Gibson Dunn is pleased to announce that Emily Naughton has joined the firm’s Washington, D.C. office as a partner and member of the firm’s Projects and Infrastructure and Real Estate Practice Groups. Emily will continue to focus on real estate and infrastructure transactions, representing many of the largest owners and operators of data center facilities in the country.
“We are thrilled to welcome Emily to Gibson Dunn,” said Eric Feuerstein, Co-Chair of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group. “Emily combines core real estate and transactional skillsets with exceptionally deep experience in the data center industry. With the global growth in AI, we are seeing and will continue to see an unprecedented rise in data center investments, and Emily’s experience representing top industry players will be an invaluable asset to our clients.”
“I’m excited to join the Gibson Dunn team,” said Emily. “Gibson Dunn’s premier platform is an excellent foundation on which to further build my practice. The firm’s talent is unmatched, and I look forward to working alongside this incredibly collaborative team.”
Gibson Dunn continues to attract top legal talent amidst one of the fastest growth periods in our history. In addition to Emily’s arrival, in the U.S. the firm has recently announced the joining of former Google Chief Privacy Officer Keith Enright, private credit partner Ryan Kim, special situations partner Caith Kushner, energy regulatory partner Tory Lauterbach, executive compensation and employee benefits partner Kate Napalkova, trial lawyer Liz Ryan, M&A partner George Sampas, private equity partner Brian Scrivani, regulatory finance partner Ro Spaziani, and real estate finance partners Krystyna Blakeslee and Michael Weinberger.
About Emily Naughton
Emily’s practice combines her core real estate and transactional background with deep industry expertise in the data center industry. Emily advises clients on a broad array of commercial real estate transactions, with an emphasis on digital infrastructure. She represents data center owners, developers, operators, and investors globally in connection with acquisition and development projects, disposition and transition of data center facilities, and data center leases and collocation agreements.
Gibson Dunn advised Delivery Hero and talabat in connection with the initial public offering (IPO) and listing of talabat on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), marking the largest technology sector IPO globally and the largest IPO in the GCC in 2024. This is the second year running that Gibson Dunn was issuer’s counsel on the largest IPO in the UAE, following last year’s $2.5 billion ADNOC Gas IPO.
The IPO, which raised gross proceeds of approximately $2 billion, resulting in an implied market capitalization of c.$10.1 billion, also marks the first-ever technology sector IPO on DFM.
talabat is the leading on-demand online food ordering, delivery, takeaway, and groceries and convenience retail marketplace in the MENA region, with operations in the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Oman, Jordan, and Iraq.
The Gibson Dunn team comprised partners Marwan Elaraby, Jade Chu, and Ibrahim Soumrany; associates Omar Morsy, Krishna Parikh, Ashley Cywicki, Vlad Zinovyev, Rachel Treasure, Anthony Forde, Huw Thomas, Ian Mwiti Mathenge, and Sherif Hashem; and staff attorney Hazim Alfreahat.
Gibson Dunn is pleased to announce that Osman Nawaz has joined the firm’s New York office as a partner and member of the firm’s Securities Enforcement and White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Groups. Osman will advise clients on internal and government investigations and enforcement actions, as well as follow-on civil litigation and compliance-related issues.
“Osman is an exceptional addition to our Securities Enforcement team,” said Mark Schonfeld, Co-Chair of the firm’s Securities Enforcement Practice Group. “Having led a wide variety of complex investigations for many years throughout the United States during his time at the SEC, Osman will further enhance our already strong national practice. His ability to guide clients through the complexities of today’s enforcement environment is invaluable.”
“I’m thrilled and humbled to join Gibson Dunn,” said Osman. “The firm’s leading reputation across disciplines and in litigation and securities enforcement makes this an ideal platform for my return to private practice after the privilege of government service. I look forward to working alongside my new colleagues as we help clients navigate the most critical and complex issues in investigations and securities law.”
Gibson Dunn’s Securities Enforcement Practice Group advises clients on matters ranging from complex “bet the company” investigations and litigation to preventive compliance and targeted training of investment professionals and corporate officials. With a deeply experienced team spanning multiple offices, the group collaborates seamlessly to deliver holistic strategies. This is vitally important for securities issues, which often require a multi-pronged strategy for managing civil litigation in the trial and appellate courts, parallel regulatory enforcement actions, and related matters challenging the conduct of founders, officers, directors, and major shareholders.
