Firm News Archives

Josie Huang, a reporter for NPR member station LAist 89.3 (formerly known as KPCC), reached a $700,000 settlement agreement on Tuesday with Los Angeles County and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) related to the journalist’s violent and unlawful arrest while covering a protest in 2020.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors formally approved the agreement following pre-litigation negotiations between government lawyers and attorneys from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, who represented Huang. Huang’s attorneys also successfully represented her in obtaining a ruling from a California court that she was factually innocent of the offense for which she was arrested.

The settlement — to the Reporters Committee’s knowledge, the largest award to an individual journalist whose rights were violated in connection with protest coverage in 2020 — sets a new benchmark for journalists arrested or assaulted by law enforcement. The agreement is also significant for its training requirements, intended to help prevent local law enforcement officials from unlawfully arresting and assaulting journalists in the future.

In addition to the $700,000 payment to Huang, the settlement includes:

A requirement that the LASD provide deputies with watch briefings on press rights before patrol assignments, like protests, in which they are likely to come into contact with members of the news media; and
A requirement that the LASD issue written guidance to all employees on the law and policies governing their interactions with members of the news media.

Those laws include California’s SB-98, legislation that protects journalists’ rights to cover demonstrations, whose passage was spurred in part by public outrage at Huang’s detention.

“This settlement upholds the rights of journalists and helps ensure that what happened to me won’t happen to other reporters. My arrest was traumatic, but I hope that some good can still come of this experience,” said Huang, who plans to donate a portion of the monetary damages from this settlement.

“Journalists in Los Angeles County should be able to record police activity in public without fear of unlawful arrest,” she added. “As the public’s eyes and ears, we must be able to cover protests and document how law enforcement responds to those protests.”

Huang’s unlawful arrest

Huang’s arrest took place the night of Sept. 12, 2020, after her coverage of a press conference held by then-Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva in Lynwood, California. Returning to her car, Huang witnessed LASD deputies responding to a peaceful protest and used her phone to film the interaction. As LASD deputies arrested one protester and put him inside a police vehicle, one deputy moved toward Huang and shouted at her to “back up.”

Without giving her time to comply, deputies aggressively tackled Huang to the ground, causing her injury, and later cited her for obstructing a peace officer. Two deputies then attempted to break Huang’s phone by stepping on it. LASD deputies also attempted to prevent video journalists Nasser Baker and Hector Gerardo from recording the arrests they made that night, shoving Baker away from the scene and telling him and Gerardo to “get out of here.”

Huang was jailed overnight. While she was being detained, a fellow journalist recovered her phone from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, where the deputies — after stomping on the phone in an apparent attempt to break the device — had left it. Huang’s recordings, which were taken using her iPhone’s Zoom function, had survived. They showed the run-up to her arrest, the arrest itself and some of the aftermath.

Following Huang’s arrest, LASD officials made a string of false claims about her conduct that evening, including that she failed to identify herself as a journalist and “interfered with the arrest.” Substantial video evidence showed that those statements were false, but LASD continued to stand by them. In her recordings of the incident, Huang can be heard clearly and repeatedly telling the deputies that she was a journalist for KPCC. She was also wearing a visible press badge that identified her as a reporter.

Then-Sheriff Villanueva continued to justify Huang’s arrest for weeks after the incident, repeating LASD’s false claims in a series of interviews and public appearances.

Huang’s arrest sparked outrage among journalists and press freedom advocates. On Sept. 16, 2020, the Reporters Committee and a coalition of 65 media organizations called on LASD to drop all charges against Huang. Instead, LASD not only “presented” the case to the Los Angeles County district attorney but also “conducted a follow up investigation in an effort to persuade the district attorney to prosecute” Huang, according to the Office of Inspector General for the County of Los Angeles.

A week later, however, the district attorney’s office announced that it would not prosecute Huang, explaining based on all of the available evidence that “it does not appear that she was intentionally attempting to interfere with the deputies, but merely trying to record the occurrence” and that “when asked to back up, she is almost immediately grabbed by deputies and taken to the ground, giving her little if any time to comply.”

