Gibson Dunn is advising CenterPoint Energy, Inc. on the sale of its Ohio natural gas LDC business, Vectren Energy Delivery of Ohio, to National Fuel Gas Company for $2.62 billion.

Our corporate team is led by partners Alexander Fine, James Springer, Gerry Spedale, and Hillary Holmes and includes associates Paul Lee, Ann-Marie Harrelson, and Alex Prezioso. Partner Shalla Prichard and of counsel Ryan Searfoorce are advising on financing. Partner Pamela Lawrence Endreny, senior counsel Gregory Nelson, and associate Hayden Theis are advising on tax aspects. Partner Kate Napalkova is advising on benefits. Partners William Hollaway and Tory Lauterbach and senior counsel Janine Durand are advising on energy regulation aspects. Partner Sophia Hansell and associate Alexander Merritt are advising on antitrust aspects. Partner Daniel Angel and associate Andrew Hartman are advising on IP aspects.

Gibson Dunn is advising Appian Capital Advisory, the investment advisor to long-term value-focused private capital funds that invest in companies in metals, mining, and adjacent industries, on its launch of a $1 billion critical minerals, metals, and mining fund for emerging markets in partnership with International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group.

Our investment funds team is led by New York partner Roger Singer, of counsel Jason Park, and associate Rachel Spinka. The team includes London partners James O’Donnell and Michelle Kirschner and of counsel Martin Coombes, along with Dubai of counsel Sameera Kimatrai and associate Krishna Parikh.

Gibson Dunn announced today that Jennifer A. Yashar has joined the firm’s New York office as a partner in the Real Estate Practice Group. Jennifer will continue her leading real estate commercial leasing practice, which is focused on headquarters and other complex leases on behalf of preeminent landlords and tenants.

“Jen is one of New York’s top leasing lawyers—admired by counsel and clients alike—and we are thrilled to welcome her to our team,” said Eric M. Feuerstein, Co-Chair of the Real Estate Practice Group. “Her experience—particularly with headquarters leases in New York City—is unparalleled and will be a tremendous asset to the Gibson Dunn real estate platform and invaluable to clients navigating today’s market.”

“Gibson Dunn has built a premier real estate platform, providing an outstanding foundation to grow my practice as I look to the next chapter of my career,” said Jennifer. “I’m excited to join such a talented and collegial team to help clients meet their commercial leasing objectives and advise them across the full spectrum of real estate issues.”

Gibson Dunn’s Real Estate Practice Group defines excellence in legal real estate, leveraging its exceptional size, scope, and global reach to deliver outcomes for the industry’s most prominent players. The practice represents the world’s foremost real estate leaders, including private equity giants, family offices, sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, developers, and top financial institutions. In recent months, the practice has further strengthened its capabilities by welcoming real estate finance partner Frank Mangiatordi and REIT M&A partner David Perechocky in New York. In 2024, leading data center partner Emily Naughton joined the practice in Washington, D.C.

About Jennifer A. Yashar

Jennifer advises clients on commercial real estate transactions, with a focus on sophisticated commercial leasing transactions. She has significant experience in the lease-up of developments under construction and regularly counsels developers, financial institutions, law firms, and other corporations on headquarters leasing transactions.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Jennifer served as a partner at an international law firm.

Gibson Dunn has delivered one of the most significant securities litigation defense results of 2025, achieving a near-total victory for Energy Transfer LP in Allegheny County Employees’ Retirement System v. Energy Transfer LP (E.D. Pa. No. 2:20-cv-00200-GAM).  Our winning team of trial lawyers was hired to replace another defense firm after the motion to dismiss had been denied and a class had been certified. 

While virtually all securities class action lawsuits are settled short of trial and long before a decision on summary judgment, our team had a single objective:  to litigate the case to victory, including at trial if necessary.  The odds of achieving this goal were steep.  After years of litigation, plaintiffs sought more than $2.1 billion in damages stemming from claims that Energy Transfer misled investors about its multibillion-dollar Mariner East 2 and Revolution pipeline projects spanning the state of Pennsylvania.  Once hired, our team — with critical assistance from a team of Morgan Lewis lawyers led by Laura H. McNally — sprang into action and implemented a strategy that eviscerated nearly all claims before trial and capped Energy Transfer’s exposure at less than 5% of the alleged damages.

