that affect our clients’ businesses. Stuart’s return further strengthens our ability to give our clients the most current perspective on the government’s regulatory and related litigation efforts.”
“It was an honor to serve as White House Counsel, and I am excited for my next chapter at Gibson Dunn,” said Stuart. “I know firsthand that this is a world-class law firm, and I look forward to working collaboratively with colleagues across the firm to build on our robust litigation, regulatory and crisis management platforms.”
Stuart’s return highlights a period of growth for Gibson Dunn, as the firm continues to attract top talent from government. The firm’s team includes senior officials from the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, and other agencies at the forefront of consumer protection, competition, white collar investigations, transactional, and policy areas. Recent additions to the firm include Katlin McKelvie, who joined after serving senior roles at the Food and Drug Administration and Department of Health and Human Services, Gus Eyler, who served as Director of the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, Svetlana Gans, who served as Chief of Staff at the Federal Trade Commission, and former federal judges Gregg Costa and George Hazel.
About Stuart Delery
Stuart Delery is an experienced appellate and district court litigator who brings 30 years of experience at the highest levels of government and the private sector to help clients navigate major matters that present complex legal and reputational risks, particularly matters involving difficult statutory, regulatory and constitutional issues. His practice focuses on representing corporations and individuals in high-stakes litigation and investigations that involve the federal government across the spectrum of regulatory litigation and enforcement.
Stuart served as White House Counsel for President Biden from 2022-2023. As Counsel to the President, he advised the President on the full range of constitutional, statutory, and regulatory legal issues, including on questions of presidential authority, domestic policy, and national security and foreign affairs. He managed responses to high-profile congressional and other investigations, and he assisted the President in nominating and confirming federal judges. Stuart also served as Deputy Counsel to the President from 2021-2022. Throughout his time in the White House, he was deeply embedded in the administrative law and regulatory process, working closely with Cabinet secretaries, agency general counsel, and the Department of Justice on policy development and defending litigation challenging Administration actions. Previously, Stuart also served as the Acting Associate Attorney General of the United States, the third-ranking position at the Department of Justice, and as the Senate-confirmed Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Division, the Department of Justice’s largest litigating division.
Stuart received his law degree from Yale Law School, where he served as an articles editor of The Yale Law Journal. He clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Byron White and for Senior U.S. Circuit Judge Gerald Bard Tjoflat of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
Gibson Dunn advised UCK Partners, a Seoul-headquartered private equity firm, on the formation of its third Korea-focused fund, UCK Partners III, at KRW1.1 trillion in commitments.
Our investment funds team was led by Hong Kong partner Albert Cho and included Registered Foreign Lawyers (NY) Brian Ham and Keira Su, and associates Christina Fong and Kathy Wen.
New York partner Evan Gusler, London partner Sandy Bhogal, New York of counsel Loren Lembo, and Los Angeles associate Rebecca Friedman, Washington, D.C. associates Alissa Fromkin Freltz and Laura Pond, and London associates James Chandler and Isabella Fladée advised on tax aspects.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce that Katlin McKelvie has joined the firm as a partner in the Washington, D.C. office, where she will practice in the firm’s FDA and Health Care Practice Group. Katlin was previously Deputy General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and served in senior roles at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and on the U.S. Senate HELP Committee.
“We are excited to welcome Katlin to the firm,” said Gustav Eyler, Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s FDA and Health Care Practice Group. “With her significant government experience handling matters across FDA-regulated product categories – including food, drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics – Katlin is an excellent addition to Gibson Dunn’s leading regulatory, litigation, and policy team. Her versatility to handle issues across the FDA-regulated spectrum will be an exceptional complement to our capabilities and an invaluable asset to our clients.”
“Through her prior senior posts at HHS, FDA, and the Senate, Katlin has seen the FDA and regulated-product issues from all angles,” said Greta Williams, Co-Partner in Charge of Gibson Dunn’s Washington, D.C. office. “Her background and unique experiences, including related to the life sciences, health care, and technology spaces, will help our clients navigate the complex landscape of laws, regulations, and policies affecting those industries.”
“I am thrilled to be part of the talented team at Gibson Dunn,” said Katlin. “The firm’s dedication to providing world-class client service, along with a commitment to staying at the cutting edge of regulatory and policy developments, offers an opportunity to help clients across FDA-regulated sectors.”
Gibson Dunn has award-winning practices dedicated to helping life sciences, health care, and consumer product companies. The firm’s team includes senior officials from the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, and other agencies at the forefront of consumer protection, competition, white collar investigations, transactional, and policy areas. Those former officials include several who recently joined the firm, including Gus Eyler, who served as Director of the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, Svetlana Gans, who served as Chief of Staff at the Federal Trade Commission, and former federal judges Gregg Costa and George Hazel.
About Katlin McKelvie
Katlin has extensive experience spanning all FDA product categories, with a particular focus on drug regulatory matters. At Gibson Dunn, Katlin will provide regulatory advice to companies engaged in manufacturing, distributing, marketing and selling FDA-regulated products. She will also advise FDA-regulated companies on issues related to enforcement, compliance, and litigation, corporate transactions, as well as legislative policymaking and agency regulatory strategy.