About Osman Nawaz
Osman served the government for more than 14 years across multiple administrations. He held numerous leadership roles at the agency, including most recently serving as a Senior Officer and National Unit Chief in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Division of Enforcement. As head of the agency’s Complex Financial Instruments Unit, a national group focused on complex products and trading, he led a team of SEC lawyers, a dedicated data analyst, and industry experts located in seven SEC offices, including its Washington, D.C. headquarters. Osman worked in parallel with the Department of Justice, CFTC, state and foreign regulators, and other authorities. He oversaw numerous first-in-kind actions and many of the SEC’s most complex investigations covering the entire breadth of the SEC’s subject matter involving investment advisers, broker-dealers, issuers, rating agencies, and other market participants.
Prior to becoming a Senior Officer, Osman served as an Assistant Regional Director and Senior Counsel in the Division of Enforcement at the SEC’s New York Regional Office. Before joining the SEC, he was an associate at an international law firm.
Gibson Dunn is pleased to announce that Will McDonald has joined the firm’s London office as a partner in its Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group.
Will has considerable experience in advising on complex cross-border M&A and brings deep expertise to U.K. public M&A transactions. During his two-year secondment at the U.K. Takeover Panel, he was involved in regulating over 250 transactions including Anheuser-Busch InBev’s £71 billion offer for SABMiller, the biggest takeover in U.K. corporate history.
Commenting on Will’s arrival, George Sampas, Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group, said: “Will’s experience in complex mergers and acquisitions makes him an important addition to our London deal team. Clients will benefit, in particular, from his first-hand experience at the UK Takeover Panel, which gives him an edge in U.K. public M&A deals.”
“With Gibson Dunn’s reputation for excellence and network of private equity and M&A lawyers working across geographies and industries, the opportunity to join the firm was too good to pass up,” said Will. “I’m looking forward to getting to work in the London office, which has made some fantastic hires in the deals space in recent years.”
Gibson Dunn recently expanded its transactional practices in London, welcoming private equity partner Will Summers, and finance partners Kavita Davis and David Irvine in the past year. Transactional partners Isabel Berger, Alice Brogi, Wim de Vlieger, Robert Dixon, Federico Fruhbeck, and Till Lefranc also joined the firm in London in recent years.
About Will McDonald
Will is an experienced M&A lawyer specializing in U.K. public and private M&A. He undertook a secondment to the U.K. Takeover Panel for two years, during which time he regulated more than 250 transactions covered by the Takeover Code. He works across a range of industries including defence, aerospace and aviation, technology, real estate, and natural resources. He is a Recommended Lawyer in Legal 500 United Kingdom for London: M&A Upper Mid-Market and Premium Deals. Will earned his M.A. Hons. (first class) in History from the Universities of Edinburgh and Washington.
Gibson Dunn has advised Strategic Value Partners (SVP) on the signing of its acquisition and financing of Blanchardstown Shopping Centre, a prime retail and leisure destination in Ireland.
Blanchardstown Centre is a major retail complex in north-west Dublin, covering 1.2 million square feet and housing over 180 shops and restaurants. With an annual footfall of approximately 17 million visitors and 5,500 parking spaces, it is one of Ireland’s leading shopping destinations.
The Gibson Dunn team was led by corporate partner Claibourne Harrison and included associates Emily Mattley and Paavni Anand. Partner Rob Carr and associates Christina Olliver, Chara Sherwood and Hannah Newhall advised on finance aspects.
Gibson Dunn advised GIC on its investment in Septeo, a prominent French software group serving the notaries, legal, hospitality, and real estate markets. The transaction values Septeo at more than €3 billion and includes an investment from Téthys Invest, the investment holding company of the Bettencourt-Meyers family. Closing is subject to customary regulatory approvals.
The Gibson Dunn team advising GIC was led by partners Till Lefranc and Ariel Harroch and included associate Mitasha Chandok.
The team also included associate Alison Pereira Martins (Corporate); partner Jérôme Delaurière (Tax); partner Vera Lukic and associate Clémence Pugnet (IP/IT/Data Protection/Cybersecurity); partner Nataline Fleury and associates Rym Gouizi and Noémie Massé (Employment); partner Stéphane Frank, of counsel Michelle Weinbaum and associate François Vanherck (Antitrust); partner Michelle Kirschner and associates Marija Bračković, Amy Cooke, Irene Polieri and Martin Coombes (Compliance and Regulatory).
Gibson Dunn advised global private equity firm KKR on its growth investment in Lighthouse, a leading data analytics and commercial intelligence platform for the travel and hospitality industry.