In May 2023, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge granted Huang’s petition for a finding of factual innocence, a procedure that enables individuals who were wrongly arrested to seek a judge’s affirmative finding that they did not commit the offense for which they were detained. When granted, as in Huang’s case, the authorities are required to seal and destroy the arrest records.

Sending a message and holding law enforcement accountable

“This settlement sends a strong message and, importantly, holds officials accountable for what happened to our client. We’re glad to have reached a resolution with LA County that will not only provide our client redress, but also will help prevent future unlawful arrests of journalists,” said Katie Townsend, deputy executive director and legal director for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. “Journalists play a vital role in shedding light on the actions of law enforcement and how police interact with members of the public. We must safeguard journalists’ ability to document police misconduct, which enables the public to hold officials accountable.”

“The attack on First Amendment press freedoms here was not limited to the improper arrest of a journalist filming a newsworthy event in a public street,” added Michael Dore, a partner in the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. “Law enforcement tried to destroy evidence rather than preserve it, and then the former sheriff made false claims about Ms. Huang’s reporting work that the evidence refuted. That cannot happen. We hope this settlement helps prevent it from happening again.”

Of her experience seeking accountability, Huang said, “I want to thank my attorneys at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher for their hard work over nearly three years to defend my rights and those of other journalists. I also want to thank my colleagues at LAist and throughout the journalism community for all the support they gave me both on the night I was detained and afterward.”

Hillel International, ADL (the Anti-Defamation League), the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP today announced the Campus Antisemitism Legal Line (CALL), a free legal protection helpline for students who have experienced antisemitism. With antisemitism on campus reaching all-time highs since Oct. 7, this new resource comes at a critical moment for the Jewish community.

Any student, family, faculty, or staff member 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. Lawyers will assess reports of antisemitic discrimination and hate, conduct in-depth information-gathering interviews, and provide pro bono representation for victims who choose to move forward with specific cases. CALL will also provide referrals to social services, mental health counseling services, and other relevant support services in their area.

A legal team from ADL, the Brandeis Center, Hillel International, and Gibson Dunn will guide overall strategy and coordinate volunteer lawyers from other leading firms including Gibson Dunn and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. CALL invites volunteer lawyers from other firms and companies, as well as other organizations, to join in this effort.

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.

“Since the brutal terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, there has been an alarming rise in antisemitism and hate directed toward Jewish college students,” said Adam Lehman, Hillel International President and CEO. “Alongside building flourishing Jewish campus communities and educating university presidents and leadership, this is an important tool for reducing campus antisemitism. Every student deserves to pursue their studies and live their full college experience in a safe and secure campus environment — and Jewish students are no exception.”

Hillel International’s recent survey of Jewish college students shows that more than half polled (56 percent) say they feel scared on campus. In addition, one-in-four Jewish students (25 percent) say there has been violence or acts of hate on their campus since the war began; and only half of those who say there has been hate or violence say they are satisfied with their university’s response.

“We don’t need a cancel culture on campus. We need a consequences culture,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO and National Director. “No longer will anyone be able to harass Jewish students with impunity, and no longer will a university or school be able to just look the other way.”

While college campuses have become a hotbed of antisemitism, rising hatred against Jews goes beyond universities. Preliminary data from the ADL Center on Extremism indicates that from Oct. 7-23, reported incidents of harassment, vandalism, and assault increased by 388 percent over the same period last year.

“The frightening incidents we’re seeing on campus today did not start on Oct. 7. They are a direct result of far too many universities failing in their legal responsibility to promptly, publicly and forcefully address the anti-Semitism that has been simmering on their campus for years. This explosion of Jew hatred was foreseeable and preventable. It’s high time for universities to enforce the law and protect their Jewish students.” said Alyza D. Lewin, president of the Brandeis Center.

The Brandeis Center, which has filed and resolved numerous federal anti-discrimination complaints with the Department of Education, has heard from more Jewish students in the past three weeks than in the last year combined.

“We are honored to partner with the ADL, The Brandeis Center, and Hillel International to provide victims of antisemitism on campus with free and timely access to counsel,” said Barbara Becker, Gibson Dunn Chair and Managing Partner. “There is no place for antisemitism, racism, Islamophobia, or hate of any kind in a just and humane society. We believe it is our responsibility and privilege to provide free legal services to communities in need, and this collaboration will serve that mission and help keep students safe.”