Before joining the firm, Katlin served as Deputy General Counsel at the Department of Health and Human Services. Prior, she served as Deputy Health Policy Director and Senior FDA Counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions for Chair Patty Murray. During her career, she also served as Associate Chief Counsel for Drugs in FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel and as Regulatory Counsel in the Office of Prescription Drug Promotion in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
Katlin graduated cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 2001, where she served as Executive Editor of The Georgetown Law Journal. She clerked for Judge Douglas P. Woodlock in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce that Jocelyn Williams has joined its Litigation, Global Financial Regulatory, and White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Groups as an of counsel in the Hong Kong office.
“We are excited to welcome Jocelyn to Gibson Dunn,” said Sébastien Evrard, Partner in Charge of Gibson Dunn’s Hong Kong office. “She is an accomplished practitioner, and the breadth and depth of her experience will further bolster our formidable disputes and regulatory offering in Asia.”
Brian Gilchrist, partner and member of the firm’s Litigation and White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Groups, added: “Her experience in managing the litigation and regulatory enforcement docket at one of the world’s largest financial institutions makes her skillset particularly valuable in navigating the market. She is an excellent addition to the firm.”
Jocelyn’s hire follows two internal promotions within the Hong Kong office’s Global Financial Regulatory, and White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Groups. As of 1 January, Emily Rumble (Global Financial Regulatory) and Ning Ning (White Collar Defense and Investigations) are the office’s newest of counsel. The hire of Jocelyn, and promotions of Emily and Ning, reinforces Gibson Dunn’s market-leading regional disputes and regulatory teams, with over 30 members across Asia.
About Jocelyn Williams
Jocelyn has 20 years of multi-jurisdictional disputes experience advising a range of banks, securities firms, Big Four accounting firms and corporates on litigation, contentious regulatory and insolvency matters. Before joining Gibson Dunn, Jocelyn served as in-house counsel for nine years at Deutsche Bank, where she headed its Asia-Pacific Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement team, covering 15 jurisdictions. In that role, she advised senior management across all business lines within the bank on all dispute related matters, including in respect of regulatory enquiries and investigations, high stakes litigation, mis-selling and breach of duty claims, antitrust issues, debt enforcement, fraud, insider dealing, operational incidents and misconduct.
She has extensive recent experience managing domestic and cross-border litigations, regulatory investigations by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and Hong Kong Competition Commission, enquiries by the Hong Kong Police, Commercial Crime Bureau (CCB) and Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), and internal investigations arising out of systems and controls failures, employee misconduct and whistleblowing.
Jocelyn is qualified to practice in both Hong Kong and Australia.
About Gibson Dunn’s Disputes and Regulatory Practices in Asia
In recent years, Gibson Dunn has grown its Disputes and Regulatory practices in the region significantly. Adding to its already well-established and top-ranked White Collar Defense and Investigations practice, the firm made a number of hires to complete its now full-service offering. Leading Hong Kong litigators Brian Gilchrist and Elaine Chen brought in a team from their previous firm in 2020. Later that same year, Connell O’Neill joined to spearhead the region’s Privacy and Cybersecurity team. William Hallatt joined with his cross-border Hong Kong/Singapore Financial Regulatory team in 2021. In 2022, David Wolber joined in Hong Kong from HSBC to lead the firm’s International Trade practice in the region. Jocelyn has joined what has become a formidable team with the ability to provide clients with the customized advice they need, as well as the highly-valued international perspective Gibson Dunn is known for.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce that it has appointed Benno Schwarz as the new Partner in Charge of its Munich office.
Barbara Becker, Gibson Dunn’s Chair and Managing Partner, said: “Benno is already an important leader for our firm in Germany, and I look forward to working with him in this new role. We are continuing to expand Gibson Dunn’s presence throughout Europe, and the world more broadly, and the office stewardship of our Partners in Charge is particularly important as we grow.”
Commenting on his appointment, Benno said: “I am excited to serve as Partner in Charge of the firm’s Munich office. My focus will be the continued enhancement of our global solutions for the ever changing challenges facing our German and international clients.”
Benno follows Ferdinand Fromholzer as Partner in Charge of the Munich office.
Gibson Dunn has over 55 lawyers across its offices in Munich and Frankfurt. In the past two years, the firm has promoted lawyers Kai Gesing (Antitrust and Competition), Katharina Humphrey (White Collar Defense), Sonja Ruttmann (M&A) and Jan Schubert (M&A) to its partnership, and hired lateral partner Lars Petersen (public law and regulatory).
About Benno Schwarz
Benno Schwarz is a partner in the Munich office of Gibson Dunn and Co-Chair of the firm’s Anti-Corruption & FCPA Practice Group. He focuses on white collar defense and compliance investigations in a wide array of criminal regulatory matters. For more than 30 years, he has handled sensitive cases and investigations concerning all types of compliance issues, especially in an international context. He is recognized as a leading lawyer in Germany in the areas of white collar crime, corporate advice, compliance, and investigations by publications such as Chambers, The Legal 500, and JUVE. He was named one of four Leading Individuals in Internal Investigations in Germany by The Legal 500 in 2023.
