Aaron K. Briggs

Aaron Briggs is a partner in Gibson Dunn’s San Francisco office and a member of the firm’s Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance Practice Group. Aaron’s practice focuses on advising public companies and their boards of directors, with a focus on technology and life sciences companies, on a wide range of securities and governance matters, including:

• SEC compliance matters, including Exchange Act reporting, Securities Act registration issues, earnings releases and investor presentations, financial reporting and internal/disclosure control issues, securities law compliance (e.g., Section 16, Reg FD, Reg G, insider trading), auditor issues
• Corporate governance matters, including compliance with state corporate laws and NYSE/Nasdaq requirements, board/committee operations effectiveness, board evaluations, board composition and diversity, independence issues, fiduciary duties
• ESG and sustainability matters, including disclosure, alignment with TCFD/SASB/integrated reporting frameworks, program development, engagement with ratings agencies and other stakeholders, risk and liability management, board oversight
• Investor engagement matters, including disclosure usability and proxy/10-K redesigns, investor and proxy advisory firm expectations and engagement, shareholder communication effectiveness
• Annual meeting matters, including proxy statement compliance and effectiveness, proxy timeline and supplier management, proxy solicitation issues and effectiveness, meeting conduct best practices and issues, virtual meeting implementation
• Shareholder activism matters, including dealing with shareholder proposals, vote-no campaigns, adverse proxy advisor vote recommendations, hedge fund activism
• Executive compensation matters, including best practices, board oversight and governance, CD&A and other disclosures, SEC registration issues, investor expectations

In-House Experience

Before rejoining Gibson Dunn, Aaron served for five years as Executive Counsel - Corporate, Securities & Finance, at General Electric Company. His in-house experience—which included responsibility for SEC reporting and compliance, board governance, proxy and annual meeting, investor outreach and executive compensation matters, and included driving GE’s revamp of its full suite of investor communications (proxy statement, 10-K, earnings releases, and integrated report)—provides a unique insight and practical perspective on the issues that his clients face every day.

Memberships and Professional Involvement

• Co-Chair, Certified Corporate Governance Professional Oversight Commission for the Society for Corporate Governance
• Member of Advisory Board, Society for Corporate Governance Northern California Chapter
• Transparency Advocate, RealTransparentDisclosure.com
• Corporate Governance Professional Certificate, Society for Corporate Governance

Awards and Accolades

• Fellow, American College of Governance Counsel, an organization of leading corporate governance lawyers from the US and Canada (2023)
• Inductee, Governance Intelligence Hall of Fame (2023)
• Winner, Governance Professional of the Year, Corporate Secretary Magazine Corporate Governance Awards (2016)

Representative Transactions Serving as Governance Counsel

• Reverse Mergers: Crescent Biopharma Reserve Merger (2025) , Jade Biosciences Reverse Merger (2025) , Oruka Therapeutics Reverse Merger (2024) , Spyre Therapeutics Reverse Merger (2023) , Gyre Therapeutics Reverse Merger (2023)
• IPOs: Apogee Therapeutics (2023) , Zevia PBC (2021), Shattuck Laboratories (2020), Biora Therapeutics (2020), 89bio (2019)
• Other: Quidel-Ortho Merger (2022)

Selected Publications and Speaking Engagements

• Co-Creator & Author, A Practical Guide to SEC and Proxy Compensation Rules, “Chapter 18: Proxy Disclosure Effectiveness”
• Contributing Author, “Annual State of Board Evaluations in the U.S.” (2025)
• Speaker, Society for Corporate Governance Western Regional Conference, "The Human Side of Governance" (October 2025)
• Speaker, Society for Corporate Governance Essentials Express Conference, "Fundamentals of Disclosure Regulation" and Annual Meeting" (October 2025)
• Speaker, Council of Institutional Investors Fall Conference, "The Changing Dynamics of Shareholder Engagement" (September 2025)
• Speaker, Society for Corporate Governance National Conference, "Key to Successful Board Materials & Presentations" and "Managing Professional Transactions in Governance" (July 2025)
• Speaker, National Association of Corporate Directors, “Proxy Season Reflections” (June 2025)
• Speaker, Gibson Dunn Securities Regulation Client Panel Series, "SEC Up Close" (June 2025)
• Speaker, Practising Law Institute SEC Institute, “Update on Management’s Discussion & Analysis” (June 2025)
• Moderator, Society for Corporate Governance Northern California Chapter Event, "Navigating Complex Stakeholder Expectations Ahead of the 2025 Proxy Season" (February 2025)
• Speaker, Center for Professional Education SEC Virtual Conference, "Hot Button Issues for Public Companies" (December 2024)
• Speaker, Gibson Dunn Capital Markets Client Webcast Series, “IPO & Public Company Readiness: Corporate Governance & ESG Considerations” (2024)
• Speaker, ABA SEER Fall Conference, “Lost at Sea? Navigating the Evolving ESG & Climate Disclosure Landscape” (2024)
• Speaker, Society for Corporate Governance National Conference, “The Growing Company - Charting Your Course from Small/Mid-Cap to Large Cap (2024)
• Speaker, Gibson Dunn MCLE Blitz, “SEC Rulemaking & Getting Ready for the Annual Reporting Season” (2024)
• Speaker, Gibson Dunn Securities Regulation Client Webcast Series, “Key Considerations for Your 2024 Proxy Statement” (2023)
• Speaker, Society for Corporate Governance Essentials+ Conference, “SEC Rulemaking Developments” (2023)
• Speaker, Gibson Dunn MCLE Blitz, “ESG Opportunities & Pitfalls” (2023)

Academic Experience

Aaron received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Chicago Law School in 2007, where he was a Kosmerl Scholar. He received his Bachelor of Arts with high honors from the University of Notre Dame in 2004.

Capabilities

• Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance
• Capital Markets
• Cleantech
• ESG: Risk, Litigation, and Reporting
• Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits
• Life Sciences

Credentials

Education:

• University of Chicago - 2007 Juris Doctor
• University of Notre Dame - 2004 Bachelor of Arts

Admissions:

• California Bar