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP filed an opening brief on behalf of the National Association of Private Fund Managers, Alternative Investment Management Association Ltd., American Investment Council, Loan Syndications and Trading Association, Managed Funds Association, and National Venture Capital Association in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit challenging the new rule adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) regulating private fund advisers. The brief can be found here.

As the brief explains, this case is about an unprecedented and unlawful intrusion by the SEC into business relationships among private parties that has been undertaken without any Congressional authority. The SEC adopted a sweeping rule that unlawfully restricts—or even prohibits—the longstanding, widely used business arrangements of private funds and their investors, and in doing so needlessly undermines an industry that has been exceptionally successful for the investors it serves.

In the brief, the petitioners request that the rule be vacated based on their arguments that, among other things:

The new rule exceeds the SEC’s statutory authority by attempting to regulate the terms of the relationship between private funds (which are specifically exempt from such regulation) and their investors;

The SEC failed to provide the public a meaningful opportunity to comment on the final rule, which was not a logical outgrowth of the proposed rule;
The rule is arbitrary, capricious, and otherwise unlawful. It claims to fix an industry problem, but the SEC cites no evidence of the problem; and
The SEC did not perform an adequate cost-benefit analysis, neglecting its statutory duty to consider whether the rule “will promote efficiency, competition, and capital formation.”

The brief emphasizes that Congress intended for private funds to be regulated differently than funds available to retail customers and never gave the SEC the authority to intervene, as here, in the private funds market. Unlike retail investment products open to all investors, private funds are only available to experienced, sophisticated investors. As the brief explains:

This case concerns “private funds”—pooled investment vehicles that are not offered to the public. Unlike more familiar pooled investment vehicles, like mutual funds, private funds are generally not accessible to non-professional investors (known as retail customers). Instead, they serve some of the world’s most sophisticated investors. Because private funds serve large, predominately institutional, investors capable of protecting their own interests, Congress deliberately exempted them from the prescriptive regulatory regime applicable to publicly offered investment vehicles.

The brief argues that Congress intended the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 to govern, in limited ways, the relationship between the investment adviser and the fund. However, the SEC has upset Congress’s plan by broadly regulating the relationship between the adviser and the investor.

The Commission. . . subverted Congress’s plan…. [The] Commission said, to level the playing field among private-fund investors, its Rule must address the “indirect[]” relationship between the adviser and “investors in [the] fund[].” That is a blatant subversion of the congressional design: Congress decided to regulate private-fund advisers as “investment adviser[s],” and that this advisory relationship includes only the “direct[]” relationship between an adviser and its fund client.

The brief also argues that the SEC did not give adequate reasons for the rule. Beneficiaries—such as pension funds and universities—rely on the returns generated from private funds and see them as important portfolio diversifiers. Imposing immense costs without adequate reasons or an assessment of benefits will upend a thriving market:

The Commission cannot “articulate a satisfactory explanation” for the rule. It said it must impose billions of dollars in costs, and commandeer millions of hours in employee time, to prevent “problematic practices” the Commission has supposedly “observed.” But the Commission failed to provide any “evidence of a real problem.” The Court should vacate the Rule for that reason alone: “Professing that an order ameliorates a real industry problem but then citing no evidence demonstrating that there is in fact an industry problem is not reasoned decisionmaking.”

The petitioners are represented by Eugene Scalia and Helgi Walker of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

Gibson Dunn advised Gran Tierra Energy Inc. in the issuance of $487,590,000 of its 9.500% Senior Secured Amortizing Notes due 2029, in exchange for $275,799,000 of its outstanding 7.750% Senior Notes due 2027, and $247,081,000 of the outstanding 6.250% Senior Notes due 2025 issued by Gran Tierra Energy International Holdings Ltd.

Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (GTE: NYSE, TSX) is an independent international energy company currently focused on oil and natural gas exploration and production 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 Capital Markets partner Hillary Holmes, and Capital Markets associates Rodrigo Surcan, Justine Robinson, Alexandra Jones, To Nhu Huynh, and Kyle Clendenon; Finance partners Shalla Prichard and Doug Rayburn, and Finance of counsel Melissa Barshop; Tax partner Pamela Lawrence Endreny, and Tax associate Kate Long.