About Gibson Dunn’s Munich Office
Gibson Dunn’s Munich office was opened in 2002 and focuses on corporate transactional advice and private equity transactions, white collar defense and compliance investigations, litigation, and antitrust. Other areas of practice include technology and intellectual property, data protection, sanctions and export controls, and ESG-related advice. The team advises German and international clients from a range of industries, including blue-chip corporations, DAX®, MDAX®, and TecDAX® companies, medium-sized companies (SMEs), financial institutions, and private equity and venture capital investors. Our lawyers in Munich work closely with Gibson Dunn’s Frankfurt office and other offices around the world to provide seamless legal advice across all practice areas and jurisdictions.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce that Lisa Stevens—who was an associate at the firm from 2011 to 2015— will rejoin the firm as a partner in its Business Restructuring and Reorganization Practice Group in London.
Commenting on the addition, Scott Greenberg, Global Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Business Restructuring and Reorganization Practice Group, said: “2023 was an extremely busy year in the restructuring space, and 2024 shows no signs of slowing down. Lisa’s addition bolsters our practice and capabilities in the UK, and continues to make our practice a destination for new and existing clients in the US, and across the UK, Europe and Asia.”
Ali Nikpay, Co-Partner in Charge of Gibson Dunn’s London office, said: “We are delighted to welcome Lisa back to the firm. Our office has been growing and expanding our offerings to support our clients. Lisa’s talent and skills are an excellent complement to our platform.”
Lisa’s arrival is another step in the expansion of Gibson Dunn’s premier restructuring practice, following the arrival in 2023 of partners Lee Wilson and Joe Zujkowski in New York, and Chad Nichols in Houston.
About Lisa Stevens
Lisa advises clients on complex cross-border restructuring and special situations transactions. She has deep experience as a leveraged finance lawyer and with cross-border financing structurings involving loans and bonds. Her clients include capital solutions funds, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, other large asset managers and corporates. She earned her Bachelor of Laws from the University College, London.
About the Gibson Dunn Business Restructuring and Reorganization Practice Group
The Business Restructuring and Reorganization Practice Group brings extensive experience to companies in financial distress, their creditors and investors, and parties interested in investing in distressed debt and equity, such as hedge funds, private equity funds and financial institutions. The firm excels in the innovative use of Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code to implement restructuring of highly complicated, multijurisdictional, non-U.S. companies, and is a leader in U.S., European, and cross-border insolvencies and workouts. The group is well-known for crafting cutting-edge and practical solutions, including complex out-of-court workouts and in-court restructuring. Gibson Dunn was named in the Global Restructuring Review GRR 100 2023, the annual guide to “the world’s leading law firms for cross-border restructuring and insolvencies.”
Gibson Dunn represented Asia Partners, a Singapore-based growth equity investment firm, on the final close of its second fund, Asia Partners II LP, at US$474 million in commitments.
Asia Partners is focused on the intersection of three key themes: (i) the long-term growth potential of Southeast Asia, (ii) the rapid growth of innovative technology and technology-enabled businesses in the region and (iii) the scarcity of growth equity capital for these companies, particularly in the US$20 million to US$100 million investment size range.
The Gibson Dunn investment funds team was led by Singapore partner John Fadely and included Hong Kong of counsel Youjung Byon, Singapore associate Xuanyi Liu, Hong Kong associates Kathy Wen and Keira Su, and Singapore associate Zan Wong. Washington, D.C. partner Daniel Zygielbaum and New York associate Annie Lin advised on tax aspects.
Gibson Dunn’s Pro Bono Committee is thrilled to announce the winners of this year’s Frank Wheat Memorial Awards. As in past years, this year’s winners (and nominees) all exemplify excellence and serve as an inspiration to us all. The nominees this year are as diverse as they are impressive, hailing from offices around the world and representing a wide variety of clients and interests. The common thread among these efforts and attorneys is unfailing determination to use their unique and privileged power as lawyers to make a difference in the lives of their clients and their broader global community.
Frank Wheat was a former Los Angeles partner, a superb transactional lawyer, SEC commissioner, and president of the Los Angeles County Bar. He was also a giant in the nonprofit community, having founded the Alliance for Children’s Rights in addition to serving as a leader of the Sierra Club and as a founding director of the Center for Law in the Public Interest. He exemplified the commitment to the community and to pro bono service that has always been a core tenet of the Gibson Dunn culture. Recipients of the Frank Wheat Memorial Award each receive a $2,500 prize to be donated to pro bono organizations designated by the recipients.
This year’s Frank Wheat Award winners showcase important aspects of the Firm’s diverse and vibrant pro bono practice, which includes advising small businesses and nonprofits, appellate litigation, immigration, racial justice and criminal justice reform, veterans advocacy, and many other important initiatives. In 2023, more than 1,700 Gibson Dunn attorneys around the world have devoted more than 150,000 hours to pro bono work. In total, these matters were valued at approximately $168 million.
Gibson Dunn represented JPMorgan as dealer manager in connection with Perrigo’s tender offer for up to $300 million of its outstanding 3.9% senior notes due 2024. Gibson Dunn also represented JPMorgan as Administrative Agent and as a lead arranger in connection with Perrigo’s $300 million incremental term loan, the proceeds of which were used to finance the tender offer.
The Gibson Dunn team was led by Doug Horowitz, with Alex Plaia and Melody Karmana on the incremental term loan and Harris Quraishi on the tender offer.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP acted for The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in connection with a US$ 11,000,000,000 Senior Unsecured Term Loan Credit Facility coordinated and arranged by Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited, Dubai (DIFC) Branch. It is the largest loan in EMEA in 2023.
