Europe

Overview

Gibson Dunn’s European offices work seamlessly across the continent, and with our lawyers in the U.S., the Middle East and Asia, to provide full-service support on complex international transactions and disputes.

With our presence in Europe since the 1960s, and offices in Paris, London, Munich, Brussels and Frankfurt, we have gained valuable expertise in serving clients with international business interests that demand both local and cross-border capabilities. Our European team consists of a highly experienced, internationally networked group of European and U.S. qualified lawyers, many of whom are dual qualified.

Our capabilities in Europe are comprehensive, covering a range of transactions, EU and domestic regulatory compliance and enforcement matters, and dispute resolution, including litigation before national and European courts (the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights). Gibson Dunn’s achievements in Europe are reflected in our extensive recognitions by various renowned publications such as Chambers and The Legal 500.

On the corporate and transactional side, we have well-established practices specializing in private equity, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, global finance, energy and infrastructure, real estate, corporate governance, and capital markets. Our teams are fully integrated across the pivotal areas of technology, tax and employment. We have experience in all industries, including technology, media and telecommunications, automotive, manufacturing, life sciences, biotech and healthcare, consumer products and retail, logistics, professional services, and sports and entertainment.

Repeatedly recognized as one of the top litigation firms in the world, we are trusted strategic advisors on high-stakes domestic and multi-jurisdictional commercial disputes, including collective actions matters, and represent multinational clients in online platform litigation before national and EU courts, and in environmental, social and governance (ESG), supply chain and climate change litigation. We advise leading multinational corporations in arbitration proceedings around the world and have appeared before many of the world’s leading arbitrators. We work with all major arbitral institutions and rules. Our White Collar Defense and Investigations team defends corporations and senior executives in local, pan-European, and global investigations and prosecutions, and provides sophisticated advice on business-critical issues and in connection with crisis management.

What distinguishes us from our competitors in Europe, is not only our profound knowledge of existing and emerging EU legislation, and expertise navigating complex competition and regulatory policy issues, but our interdisciplinary and coordinated approach across practice groups and jurisdictions. We help our clients with the interpretation and practical application of complex EU laws, and expertly guide them through their engagements with regulators and legislators in relation to EU and national proposals. Our familiarity with crucial pieces of European legislation, including the Digital Services Act (DSA), the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), among others, sets us apart. We are also leaders in the emerging ESG regulatory space advising our multinational clients on sustainability reporting under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and on human rights due diligence under the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). Our lawyers possess expertise in public international law, EU law and the law of the European Convention on Human Rights. Our team includes the former president of the European Court of Human Rights.

We have been involved in numerous cases before the national and EU courts, making us exceptionally well-equipped to navigate the increasingly intricate regulatory framework in Europe. We boast a notable strength in providing insight, technical skills, and an understanding of the complex decision-making process in Brussels, for which our team has gained a strong reputation. Our International Trade and White Collar Defense and Investigations teams are highly praised for their global reach and holistic approach, leveraging the regional and subject matter expertise of each of our practice groups. We are focused on investigations into sensitive matters that typically affect multiple jurisdictions, threaten key elements of our clients’ business models or could lead to high-stakes litigation in the U.S., the U.K. or in the EU. Clients praise us for our ability to look around corners and structure our work with a clear understanding of the risks and opportunities that may materialize only years after a certain proceeding has been initiated. Our intimate understanding of the requirements of regulators at all levels in the EU or at the national or state level help us to achieve the most favorable results and resolutions for our clients.