Gibson Dunn recently advised a cross-holder group of term loan lenders and noteholders (Cross-Holder Group) on the comprehensive cross-border recapitalization of Venator Materials PLC through a prepackaged Chapter 11 process. Venator is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of chemical products.

Pre-petition, our team led the negotiation of a restructuring support agreement, which included a $275 million DIP financing facility and a debt-for-equity swap by the Cross-Holder Group. Post-petition, the team participated in Venator’s contested confirmation hearing, helping to secure a favorable outcome. Following confirmation, we negotiated an Exit ABL Facility secured by Venator’s North American assets; an Exit Term Loan Facility, secured by the remaining international assets, that was provided by members of the Cross-Holder Group; and a Shareholders’ Agreement to memorialize the Cross-Holder Group’s equity stake in the reorganized company, all of which paved the way for Venator’s successful emergence from Chapter 11.

The transaction involved multiple Gibson Dunn offices across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Asia and France, and complex cross-border considerations including international restructuring, finance, tax, and regulatory issues and novel emergence mechanics due to Venator’s international presence.

The Gibson Dunn team included Restructuring partners Scott J. Greenberg, Steven A. Domanowski and AnnElyse Scarlett Gains, and Restructuring associates Tommy Scheffer, Matthew Breen, Clint M. Carlisle, and Matthew Sunday; Corporate partners Mark Sperotto, Sebastian Schoon and Amar Madhani, Corporate of counsel Alexander Klein, and Corporate associates Rodrigo Surcan and Tamas Lorinczy; Finance partners Linda Curtis, Chad M. Nichols, Ben Myers and Jamie Thomas, and Finance associates Jennifer Zhou, Charlie Osborne, Alex Plaia, John Cheah, and Phil Chang; Tax partners Edward S. Wei and Benjamin J. Fryer, and Tax associates Sophie Walshe, Yixue Gong and Michael A. Benison; Capital Markets partner Harrison Tucker; Antitrust and Competition partner Attila Borsos, Antitrust and Competition associates Jan Vollkammer, and Alana Tinkler, and Antitrust and Competition associate director Justin Woodward; and Litigation partners Mary Beth Maloney and C. Lee Wilson, and Litigation associate Trevor Gopnik.

The Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) has recognized Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP with its 2023 Thomas L. Sager Award for law firms with more than 650 lawyers. The MCCA, which had shortlisted 20 law firms as finalists in its category encompassing the largest firms, annually presents the Thomas L. Sager Award to highlight the industry’s commitment to building a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive legal industry that benefits everyone.

“We are honored to receive this very meaningful recognition as we continue our journey toward an even more diverse and inclusive workplace,” said Zakiyyah Salim-Williams, Partner and Chief Diversity Officer of Gibson Dunn. “Though there is still work to be done, we are thrilled with the progress we have made in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion over the past two decades.”

The MCCA determines the finalists and winners for the Sager Award based on its extensive review of the MCCA U.S. Law Firm Diversity Survey submissions. Launched in 2004, this survey is the longest standing diversity survey in the legal industry. It gathers insights about law firm demographics, leadership composition, retention, and promotion of women and diverse lawyers, and it analyzes this data through the Diversity Scorecard to build industry-wide standards and firm-specific recommendations. The Diversity Scorecard measures quantitative data including demographics, recruiting, retention, and promotion as well as qualitative data. It is the only scorecard in the legal industry that conducts this level of comprehensive data analysis and provides a roadmap to achieve more positive outcomes for all.

Gibson Dunn has adopted a strategic approach to its diversity initiatives, and its efforts have resulted in meaningful progress at all levels within the Firm. In addition to its internal efforts, Gibson Dunn announced in July the formation of a Workplace DEI Task Force, bringing to bear the Firm’s expertise in employment, appellate, and Constitutional law; DEI programs; securities and corporate governance; and government contracts to help its clients assess litigation risk, develop creative and practical approaches to accomplish DEI objectives in a lawful manner, and defend their programs in private litigation and government enforcement actions as needed. Gibson Dunn is defending the Fearless Fund in a lawsuit challenging its grant program for Black women business owners.