The Gibson Dunn team was comprised of partners Mahmoud Abdel-Baky, Laleh Shahabi and associate attorney, Galadia Constantinou.
Last month, Gibson Dunn announced the opening of its Riyadh office with a team that included seven partners, each of whom has extensive experience working with clients in Saudi Arabia. The firm has significantly expanded its presence in the Gulf in the last 12 months, adding 14 new partners and 19 new associates, the largest investment made in the region by any international firm during this time.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Spano, partner with the firm’s Paris and London offices, as Co-Chair of its Artificial Intelligence Practice Group. Spano will serve as Co-Chair of the group alongside fellow Co-Chairs Cassandra Gaedt-Sheckter and Vivek Mohan in the Palo Alto office, and Eric Vandevelde in the Los Angeles office.
“Robert has unique experience in cutting-edge regulatory and litigation matters in the field of EU law and digital rights, and we are thrilled to have him help us co-lead Gibson Dunn’s thriving Artificial Intelligence practice,” said Vivek Mohan, Co-Chair of the Gibson Dunn’s Artificial Intelligence Practice. “As the field of artificial intelligence continues to develop at a blistering pace, we are committed to providing the best level of service possible for our clients who do business across borders, and Robert’s appointment is testament to that.”
“Given the international reach of AI-related legal issues and importance of global regulation, having a practice leader in the European market has been a top priority for us.” said Cassandra Gaedt-Sheckter, Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Artificial Intelligence Practice. “Robert has deep experience on the fast-evolving intersection between the EU’s fundamental rights laws and AI regulation to best serve our international client base with proactive, practical strategies to navigate these complex issues.”
“The European Union has been at the forefront of AI regulation and has just adopted a provisional agreement on a new AI Act. It is now clear that the AI Act will require businesses to perform a fundamental rights impact assessment before a high risk AI system is placed on the market. This is a paradigm shift in the law at European level, and we are very well placed to offer our clients cutting-edge solutions in this space,” said Spano. “I am excited to become one of the leaders of Gibson Dunn’s AI practice group and use my background in European Union law, fundamental rights and tech policy to advise our clients in this fast-changing and global environment of AI regulations.”
Robert joined Gibson Dunn in January 2023 and is partner in the London and Paris offices, where he practices in the field of international dispute resolution and advises on regulatory matters. He is a member of the firm’s Transnational Litigation, International Arbitration, Environment, Social and Governance (ESG), Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation, Technology Regulatory and Litigation, Artificial Intelligence, and Public Policy Practice Groups.
An expert in public international law and EU law, Robert is the former president of the European Court of Human Rights and he sits on the Panel of Arbitrators and Conciliators of the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).
About the Artificial Intelligence Practice Group
Gibson Dunn’s Artificial Intelligence Practice is made up of attorneys from across the firm, including in the Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation, Labor & Employment, and Technology Regulatory practices to engage with companies across sectors in counseling, regulatory response, litigation, and transactional matters. The AI Practice counsels companies at the cutting edge of developing AI technologies, as well as with companies looking to understand and respond to dynamic legal framework as they deploy these tools.
Our AI Practice works with our clients in all industries, including high tech, healthcare, finance, consumer goods, and industrial. Whether the concern is forward looking legal exposure, response to regulatory inquiries, acquisition or transfer of data and intellectual property rights, data privacy and security, AI policy and ethics, or litigation, our Gibson Dunn attorneys are at the forefront of handling these issues.
Gibson Dunn represented PT Asianet Media Teknologi (Asianet), a Lightstorm Group entity, in the joint acquisition by Asianet and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison of PT MNC Kabel Mediacom, a leading fiber-based network services provider in Indonesia.
Following this transformational acquisition for Asianet, it will have a network of more than 15,000 kilometers of fiber and more than 1.5 million home passes across ten key cities in Indonesia, making it one of the largest carrier-neutral FTTH operators in the country.
The Gibson Dunn corporate team was led by partner Saptak Santra and included of counsel Marcus Tan and associates Kai Wen Chua and Amanda Ng in Singapore; partner Patricia Tan Openshaw in Hong Kong; and partner Rob Dixon and of counsel Natalie Lamb in London. Partners Jamie Thomas and Patricia Tan Openshaw led the financing team, which included associate John Cheah and attorney Chee Jun Ann.
The New York State Supreme Court–Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department has unanimously reversed the denial of a resentencing application filed by Gibson Dunn’s pro bono client in a precedent-setting victory under the state’s recently enacted Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act (DVSJA).
Under the DVSJA, domestic violence survivors convicted of offenses for which their abuse was a significant contributing factor are eligible for reduced sentencing based on specific statutory considerations. This is only the second such appeal to reach the Third Department since the DVSJA’s enactment, and the first successful appeal under the law by a domestic violence survivor.
Before Gibson Dunn joined the case, the lower court had denied the survivor’s resentencing application in part on the ground that her history of domestic violence had already been “factored in” to her plea agreement—and thus that she was attempting to “double dip” by applying for statutorily authorized relief. As a matter of first impression in the Third Department, our lawyers argued that the lower court’s denial of the application on this and other grounds constituted reversible legal error.