Following extensive discovery (over 1.5 million documents and 40 depositions), our team obtained a groundbreaking summary judgment ruling in August 2024.  The court eliminated 98% of the plaintiffs’ estimated damages, holding that only a single narrow corrective disclosure could even proceed to trial.  With trial weeks away, plaintiffs agreed to a $15 million class settlement.  To put this amazing defense result in context, the plaintiffs’ lodestar (the amount they claim they would have received in fees had they charged at an hourly rate) was more than $50 million, and the settlement eliminated over $2 billion of exposure for Energy Transfer. 

The recently approved settlement serves as a model of strategic and data-driven defense litigation by lawyers who, unlike most securities class action defense (and plaintiff) firms, are ready, willing, and able to win cases at trial. The court found the outcome “fair, reasonable, and adequate,” noting the absence of any objections from over 745,000 notified class members.

This result exemplifies our firm’s ability to dismantle complex securities claims through rigorous expert work, targeted motion practice, and disciplined trial readiness — shielding the client from potentially catastrophic liability while preserving its reputation and resources.

Led by partner Trey Cox, our winning team of trial lawyers included partners Brian Lutz, Colin Davis, and Lissa Percopo and associates Holly Rooke, Dana Sherman, Luke Dougherty, and Lydia Lulkin.

Gibson Dunn was recognized with 14 firm and 31 individual rankings in the 2026 edition of Chambers UK. 

The firm was recognized in the following categories:

•              Asset Finance: Aviation Finance – UK-wide

•              Capital Markets: Equity – UK-wide

•              Competition Law – London

•              Corporate/M&A: £800 million and above – London

•              Information Technology & Outsourcing – London

•              Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas – UK-wide

•              Infrastructure – UK-wide

•              International Arbitration: Commercial Arbitration – UK-wide

•              International Arbitration: Investor-State Arbitration – UK-wide

•              Investment Funds: Investor Representation – UK-wide

•              Private Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above – UK-wide

•              Real Estate: £150 million and above – London

•              Real Estate Finance – UK-wide

•              Tax – London

The following partners were recognized in their respective practice areas:

•            Alison Beal – Information Technology & Outsourcing – London

•            Sandy Bhogal – Tax – London

•            Alice Brogi – Infrastructure – UK-wide

•            James Cameron – Asset Finance: Aviation Finance – UK-wide

•            Rob Carr – Real Estate Finance – UK-wide

•            James Cox – Employment – London

•            Federico Fruhbeck – Infrastructure – UK-wide; Private Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above – UK-wide

•            Ben Fryer – Tax – London

•            Christopher Harris – International Arbitration – UK-wide

•            Joel Harrison – Information Technology & Outsourcing – London; Data Protection & Information Law – UK-wide

•            Chris Haynes – Capital Markets: Equity – UK-wide

•            Christopher Howard – Restructuring/Insolvency – UK-wide

•            David Irvine – Leveraged Finance: Big Ticket – London

•            Tom Jackson – Asset Finance: Aviation Finance – UK-wide

•            Mark Leverkus – Asset Finance: Aviation Finance – UK-wide

•            Michelle Kirschner – Financial Services: Non-contentious Regulatory – UK-wide

•            Penny Madden – International Arbitration – UK-wide

•            Mark Manson-Bahr – Real Estate Finance – UK-wide

•            Ali Nikpay – Competition Law – London

•            James O’Donnell – Investment Funds: Investor Representation – UK-wide

•            Piers Plumptre – International Arbitration – UK-wide

•            Ben Shorten – Projects: Mainly International – UK-wide

•            Lisa Stevens – Restructuring/Insolvency – UK-wide

•            Will Summers – Private Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above – UK-wide

•            Dee Taylor – Competition Law – London

•            Simon Tysoe – Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas – UK-wide

•            Presley Warner – Leveraged Finance: Big Ticket – London

•            Hannah Watson Fanin – Investment Funds: Investor Representation

•            Rebecca West – Asset Finance: Aviation Finance – UK-wide

The guide was published on October 16, 2025.

Gibson Dunn advised Serent Capital and its portfolio company CallRevu on the sale of CallRevu to Astira Capital Partners.

Our corporate team was led by partners Abtin Jalali and James Springer and included associates Michael Andrews, Jasmine Vitug, and Risa Nakagawa. Partner Sean Feller and associate Spencer Bankhead advised on benefits. Partner Daniel Angel and associate Sarah Scharf advised on IP aspects.

Shout out to Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher partners Matthew Rozen and Miguel Estrada and associate Jeff Liu, who secured a ruling at the D.C. Circuit for client Helmerich & Payne International Drilling Co. in its long-running lawsuit against Venezuelan state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. The appellate court upheld a decision allowing Helmerich’s claims that PDVSA expropriated its Venezuelan subsidiary to survive, denying PDVSA’s motion to dismiss based on sovereign immunity, lack of personal jurisdiction and the act-of-state doctrine.