To learn more about Gibson Dunn’s commitment to diversity and inclusiveness, please visit www.gibsondunn.com/diversity.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP advised the Casino Guichard Perrachon SA group and certain of its subsidiaries on the conclusion of a lock-up agreement relating to its financial restructuring, with a team comprising Paris restructuring partner Jean-Pierre Farges and associates Matthieu Rabaud, Martin Guermonprez, Charles Peugnet, Imane Choukir and Guillaume Bismes. Paris partner Amanda Bevan-de Bernède, assisted by of counsel Julia Michalon and associate Hanh Pham, dealt with financing issues. Paris partner Jérôme Delaurière acted on tax aspects. Paris of counsel Vincent Poilleux advised on derivatives.

Groupe Casino, a Euronext-listed French mass-market retail group, has announced that it has concluded the lock-up agreement relating to its financial restructuring, with EP Equity Investment III s.à r.l. – an entity controlled by Mr. Daniel Křetínský, Fimalac and Attestor – and its secured creditors. The agreement provides for an equity injection and a reduction in Casino Group’s net debt of €6.1 billion.

Gibson Dunn is advising Pioneer Natural Resources on its $64.5 billion merger with ExxonMobil.

The merger combines Pioneer’s more than 850,000 net acres in the Midland Basin with ExxonMobil’s 570,000 net acres in the Delaware and Midland Basins, creating the industry’s leading high-quality undeveloped U.S. unconventional inventory position. Together, the companies will have an estimated 16 billion barrels of oil equivalent resource in the Permian.

The Gibson Dunn corporate team is led by partners Jeffrey Chapman and Tull Florey and includes partners Andrew Kaplan and Michael P. Darden and associates Phillip Sanders, Jonathan Sapp, Jordan Rex, Benjamin Lefler, William Altabef, Alexis Levine and Graham Valenta. Partners Darius Mehraban and Doug Horowitz and of counsel Adam Lapidus are advising on financing. Partners Michael Cannon and Eric Sloan, of counsel Jennifer Sabin, and associates Josiah Bethards and Duncan Hamilton are advising on tax aspects, and partner Krista Hanvey and associate Gina Hancock are advising on benefits. Partners Stephen Weissman, Chris Wilson and Sophia Hansell and associates Zoë Hutchinson and Steve Pet are advising on antitrust aspects.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP advised investor and active manager of core infrastructure assets John Laing on its acquisition of a portfolio of five UK assets from HICL Infrastructure PLC.

The portfolio of assets consists of Hornsea II offshore transmission assets, the Oxford John Radcliffe Hospital PFI Project, the Queen’s Hospital PFI Project in Romford, the South Ayrshire Schools PFI Project, and the Priority Schools Building Programme North East Batch.

The portfolio will help John Laing build on its extensive education, health and renewable energy experience, and marks its entry into the growing transmission sector.

The Gibson Dunn team representing John Laing was led by co-head of private equity in Europe Federico Fruhbeck and private equity partner Alice Brogi, with support from counsels Cason Moore and Manjinder Tiwana, and associates Dominic Kinsky and Magdalena Augé.

The team was also supported by co-chair of the firm’s antitrust and competition group Ali Nikpay, antitrust and competition partner Attila Borsos, and associates Alana Tinkler and Robert Albertson Kill.

Gibson Dunn has advised Zensho Holdings Co., Ltd., Japan’s premier food service company based on sales, on its acquisition of The Snowfox Group, a multi-channel international Japanese food service platform, for $621 million. The Snowfox Group’s global brands include Snowfox, Bento, Taiko and YO! in North America and the United Kingdom.

The Gibson Dunn M&A team was led by Scott Jalowayski, Till Lefranc, and Michelle Gourley. Rachel Brass, Sébastien Evrard, and Steve Pet advised on competition aspects, Carrie LeRoy advised on intellectual property, and Sandy Bhogal advised on tax. Joanne Hughes, Jordan Rex, Dominic Kinsky, and Luisa de Belgique advised on corporate aspects.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce that Kavita Davis has joined its Global Finance Practice Group as a partner in the London office.