On November 22, 2023, a unanimous Third Department panel sided with our client, concluding that the lower court committed multiple legal errors in denying the application. Importantly, the court held that whether the domestic violence history was “factored in” to her plea agreement was “not relevant to the application of the DVSJA,” confirming the remedial purpose of the statute and its availability to all eligible survivors, regardless of the disposition of their underlying cases. In a significant step, the Third Department modified the sentence itself rather than remanding to the lower court, broadening the appellate court’s authority under the law to provide relief for future survivors. Because our client has already served more than the amended sentence, she will be immediately released from prison as a result of this ruling.
New York partner Karin Portlock led the team and argued the case before the Third Department, with valuable assistance from associate Brian Yeh. The team received outstanding support from our pro bono partners Professor Kate Mogulescu of Brooklyn Law School and Michael Baker of the Broome County Public Defender’s Office.
Gibson Dunn represented funds advised by Neuberger Berman as lead investors of continuation series funds organized by J-STAR, a Japan-focused private equity sponsor. This transaction is understood to be the first ever successful continuation fund transaction in Japan. The continuation series funds held a successful closing with aggregate capital commitments of JPY 17.9 billion. The continuation series funds invested alongside certain other shareholders into Renatus Co., Ltd., a newly formed holding company which acquired certain companies operating in the waste treatment and recycling industry from earlier vintage J-Star Series Funds.
The Gibson Dunn team was led by our team in Singapore, partner John Fadely and associates Xuanyi Liu and Zan Wong, and supported by Washington, D.C. partner Daniel Zygielbaum and associate Jennifer Fitzgerald on tax, and New York partner Edward Sopher and associate Chris Reszczynski on funds.
Gibson Dunn partnered with PwC on Japanese tax and Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu on Japanese legal matters.
Gibson Dunn represented energyRe, LLC in a $1.2 billion capital raise that includes equity commitments from Glentra Capital and Elia Group.
energyRe, LLC is an independent leader in the development of clean energy. The company is at the forefront of the energy transition, having built a diverse portfolio of renewable assets including solar, wind and utility-scale transmission and storage. energyRe, LLC is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
The Gibson Dunn corporate team included New York partners John Gaffney, Daniel Alterbaum and Nicholas Politan and Dallas associate Jonathan Sapp. Dallas partner Michael Cannon and associate Josiah Bethards advised on tax aspects. Brussels partner Attila Borsos advised on antitrust aspects. Washington, D.C. partner William Hollaway advised on regulatory aspects. New York partner Darius Mehraban advised on financing. Washington, D.C. partner Michael Collins advised on benefits.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP has announced that partner Robert Spano has been elected to the board of the International Damage Registry for Ukraine, which will serve as a record of evidence and claims for damage, loss or injury caused to all natural or legal persons by Russia’s international wrongful acts in or against Ukraine.
The Register of Damage for Ukraine, based in The Hague, operates as part of the Council of Europe. The Board of the Register consists of seven experts. In addition to a member from Ukraine, candidates from Iceland, Germany, Italy, United States, Poland and Finland were elected.
Robert joined Gibson Dunn in January 2023 and is partner in the London and Paris offices, where he practices in the field of international dispute resolution and advises on regulatory matters. He is a member of the firm’s Transnational Litigation, International Arbitration, Environment, Social and Governance (ESG), Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation, Technology Regulatory and Litigation, Artificial Intelligence, and Public Policy Practice Groups.
An expert in public international law and EU law, Robert is the former president of the European Court of Human Rights and he sits on the Panel of Arbitrators and Conciliators of the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce that it is opening an office in Riyadh.
The firm’s Riyadh team includes seven partners—each of whom has extensive experience working with clients in Saudi Arabia: Megren Al-Shaalan, Mohammed Bashir, Mahmoud Abdel-Baky, Jonathan Langley, Mohamed AlHasan, Lars Petersen and Ibrahim Soumrany.
Gibson Dunn has significantly expanded in the Gulf in the last 12 months, adding 14 new partners and 19 new associates, the largest investment made in the region by any international firm during this time.
Commenting on the office launch and team hires, Gibson Dunn’s Chair and Managing Partner, Barbara Becker, said: “Between the firm’s offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai— the former of which we opened earlier this year— we have successfully built a market-leading presence in the Gulf with world-class practitioners. Our new Riyadh office, and the stellar talent joining it, is the next phase of Gibson Dunn’s growth strategy in the region.”
“With our leading international practices in energy, project finance, M&A, capital markets, regulatory and international arbitration—expansion in Saudi Arabia is a natural step.”
Megren Al-Shaalan, Partner-in-Charge of Gibson Dunn’s Riyadh office, said: “I am excited to help build the firm’s newest office, particularly in light of the immense growth happening in the Kingdom as a result of Vision 2030. Our team, which covers all main practices and has long-standing expertise in the Kingdom, possesses the collective experience to ensure clients are best served when conducting business both locally and internationally.”
Marwan Elaraby, Partner-in-Charge of Gibson Dunn’s Dubai office, added: “Having worked with lawyers from around the firm as we continue to grow our footprint in the Gulf, I look forward to furthering synergies across this new office and team. Megren’s leadership in Riyadh will be instrumental in growing our market share and scaling the firm’s success.”
The new Riyadh office will provide a deep bench of talent for clients to draw upon, advising on domestic and international matters relating to administrative law and regulatory, public policy, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, project development and finance, and arbitration.