The Gibson Dunn team advising KKR was led by partner Wim De Vlieger, and was comprised of partner Isabel Berger, of counsel Michael Skouras, and associates Sarah Reder and Lena Tarrin.
The team also included partners Stephane Frank and Kristen Limarzi and associates Jan Przerwa and Jesse Schupack (Antitrust); partner Lore Leitner and associate Chris Puttock (IP/IT and Data Protection); partner Benjamin Fryer and associate Jason Richards (Tax); partner James Cox, of counsel Christina Andersen and associate Georgia Derbyshire (Employment).
Gibson Dunn is deeply saddened by the passing of our partner and friend, Theodore B. Olson, on November 13, 2024. A towering figure on the national stage, Ted was a once-in-a-generation lawyer – and a central part of Gibson Dunn’s legacy and success.
He was a founder of the firm’s Appellate and Constitutional Law Practice Group and served in many firm leadership positions as well as senior government roles, including Solicitor General of the United States.
“Ted was a titan of the legal profession and one of the most extraordinary and eloquent advocates of our time,” said Barbara Becker, Chair and Managing Partner of Gibson Dunn. “He was creative, principled, and fearless – a trailblazing advocate who cared about all people. We mourn his loss profoundly and send our condolences to his wife Lady, a cherished member of our firm family, and to all of Ted’s loved ones.”
“Ted has been the heart and soul of Gibson Dunn for six decades and made us who we are today,” said Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., partner at Gibson Dunn. “He was not just an incomparable lawyer, mentor, role model, and friend, but he has made immeasurable contributions to the rule of law, our Constitution, and our country. We will miss him with all our hearts.”
In June 2024, the firm held a ceremony, attended by Ted, to christen the Theodore B. Olson Moot Courtroom in Los Angeles, in honor of his pioneering methods of appellate argument preparation and his bold and powerful style of delivery. May his memory be a blessing.
About Theodore B. Olson
Theodore B. Olson was Solicitor General of the United States during the period 2001 to 2004. From 1981 to 1984, he was Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Office of Legal Counsel in the U.S. Department of Justice. Except for those two intervals, he was a lawyer with Gibson Dunn in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. since 1965.
Selected by TIME in 2010 as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, Ted was one of the nation’s premier appellate and U.S. Supreme Court advocates.
He argued 65 cases in the Supreme Court, including the two Bush v. Gore cases arising out of the 2000 presidential election; Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission; Hollingsworth v. Perry, the case upholding the overturning of California’s Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriages; and U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California, successfully challenging the Trump Administration’s rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
Ted’s Supreme Court arguments included cases involving separation of powers; federalism; voting rights; the First Amendment; the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses; patents and copyrights; antitrust; taxation; property rights; punitive damages; the Commerce Clause; immigration; criminal law; securities; telecommunications; the internet; and other federal constitutional and statutory questions.
Ted served as private counsel to two Presidents, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, in addition to serving those two Presidents in high-level positions in the Department of Justice.
He was twice awarded the U.S. Department of Justice’s Edmund J. Randolph Award, its highest award for public service and leadership, and also received the Department of Defense’s Distinguished Service Award, its highest civilian award, for his advocacy in the courts of the United States, including the Supreme Court.
Ted was appointed by President Barack Obama to the 10-member Council of the Administrative Conference of the United States as well as the Commission on White House Fellowships. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, the Board of Visitors of the Federalist Society, the Board of Directors of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, and the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial Foundation. He previously served as a member of the President’s Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board.
Ted was a Fellow of both the American College of Trial Lawyers and the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. He received his law degree in 1965 from the University of California, Berkeley where he was a Member of the California Law Review and Order of the Coif.
Gibson Dunn represented J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Santander US Capital Markets LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., BCP Securities, Inc., Latin Securities S.A. Agent de Valores and Balanz Capital Valores S.A.U., as (i) initial purchasers in connection with an issuance of US$141 million of 11.000% Senior Secured Notes due 2031 (the “New Notes”) by Generación Mediterránea S.A. and Central Térmica Roca S.A., and (ii) dealer managers in connection with an offer to exchange any and all of their 13.250% Senior Secured Notes due 2026, 12.50% Senior Secured Notes due 2027, and 9.625% Senior Notes due 2027 (collectively, the “Existing Notes”) for approximately $215 million of their 11.000% Senior Secured due 2031, and a related consent solicitation to amend certain provisions of the indentures governing their Existing Notes, to among other matters, substantially eliminate certain restrictive covenants and events of default.