Kavita focuses on cross-border debt finance matters, and has significant experience in advising on leveraged buyouts representing sponsors, including sponsors focusing on infrastructure transactions. She received her B.A., LL.B. (Hons) from the W.B. National University of Juridical Sciences in India, and is admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales.

Federico Fruhbeck, Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Projects and Infrastructure Practice Group and Head of Private Equity in Europe, said: “Our lawyers know Kavita well, having worked closely with her on complex cross-border deals. Her practice has a great number of synergies with groups around the firm, as is evident, for example, with her significant experience representing sponsor clients in private equity acquisitions in the infrastructure, industrial and real assets space.” Doug Horowitz, Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Global Finance Practice Group added: “Beyond being especially well known in the global infrastructure finance world, Kavita’s broad finance skill set allows her to be immediately impactful to our clients around the globe with English law finance needs.”

Penny Madden, Co-partner in charge of Gibson Dunn’s London office, said: “We are excited to welcome Kavita to the firm and to the London office. Over the last few years we have attracted fantastic talent to join our growing transactional practices in London, and her arrival strengthens our finance bench, allowing us to expand our offering to clients around the globe.”

Kavita noted: “It is a fantastic time to be joining Gibson Dunn’s growing finance practice and the firm’s focus on infrastructure transactions was a particular draw.”

Kavita’s hire follows a period of growth for Gibson Dunn’s Finance Practice Group over the past year, including with the arrivals of partners Doug Horowitz and Jin Hee Kim in New York; Frederick Lee in Dallas; Chad Nichols in Houston/New York; Ben Shorten and Trinh Chubbock in London; and Darko Adamovic in Paris. Her arrival also complements the strategic build out of the Projects and Infrastructure Practice Group, with high profile hires including Federico Fruhbeck, Alice Brogi, Rob Dixon, Wim De Vlieger, Till Lefranc and Isabel Berger in London; and Marwan Elaraby, Renad Younes, Laleh Shahabi, Jade Chu and Samuel Ogunlaja in the UAE.

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP advised private equity firm Cinven on the disposal of its stake in the Planasa Group, a global leader in the agri-food sector, to EW Group, a family-owned international group with key businesses in genetics, health, diagnostics, nutrition and food.

This transaction will allow EW Group to strategically expand its breeding activities into the area of fruit and vegetable breeding.

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher team was led by European Co-Chair of Private Equity Federico Fruhbeck, M&A and Private Equity partners Alice Brogi, Ariel Harroch and Judith Raoul-Bardy, as well as Labor & Employment partner Nataline Fleury.

The firm acted alongside Spanish firm Perez-Llorca on this transaction.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is advising a group of lenders in relation to the financing aspects of the €2.6 billion EV acquisition of German energy utility company STEAG by Spanish investment management firm Asterion Industrial Partners.

Kommunale Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG (KSBG) has sold its stake in STEAG GmbH, the Essen-based energy company, to Asterion Industrial Partners. The transaction values STEAG at an enterprise value of around €2.6 billion.

The Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher team advising the lenders was led by London-based Head of Private Equity in Europe and Global Co-Chair of Projects & Infrastructure Federico Fruhbeck, Banking and Finance Partner Sebastian Schoon and Of Counsel Alexander Klein in Frankfurt, as well as Finance, Energy and Projects & Infrastructure Partner Darko Adamovic and Of Counsel Alex Bluett in Paris.

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP acted for Canary Wharf Group on a £535 million loan from investment firm Cain International and Starwood Capital Group to fund the next phase of development at Wood Wharf.

Cain International and Starwood Capital Group will each provide half of the £535 million development loan, one of the largest of its type in the UK in the past 12 months, to fund the next phase of Wood Wharf Phase 3, a 1,308-home private build-to-rent scheme, split across three towers and two buildings.

The London-based Gibson Dunn & Crutcher Real Estate Partner Rob Carr and Associate Jamie Chew acted for Canary Wharf Group on this matter.

Following a historic civil rights trial victory earlier this year, Gibson Dunn announced the settlement of the remainder of Deon Jones v. City of Los Angeles.