Gibson Dunn has long been committed to the Middle East, representing the region’s largest companies and financial institutions for more than 40 years, including prominent government-affiliated entities. The firm’s lawyers have the experience to handle the most complex and innovative deals and disputes across different sectors, disciplines and jurisdictions throughout the Middle East and Africa (MENA).
About Megren M. Al-Shaalan
Megren is the founder and managing partner of The Law Office of Megren M. Al-Shaalan. He previously held the position of Senior Legal Advisor and the Secretary General of the National Committee for Regulatory Development at the Royal Court in Saudi Arabia, and currently serves as Chairman of the Regulations Committee at the Royal Commission for Al-Ula. He practices in a range of areas including public law, and regulatory and legislative matters, and he regularly advises on matters relating to Vision 2030 and related government initiatives. He has led in drafting a host of recent legislation and has led on structuring multi-billion projects, as well as restructuring sectors in Saudi Arabia. Megren also advises on corporate matters and M&A transactions.
He obtained his Master of Law at Michigan State University College of Law in 2011.
About Mohammed M. Bashir
Mohammed’s practice focuses on government advisory, public policy and international law. He has participated in drafting a host of legislation and developing the legal framework of several special economic zones. Additionally, he represents and advises clients on public international law and investment treaty arbitration. He also has considerable experience in negotiating and drafting international instruments.
Mohammed obtained his LLB from the University of Jordan in 2006, his LLM from the Georgetown University Law Center in 2008 and LLM from the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute in International Dispute Settlement.
About Mahmoud Abdel-Baky
Mahmoud’s practice focuses on advising major financial institutions and corporations on corporate finance, project development and finance, Islamic finance including both international and local sukuk issuances, financial restructuring and general local corporate matters.
He obtained his LLB from the University of Cairo Law School and his LLM from the University of Houston.
About Jonathan Langley
Jonathan advises corporate, private equity and sovereign wealth fund clients on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and general corporate matters, across a broad range of industries and sectors. Jonathan also has extensive experience in emerging markets, and has previously worked in Riyadh, London, Dubai and Moscow.
He obtained his LLB from Victoria University, New Zealand, in 2003.
About Mohamed AlHasan
Mohamed advises regional sovereign wealth funds, private equity firms, large corporations and multinational companies, family offices and investment houses on complex private and public mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and corporate restructurings in the Middle East.
Mohamed obtained his LLB (Hons) from the University of Nottingham in 2008.
About Lars Petersen
Lars’ practice focuses on public and regulatory law, and he has extensive experience in representing clients before a variety of regulatory authorities in Germany and the European Union. In Saudi Arabia, Lars is involved in a variety of matters relating to Saudi Vision 2030 and related government initiatives. Lars will work across both the Frankfurt and Riyadh offices.
Lars passed his First State Exam after studies at Bucerius Law School in 2007 and his Second State Exam at the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court of Hamburg in 2011. He received his Dr. jur. degree from the Walther Schücking Institute for International Law at Kiel University in 2010 and his LL.M. (European Law) from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2019.
About Ibrahim Soumrany
Ibrahim is a capital markets partner who advises public and private issuers and investment banks on capital markets transactions, including equity offerings (IPOs and secondary offerings) and debt offerings (conventional and Islamic). He also regularly advises companies and their boards on listing requirements, securities and corporate governance matters and reporting obligations. He has extensive experience advising on transactions across the Middle East, the U.S. and Europe, with over 15 years of experience in the Saudi market. Ibrahim will work across both the Dubai and Riyadh offices.
Ibrahim is admitted to the New York State Bar and Beirut Bar. He obtained his LLM in Securities & Financial Regulation from Georgetown University Law Center in 2011, where he was a Fulbright Scholar. He is fluent in Arabic, French and English.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP has elected 35 lawyers to its partnership, effective January 1, 2024.
Commenting on the partnership class, Gibson Dunn Chair and Managing Partner Barbara L. Becker said: “These extraordinary lawyers have already made innumerable contributions to the firm and to our clients. They are integral parts of their offices and practices, and we are thrilled to celebrate this milestone achievement with them.”
The newly elected partners are:
Ryan S. Appleby (Litigation / Los Angeles) focuses his practice on complex civil litigation and trial advocacy and has helped clients navigate disputes in state and federal courts, as well as in domestic and international arbitrations. He received his law degree from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law in 2013.
Melissa L. Barshop (Global Finance / Los Angeles) has experience in a broad range of financing transactions, including acquisition financings, secured and unsecured corporate credit facilities, Rule 144A transactions, private placements, convertible debt offerings, exchange offers, mezzanine transactions, and work-outs and debt restructurings. She earned her JD from Columbia Law School in 2006.
Jeremy M. Christiansen (Litigation / Washington, D.C.) represents clients from a wide variety of industries in high-stakes litigation, appellate and administrative law matters. He graduated from the S.J. Quinney College of Law at The University of Utah in 2014.
Lee R. Crain (Litigation / New York) represents clients in a broad array of high-stakes trial and appellate litigation in federal and state courts involving media and entertainment, tech, employment law, and the First Amendment. He graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 2014.
Elizabeth Aislinn Dooley (Litigation / San Francisco) represents clients across industries with a focus on high-stakes employment and appellate matters. She graduated from Stanford Law School in 2013.