The New Notes constitute senior secured and unsubordinated obligations and will be jointly and severally guaranteed by the Albanesi Energía S.A. and secured by a first-priority lien over assets and equipment located in Argentina. Generación Mediterránea S.A. and Central Térmica Roca S.A. are part of the Albanesi Group, an Argentine private corporate group involved in the energy sector.
The early settlement of the Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation and closing of the issuance of New Notes occurred on October 30, 2024, and the final settlement of the Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation occurred on November 8, 2024.
The Gibson Dunn corporate team was led by partner Tomer Pinkusiewicz and included of counsel Rodrigo Surcan and associate Paul Rafla. Partner Kathryn Kelly and associates Galya Savir and Jennifer Fitzgerald advised on tax aspects.
Gibson Dunn advised Neinor Homes, the leading listed residential property developer in Spain, on the issuance of its €325 million senior secured notes due 2030, which was oversubscribed four times.
Neinor Homes has issued its second Green Bond, upsizing the initial targeted amount from €300 million to €325 million, and has pledged that it will invest an amount equivalent to 100% of the proceeds in Eligible Green Projects.
Neinor Homes intends to allocate €175 million to repay its existing corporate debt facilities and increase its corporate debt by an additional €150 million to fund new growth opportunities and for general corporate purposes including land bank acquisitions, further co-investments and shareholder remuneration.
The Gibson Dunn capital markets team advising Neinor Homes was led by London partners Federico Fruhbeck and Hugo Hernández-Mancha, and of counsel Cason Moore. The finance team was led by Kavita Davis.
The firm acted alongside Uría Menendez, whose team was led by partner Gabriel Nuñez and associate Manuel Suero Roiz.
Gibson Dunn advised Wrexham AFC owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney on the sale of a minority stake in the club to the Allyn family of New York, the creation of a new joint venture with the Allyn family called Red Dragon Ventures, and the acquisition of Wrexham Lager, the oldest lager brewery still operating in the United Kingdom.
The Gibson Dunn corporate team was led by partner Stefan dePozsgay and included associates Ciarán Deeny, Joey Herman and Colette McNeela. Partner Pamela Lawrence Endreny and associates Adam Gregory, James Chandler and Michael Benison advised on tax aspects. Partner A.J. Frey advised on investment funds aspects; and partner Kevin Bettsteller advised on regulatory aspects.
Gibson Dunn is advising the underwriters on Waste Management, Inc.’s public offering of $5.2 billion in senior notes.
The Gibson Dunn corporate team includes partners Hillary Holmes and Cynthia Mabry and associates Malakeh Hijazi and Mariana Lozano.
Gibson Dunn is advising Jade Biosciences on its merger with Aerovate Therapeutics, Inc. and the concurrent $300 million private placement of shares of its common stock and pre-funded warrants to a syndicate of healthcare investors.
The Gibson Dunn corporate team includes partners Ryan Murr, Branden Berns and Chris Trester and associates Evan Shepherd and Candice Johnson.
Gibson Dunn represented Bank of America and the other initial purchasers on Garda World’s offering of $1.0 billion 8.375% senior notes due 2032. The notes offering closed on October 31, 2024.
The Gibson Dunn corporate team was led by partners Doug Horowitz and Robert Giannattasio and included associates Nneka Chukwumah and Ayushi Sutaria.
Gibson Dunn represented JPMorgan as Administrative Agent and various lenders in connection with establishing incremental revolving loans under its existing senior secured credit facilities. The incremental revolving loans refinanced existing revolving commitments.
The Gibson Dunn corporate team was led by partner Doug Horowitz and included associates Alex Plaia and Brian Sims.
Gibson Dunn today announced that Barry Berke, one of the country’s leading trial lawyers and white-collar criminal defense attorneys, has joined Gibson Dunn, where he will serve as Co-Chair of the firm’s global Litigation Practice Group. Barry joins Gibson Dunn’s New York office with an elite team of first-chair trial partners, all of whom are former federal prosecutors: Dani James, Michael Martinez, Darren LaVerne, and Jordan Estes.
Barbara Becker, Chair and Managing Partner of Gibson Dunn, said: “Our firm’s preeminent litigation platform is an important part of our identity, and we are proud to welcome Barry and the team as we continue to build on this legacy. With their extensive experience across a wide range of litigation and investigative matters, this stellar group is a natural fit for Gibson Dunn. We are thrilled to begin our work together in service of clients around the globe.”