In this landmark case, plaintiff Deon Jones sued the City of Los Angeles and a Los Angeles Police Department officer for violating his constitutional rights when the officer shot Mr. Jones in the face with a rubber bullet while he was peacefully protesting following the murder of George Floyd. On March 9, 2023, a federal jury in Los Angeles returned a unanimous verdict for Mr. Jones, finding that the officer violated Mr. Jones’ rights under the Fourth Amendment and awarding him $375,000 in damages, including punitive damages. The jury specifically found that the officer’s shooting was malicious, oppressive, or in reckless disregard of Mr. Jones’ rights.

In the settlement announced today, the officer has agreed to forego any appeal of the jury’s verdict, ensuring the verdict will continue to stand as a national message of accountability for police misconduct. The City has also agreed in the settlement to pay Mr. Jones additional damages to avoid a second trial that would have likely been held next year. That trial would have addressed and further exposed the City and LAPD’s historic abuses against civil rights protesters like Mr. Jones. Rather than proceed to that second trial, the City agreed to pay Mr. Jones $860,000 to resolve all claims—more than double the amount the jury awarded against the officer that shot Mr. Jones.

Deon Jones said: “I am proud and relieved that this multi-year fight for justice has concluded in such a momentous, historic outcome. The jury verdict in this case affirmed my faith in humanity and what it means to stand in one’s truth and power – indeed, that’s how change is always made. And, during a time where we see our rights being stripped away, I am grateful that my efforts to challenge and transform the status quo have moved the needle in the right direction for all people around the country who exercise their rights to peacefully protest.”

Orin Snyder of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, the lead attorney for Mr. Jones, said: “Deon Jones’ historic trial victory sent a message to law enforcement throughout the country that misconduct like shooting peaceful protesters cannot be tolerated in a free and decent society. This case is now over, but the work continues.”

Katherine Marquart, Pro Bono Chair of Gibson Dunn, said: “Gibson Dunn has been proud to stand with Mr. Jones every step of the way. We were privileged to celebrate Mr. Jones’ victory after trial, just as we are honored to stand with him in announcing this important settlement today. We look forward to continuing to work with Mr. Jones and other leaders in the perpetual struggle to improve our civic institutions and reaffirm our collective commitment to equal access to justice, civil rights, and equality under the law.”

The Gibson Dunn team representing Deon Jones also includes Matt Kahn, Lauren Blas, and Karin Portlock, as well as associates Lee Crain, Mark Cherry, Lauren Dansey, Tim Biché, Courtney Johnson, Ariana Sañudo, Chaplin Carmichael, Viola Li, Isabella Sayyah, Brian Yeh, Katy Baker, Lana El-Farra, Amanda Sadra, Sam Whipple, Terry Wong, Nicolas Rossenblum, Yan Zhao, Mitchell Wellman, and Geronimo Morales.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is advising Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: APGE), a biotechnology company advancing differentiated biologics for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other inflammatory and immunology indications, on its upsized initial public offering.

The Gibson Dunn corporate team includes San Francisco partners Ryan Murr and Branden Berns and associate Melanie Neary.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP has bolstered its global energy and infrastructure offerings with the hire of a nine-lawyer team in Paris led by partner Darko Adamovic, and including of counsel Vincent Poilleux and Alex Bluett, along with Pauline Portos, Romain Marchand, Etienne Paletto, Youssef Berrada, Emma Lavaysse di Battista and Farida Ouriachi.

The team advises on project development and finance in the energy and infrastructure sectors, both in France and internationally.

“The addition of Darko and his team – together with the recent expansion of our teams in London led by Federico Fruhbeck, in Dubai led by Marwan Elaraby, and in Abu Dhabi led by Renad Younes – represents yet another important step in cementing our market-leading and comprehensive infrastructure product offering around the world,” said New York-based Tomer Pinkusiewicz, Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Projects and Infrastructure Practice Group.

Commenting on the hires, Co-Partner in Charge of Gibson Dunn’s Paris office, Amanda Bevan-de Bernède, said: “We are pleased to welcome Darko and the entire team to the Paris office, and to offer our clients the benefit of their significant energy and infrastructure transactions experience.”

“We believe the team will fit perfectly at the firm, and are excited to add their notable talent to our platform,” added Bernard Grinspan, Co-Partner-in-Charge of the Paris office.