Samuel Eckman (Appellate and Constitutional Law / Los Angeles) is an appellate litigator with extensive experience representing clients in the U.S. Supreme Court and federal and state appellate courts across the country. He graduated from The University of Chicago Law School in 2013.
Melissa L. Farrar (White Collar Defense and Investigations / Washington, D.C.) represents and advises multinational corporations in internal and government investigations on a wide range of issues, including compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other anti-corruption laws, anti-money laundering, export controls and fraud. She graduated from the George Washington University Law School in 2013.
Jamie E. France (Antitrust and Competition / Washington, D.C.) represents clients in antitrust merger and non-merger investigations before the Federal Trade Commission, Department of Justice, state Attorneys General and international competition authorities, as well as in complex private and government antitrust litigation. She graduated from the University of Texas School of Law in 2011.
Stéphane Frank (Antitrust and Competition / Brussels) has significant experience in merger control, abuse of dominance and cartel enforcement. He received his LL.M. from the University of Chicago Law School in 2011 and a Master of Laws from Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne in 2010.
Robert D. Giannattasio (Capital Markets / New York) has broad corporate and capital markets experience representing issuers and underwriters on a variety of public and private debt and equity offerings, as well as advising public companies on SEC and governance matters. He received his law degree from Boston College Law School in 2013.
Matt Gregory (Appellate and Constitutional Law / Washington, D.C.) represents corporate clients in a wide range of appellate, administrative law, and litigation matters. He graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 2014.
Evan M. Gusler (Tax / New York) focuses on domestic and international tax planning for corporations, partnerships, REITs, and investment funds and their investors. He received his law degree from Columbia Law School in 2014.
Natalie J. Hausknecht (Litigation / Denver) is a trial and consumer protection/privacy defense attorney, who handles high-priority investigations involving state Attorneys General and/or the Federal Trade Commission. She received her law degree from Yale Law School in 2015.
Meghan M. Hungate (Technology Transactions / New York) represents both public and private companies and financial sponsors in connection with complex intellectual property and technology transactions issues. She received her JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2009.
Andrew G.I. Kilberg (Labor and Employment / Washington, D.C.) focuses on administrative law, appellate, and litigation matters concerning labor and employment issues and has significant experience challenging federal regulations, advising on regulatory proposals, and defending agency enforcement actions and investigations. He earned his JD from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2014.
Julian W. Kleinbrodt (Antitrust and Competition / San Francisco) has broad antitrust experience and represents clients in trial and appellate litigation, as well as government investigations. He received his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 2014.
Jillian N. London (Litigation / Los Angeles) represents media, entertainment, and technology clients and has particular experience in media relations, First Amendment, breach of contract, antitrust, and class action disputes. She earned her law degree from Harvard Law School in 2013.
Cynthia Chen McTernan (Litigation / Los Angeles) represents clients in high-exposure complex commercial actions, class actions, and mass actions, with a focus on consumer protection and employment matters. She earned her JD from Harvard Law School in 2013.
Katherine Moran Meeks (Appellate and Constitutional Law / Washington, D.C.) litigates appeals in state and federal courts involving complex constitutional and statutory questions, with a particular focus on First Amendment matters. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2012.
Alex D. Meirowitz (Real Estate / New York) represents clients in a broad range of complex commercial real estate transactions, with a focus on purchase and sales, joint ventures, and borrower and lender side financings. He earned his JD from Georgetown University Law Center in 2013.
Negin Nazemi (Private Equity / Los Angeles) advises companies and private equity firms across a wide range of industries, focusing on public and private merger transactions, stock and asset deals, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships. She graduated from the University of Chicago Law School in 2011.
Lissa M. Percopo (Securities Litigation / Washington, D.C.) focuses her practice on securities litigation, with an emphasis in securities class actions and shareholder derivative actions. She graduated from the George Washington University Law School in 2007.
Christine Ranney (Intellectual Property / Denver) focuses on patent and appellate litigation and is knowledgeable across a range of arts and practices, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, consumer goods, software and telecommunications. She received her JD from New York University School of Law in 2013.
Sonja Ruttmann (Mergers and Acquisitions / Munich) advises on complex domestic and international cross-border mergers and acquisitions across a wide range of industries, as well as joint ventures and carve-out scenarios, private equity, and venture capital transactions. She earned her law degree at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in 2005.
Jennifer L. Sabin (Tax / New York) represents clients in a broad range of domestic and international tax matters, including taxable and tax-free mergers and acquisitions (public and private), spin-offs, joint ventures, financings, and restructurings. She received her law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2011.
Tina Samanta (Litigation / New York) represents financial institutions, corporations and individuals in sensitive and high-stakes securities-related investigations and litigation. She received her JD from the University of Michigan Law School in 2002.
Phillip R. Sanders (Mergers and Acquisitions / New York) represents both strategic companies and private equity firms across a wide range of industries in connection with all aspects of their domestic and cross-border M&A activities. He graduated from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in 2014.
Carlos M. Soto (Mergers and Acquisitions / Los Angeles) advises companies, private equity firms and investment advisors on complex merger, acquisition and divestiture transactions, joint ventures and strategic investments, and partnerships. He received his JD from the University of Chicago Law School in 2009.
James O. Springer (Mergers and Acquisitions / Washington, D.C.) advises public and private companies, private equity firms, boards of directors, and special committees in connection with a variety of complex transactional matters. He earned his law degree from the George Washington University Law School in 2014.