Described as “America’s greatest trial lawyer,” Berke represents individuals and corporations in sensitive and high-profile trials, investigations, complex litigation, and internal investigations. He also handles financial litigation and complex commercial disputes. For decades, Berke and the team have handled many of the most sensitive and high-profile criminal and civil matters in the country.
Berke commented: “We are honored to join forces with Gibson Dunn and their world-class litigation group. We are excited for our next chapter and to serve our clients from this extraordinary platform.”
The team joins from Kramer Levin, where Berke chaired the Litigation practice. Berke noted: “Kramer Levin was a wonderful home for us for many, many years. We have deep respect for the firm and our former colleagues, and we look forward to working with them in the future.”
The elite litigators joining Gibson Dunn with Barry — all former federal prosecutors with experience handling both civil and criminal cases — are:
- Dani James – A former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, James served as Co-Chair of Kramer Levin’s White Collar Defense and Investigations practice. She represents executives and companies in sensitive, complicated and high-profile criminal and regulatory matters conducted by federal and state agencies, including the DOJ, the SEC, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, among other agencies.
- Michael Martinez – An accomplished trial lawyer and leading national health care fraud practitioner, Martinez is a former federal prosecutor for the District of New Jersey, where he served for three years as the Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney, in charge of all criminal and civil health care fraud cases.
- Darren LaVerne – A former federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of New York, LaVerne counsels and advocates for individuals and companies in sensitive, complicated, and high-stakes matters involving criminal and regulatory trials, hearings, investigations, and related civil proceedings. He has litigated cases in courts around the country, as well as in arbitral forums in the United States and abroad.
- Jordan Estes – A former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, Estes has been lead or co-lead counsel on 14 federal trials over the past eight years. Estes spent more than eight years in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where she served as co-chief of the General Crimes Unit and tried some of the Office’s most high-profile cases as a senior member of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force.
Gibson Dunn advised funds managed by the Power Opportunities strategy of Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. (“Oaktree”), a leading global investment manager specialising in alternative investments, on its partnership with LED Enterprises Limited (“LED Group” and the “Group”), operating through the ROBUS and FuseBox brands, to develop a premier platform for building electrification products and energy transition solutions.
ROBUS provides energy-efficient lighting solutions for commercial, industrial, and residential applications. FuseBox is a leading UK provider of circuit protection devices. Through the partnership with Oaktree, LED Group will leverage the Power Opportunities team’s expertise, track record and access to capital resources to drive scalability through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. LED Group’s senior management team will remain in place and reinvest in the business, demonstrating their commitment to the partnership and the Group’s growth trajectory.
The Gibson Dunn team advising Oaktree was led by partner Will Summers and included of counsel Manjinder Tiwana and associates Oliver Hill and Alex Eldredge (Corporate); partner Ben Fryer and associates James Chandler and Jason Richards (Tax).
Gibson Dunn advised Cold Chain Technologies, a portfolio company of long-standing client Aurora Capital Partners, on its acquisition of Tower Cold Chain, a global leader in passive reusable cold chain solutions for the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries. The deal expands Cold Chain Technologies’ suite of temperature-controlled packaging solutions and geographic reach.
The Gibson Dunn team advising Cold Chain Technologies was led by partner Will Summers with associates Rosie Maguire and Alex Eldredge (Corporate); partner Ben Fryer and associate Cheryl Yip (Tax); and partner Kavita Davis and associate Abi Yussuf (Finance).
Gibson Dunn has advised Helmerich & Payne, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary, HP Falcon Investments, LLC, on its accelerated bookbuild offering to institutional investors of 159,652,173 existing ordinary shares in ADNOC Drilling Company P.J.S.C. The sale generated proceeds of approximately $197 million.
The Gibson Dunn team was led by partners Marwan Elaraby (Dubai), Ibrahim Soumrany (Dubai) and Hillary Holmes (Houston), and included associates Adri Langemeier (Houston), Ian Mwiti Mathenge (Abu Dhabi), and Huw Thomas (Abu Dhabi).
Gibson Dunn advised BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group (BTG Pactual TIG) on a long-term contract with Meta for the delivery of 1.3 million nature-based carbon removal credits, with options for delivery of an additional 2.6 million nature-based carbon removal credits, through 2038. The deal is one of the largest of its kind and a key component of BTG Pactual TIG’s Latin America reforestation strategy, which is designed to support climate change mitigation alongside benefits for biodiversity and communities.
The Gibson Dunn corporate team was led by John Gaffney and Kira Idoko and included Adam Lapidus.