To read the complete article visit Law.com (subscription required)

Reprinted with permission from the October 10, 2025 edition of “The AmLaw Litigation Daily” © 2025 ALM Global Properties, LLC. All rights reserved. Further duplication without permission is prohibited, contact 877-256-2472 or asset-and-logo-licensing@alm.com.

Our Litigators of the Week are Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher partners Collin Cox and Sydney Scott and associate Ben Betner, who led a trial team representing two entities run by real estate developer Bruce Gray.

Following a 12-day trial and about five hours of deliberations, Maricopa County Superior Court jurors found that ZOM Holding Inc.—a Florida developer the Gray Companies had partnered with on projects at four Arizona properties—had breached a non-circumvention agreement barring ZOM from buying the underlying properties in a trustee’s sale, as well as the duty of faith and fair dealing under the deal. Jurors awarded $296,448,624 in damages—the Gray Companies’ full ask.

Lit Daily: Who was your client and what was at stake?

Collin Cox: Our clients were Gray Development Group and Gray Services, two Arizona-based real estate companies that have been in business for more than 30 years. The Gray Companies had put together a pipeline of four high-end projects on very desirable land in Phoenix and Scottsdale. Then, they brought in another company to help provide the capital to develop those projects. That company, the defendant in our case, ended up with everything. We talked about this “imbalance” throughout the trial. We asked the jury for $296 million, representing the Gray Companies’ lost value of the projects.

How did this matter come to you and the firm?

Cox: Bruce Gray, the President and CEO of both companies, contacted me in July 2024. He had been litigating his case for a few years but wanted to think about how it would be presented at trial. We were flattered that he thought of us. Ben Betner and I quickly flew to Phoenix to meet in person with him and his wonderful wife, Barb. Since that initial meeting, we’ve been thinking about the best way to try the case. After a long and successful career, Bruce and Barb had put everything they had into this pipeline of projects, and Bruce wanted to finish his career by completing these four beautiful projects in his home state.

After coming into this case late on the plaintiff’s side, what steps did you take to get this case ready to be presented to a jury—“a simple and sad story with three chapters,” as you called it, Collin?

Cox: Real estate cases can be complicated, with so many special-purpose entities involved in a transaction and a lot of money at stake. But no matter the context, written promises are easy to grasp, and jurors pick up on those promises quickly. We focused on what the parties agreed to do, and we told a story about what the defendants chose to do instead. One thing that helped a lot was making sure the jury had their own individualized copies of the key documents, including the parties’ contract. From the opening statement, we directed them to certain language. I was thrilled when jurors started highlighting and annotating in the first 10 minutes of the 12-day trial. And, as always, we tried to present the evidence in a straightforward way, using graphics, pictures and charts to keep things interesting.

What were the barriers to telling this as “a simple and sad story”? The way real estate developers structure their deals isn’t always straightforward and jury-friendly.

Cox: Every case of this magnitude has its challenges, and this one was no different. The jurors heard a lot from the excellent lawyers on the other side about different proceedings and the development of the projects after the Gray Companies were removed. As the plaintiffs, we faced the age-old challenge of handling each defense—waiver, estoppel, supersession and the like—when raised without losing the focus on your core themes and evidence.

Ben Betner: The biggest barrier was organizing stacks of relevant evidence into an understandable and straightforward story. Given the complicated nature of commercial real estate transactions, we decided to present our case chronologically, with three chapters. We then bucketed the evidence under each of these chapters to provide structure to the narrative. The jury appeared engaged with how we presented this story in the opening, so we structured the closing around those same themes, adding important testimony from trial. When we spoke with the jury after the verdict, they commented on how much they enjoyed and appreciated our presentation as they initially felt overwhelmed by the quantity of information they had to consider.

Who all was on your team and how did you divide the work?

Cox: It was a high-functioning team of lawyers who all could slot into different roles. My partner Sydney Scott and our colleague Kylie Calabrese spent weeks preparing Bruce to testify. I’ve never seen a witness-prep team that was more effective or that worked harder. Sydney and Ben handled the expert witnesses. Sydney’s cross of their expert was a true highlight for the trial. Johanna Smith handled the first witness we called. And Bryston Gallegos and Jaime Barrios, associates from our Dallas office, adroitly handled so much of the pretrial and in-trial arguments before and after the evidence. Our paralegal, Eugenia Varela, worked tirelessly to make sure we were organized each and every day. We all sat together in a Phoenix hotel conference room. Every idea was welcome, and no task was too small for someone to handle. There was no room for ego in that space.