“Gibson Dunn has a fantastic global platform, with an enviable and growing energy and infrastructure practice,” said Darko. “The team is looking forward to working with members of the firm’s Projects and Infrastructure Practice Group, as well as with colleagues across practices and offices worldwide.”

The addition of Darko and the team follows a period of extensive growth for Gibson Dunn’s Projects and Infrastructure Practice Group, along with the firm’s energy practices. Recent high-profile hires in these spaces include Marwan Elaraby, Renad Younes, Laleh Shahabi, Jade Chu and Samuel Ogunlaja in the UAE, Federico Fruhbeck, Alice Brogi, Trinh Chubbock, Rob Dixon and Ben Shorten in London, and Rahul Vashi in Houston.

About Darko Adamovic

Darko advises on major domestic and international infrastructure, telecommunications, energy transition, and conventional energy (including renewables) and transport projects, including in the electric vehicle (EV) sector. He has significant experience advising sponsors, lenders, multilateral institutions, contractors and host governments on the development, structuring and financing (including loans, bonds, hybrid and derivatives financings) of major projects in France and internationally.

Additionally, he has significant experience in M&A transactions in the infrastructure and energy sectors. His clients include sponsors, lenders, multilateral institutions, contractors, and governments on the development of major projects in France and internationally, including financing.

Darko is ranked as a leading individual in Chambers Europe for Projects & Energy, and also ranked in Legal 500 EMEA for Project Finance in France.

About Gibson Dunn’s Projects and Infrastructure Practice Group

Gibson Dunn’s Projects and Infrastructure Practice Group has in-depth knowledge and experience ranging from green field project development, major disposals, and acquisitions, across energy and infrastructure and complex asset restructurings. The group advises all stakeholders, from government, corporate and financial sponsors, through to lenders and other credit providers.

About Gibson Dunn’s Energy Practice Group

The Energy Practice Group has a wide array of experience across all parts of the sector – from traditional sources of energy such as oil and gas, and electric utilities, to renewable forms such as solar and wind. The firm has handled energy-related matters involving numerous practice areas, including mergers, acquisitions and divestitures; debt and project finance; capital markets; joint ventures; fund formation; dispute resolution; commercial arrangements; and all manner of energy-related regulatory and antitrust issues.

About Gibson Dunn Paris

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Paris office advises on all aspects of business law, such as corporate transactions (M&A, joint ventures and private equity), restructuring/insolvency, finance, compliance, technology, and innovation. We also have practices in litigation, tax and real estate. The Paris office opened in 1967 as the firm’s first outside the United States, and its team of approximately 45 dual- and triple-qualified lawyers is distinctively positioned to advise clients on French and international matters that require a coordinated cross-border response.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP advised Mesquite Energy, Inc., a privately-held independent oil and gas exploration and production company, on the sale of its Eagle Ford Catarina Ranch assets to Black Mountain Oil and Gas.

The Gibson Dunn corporate team includes of counsel James Robertson, partners Hillary Holmes and Gerry Spedale, of counsel Adam Whitehouse, and associates Nathan Zhang, Luke Strother, Michael Holmes, Stella Tang, Mason Gauch and Caitlyn Fiebrich. Partner Shalla Prichard and associate Laura Edwards are advising on financing. Partner Michael Cannon and associates Josiah Bethards and Emily Brooks are advising on tax aspects, and partner Krista Hanvey and associate Fanny Patel are advising on benefits. Partner Peter Modlin is advising on environmental aspects.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP advised Mesquite Energy, Inc., a privately-held independent oil and gas exploration and production company, on the sale of its Western Eagle Ford assets to Crescent Energy Company for $600 million.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is advising Berkshire Hathaway Energy on its purchase of Dominion Energy’s 50% limited partnership stake in the Cove Point LNG, LP business. The transaction is valued at $3.3 billion.

The Gibson Dunn corporate team includes New York partners Andrew Kaplan and Christopher Lang, and associates Patrick Li and Ellie Song. New York partner Eric Sloan and associate James Jennings are advising on tax, and Washington, D.C. partner William Hollaway and senior counsel Janine Durand are advising on regulatory aspects.