Andrew Steele (Mergers and Acquisitions / Abu Dhabi and Dubai) advises on public and private mergers, acquisitions and disposals, joint ventures, private equity and sovereign wealth fund investments, securities issues, and related regulatory advice. He received his LL.B from the University of Bristol Law School in 2003.
Ryan C. Stewart (Labor and Employment / Washington, D.C.) represents clients in a wide range of employment matters, including those involving wage-hour and discrimination laws, whistleblower protection statutes, and non-competition agreements. He received his law degree from Harvard Law School in 2014.
Connor S. Sullivan (Media, Entertainment and Technology / New York) represents technology and media companies in a broad range of complex, high-stakes litigation in state and federal courts and has significant experience in First Amendment matters. He graduated from Yale Law School in 2013.
Christopher T. Timura (International Trade / Washington, D.C.) helps clients solve legal problems that arise at the intersection of national security, foreign policy, and international trade and develop strategies for implementing ESG social commitments in their international supply chains. He received his JD from the University of Michigan Law School in 2003.
Chris W. Trester (Mergers and Acquisitions / Palo Alto) focuses his corporate practice on mergers and acquisitions and emerging companies, with a specific emphasis on the tech, entertainment, and life science industries. He received his JD from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco in 2013.
Chris Whittaker (Antitrust and Competition / Orange County) represents clients in a wide range of high-stakes, complex commercial cases, with an emphasis in antitrust and competition, technology, intellectual property, and employment matters. He received his law degree from the Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School in 2011.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce that the firm has launched a new practice, the Global Fintech and Digital Assets Practice Group. The interdisciplinary group advises traditional and emerging companies on a range of advisory, regulatory, policy, supervision and enforcement, transactional and litigation matters involving fintech, digital assets, and blockchain technology. The new group is led by Washington, D.C. partners M. Kendall Day, Jeffrey Steiner and Sara Weed.
“Fintech presents opportunities for companies in every sector of the economy, but there are accompanying risks, and those risks are evolving with the speed of innovation,” said M. Kendall Day, Co-Chair of the Global Fintech and Digital Assets Practice Group. “Our lawyers have a current and substantive technical understanding of the continuously changing environment of digital assets and the blockchain technology behind them that sets us apart and allows us to provide effective and comprehensive client counseling.”
“We have always had the expertise within the firm to assist our clients operating in the financial technology space, but by unifying this expertise into a formal practice area, we’re able to provide clients with a dedicated and cohesive service offering,” said Jeffrey Steiner, Co-Chair of the Global Fintech and Digital Assets Practice Group. “We have also recently expanded our capabilities in financial institutions and fintech regulatory matters with the addition of two new partners, Jason Cabral and Sara Weed, who co-leads the group.”
“The maturation of the fintech industry is itself signal of the ever-increasing demand for deep legal expertise that is positioned to help companies seize opportunities in the most relevant markets around the world,” said Sara Weed, Co-Chair of the Global Fintech and Digital Assets Practice Group. “To serve these needs, we draw on an unparalleled bench of lawyers, many of who have worked at the highest levels of government, including the SEC, the CFTC, FinCEN and the DOJ, counseling clients through the most significant developments that threaten their businesses and, in some cases, the industry itself.”
About the Global Fintech and Digital Assets Practice Group
Our Global Fintech and Digital Assets Practice Group advises traditional and emerging companies on a wide range of regulatory, policy, enforcement, transactional and litigation matters involving fintech, payments, open banking, digital assets (including cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), stablecoins and security tokens) and blockchain technology.
Gibson Dunn recognizes the strategic imperative facing both new market entrants and incumbent players in fintech. In response, we have developed a market-leading offering and a diverse set of capabilities that, when deployed together, enable our clients to accelerate growth seamlessly around the world. Our multijurisdictional and multidisciplinary practice allows us to be nimble and provide legal, regulatory, transactional, investigatory, and litigation experience globally, including in the key jurisdictions at the forefront of the digital assets ecosystem.
Our depth of experience is informed by prior service in government. This experience and deep knowledge of governmental agencies positions our clients to develop and execute on proactive regulatory strategies. Should matters turn contentious, we are poised to respond to the most complex investigation and enforcement actions brought by regulators in critical markets, whether in the United States, Europe, or Asia. We have effectively defended significant matters before New York State Department of Financial Services, the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, U.S. Department of Justice, FinCEN, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, as well as the Financial Conduct Authority, the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority, and the European Central Bank.
We also have the experience and relationships to actively engage in the policy dialogue, whether in the legislative or regulatory sphere, on behalf of our clients. In addition to facilitating engagement with policymakers, we can help maximize those opportunities by translating market insights into content more readily consumed by policy-oriented audiences. Furthermore, we provide holistic policy support, advising on new or proposed legislation, drafting written comments, preparing principals to testify, or coordinating with other stakeholders. The future of fintech is being decided in the halls of legislatures and in related institutions, which is why it is critical that our clients have support in that domain as well.
Fintech is inherently interdisciplinary and support for fintech clients demands unparalleled depth across various domains. To meet these needs, members of the team work closely with experts across our firm and, in some cases, are also members of companion practices, which include: Artificial Intelligence, Derivatives, Financial Institutions, Global Financial Regulatory, Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Data Innovation, Public Policy, and White Collar Defense and Investigations.