I hear that all the associates on the team had a chance to speak in court. What form did that take? And how did you get the client comfortable with letting junior members of the team have a stand-up role?

Cox: I think jurors enjoy hearing from a variety of voices, especially ones as effective as the ones we had in Phoenix. The client knew that the associates who presented the witness or argument had done the underlying work. Bruce also saw us practice each examination internally, over and over, to minimize any chance of surprise. Our associates are the best in the country, and Ben led this team brilliantly. They earned these opportunities.

Betner: Associate involvement started early, and the client had an opportunity to watch each and every associate perform prior to trial, whether in depositions, hearings or the pre-trial conference. This was just a culmination of all the stand-up opportunities they had already excelled at, so the client trusted the entire team could deliver.

Some of the facts underlying this case unwound during the early days of the COVID pandemic here in the U.S.—a turbulent time for many in the real estate industry. How did that play into your dispute?

Cox: We thought about COVID a lot and certainly worked questions about the pandemic into our witness outlines. But I must say that even though COVID wasn’t that long ago, it feels in some ways like a million years ago. And because construction workers were indispensable workers during the pandemic, COVID-related construction delays—at least for projects that had started in Arizona—weren’t that significant.

$296,448,624. That’s a big ask–and a specific one. How did you get there and how did you convince the jurors that was what your client was entitled to?

Cox: We had two excellent experts speak to the profits the projects were set to generate. We went through the models comprehensively, providing enough details, hopefully, without belaboring the point. Both experts were excellent communicators, and the connection to the jury was important. And although the jury gave us the $296 million number twice, on two separate claims, we told them directly that we’d only be entitled to it once. We wanted to be as transparent as possible about every dollar we requested.

Sydney Scott: Oftentimes in complex business disputes, we shy away from compelling personal narratives. But I think it was important to allow Bruce to tell his story in his own words. Bruce is a self-made man who earned every bit of success that he achieved in his nearly 40 years in real estate development. Collin described him as a “maverick” in the opening, and the jury saw some of that firsthand during Bruce’s two days on cross. I admit I was nervous about how that would come across, but Bruce’s authenticity and passion really resonated with the jury. Despite the large damages claim, they could see this wasn’t a money grab. It was a man standing up for what he had rightfully earned—nothing more, nothing less.

What can others take from the way you tried this case?

Cox: I’ve learned so much from people who taught me how to try cases, and I use so many lessons from my mentors in every one of my trials. I also think it’s important that the lead lawyers be open to being corrected by their colleagues. We believe that the best idea always should win, no matter how junior or senior the person who brings the idea forward. And we sweat the small stuff—font size on graphics, the order for presenting testimony and the like.

Scott: It’s not always easy to do, but our team did an excellent job of tuning in to what seemed to resonate with the jurors throughout the trial. We incorporated those insights into our closing argument in a way that reinforced our key themes and messages—something the jurors later told us they found especially persuasive.

Betner: Build a great team, empower them and give them responsibility early. And when you get to trial, make sure everyone’s strengths are utilized.

What will you remember most about this matter?

Cox: Two things: First, I’ll remember the arc of the relationship with Bruce and Barb Gray—from meeting them fifteen months ago to seeing them through this difficult chapter. And second, I’ll always remember this team. I’m lucky to practice law with these fabulous people who bring their very best every day.

Scott: Nothing makes me happier than seeing my teammates step up to the plate and knock it out of the park. That’s what each person on our team did day in and day out—especially our associate team. From conducting their first direct and cross examinations to handling the charge conference, our associates put on a stellar performance. Those moments are ones I’ll never forget.

Betner: The strength of the team that we put together. Everyone performed at the highest level to get the best result possible for our clients.

Reprinted with permission from the October 10, 2025 edition of “The AmLaw Litigation Daily” © 2025 ALM Global Properties, LLC. All rights reserved. Further duplication without permission is prohibited, contact 877-256-2472 or asset-and-logo-licensing@alm.com.

Gibson Dunn advised Race Rock, a nationwide infrastructure solutions leader, in its acquisition of Spitzer Industries, a long-standing provider of engineered equipment and modular solutions for energy and industrial markets.

Our corporate team was led by partners Michael Piazza and Matthew Schwartz and of counsel Tyler Cox. Partner Krista Hanvey advised on benefits. Partner Michael Cannon advised on tax issues. Associate Jack Jacobson advised on corporate issues.

Gibson Dunn announced today that Frank J. Mangiatordi has joined the firm’s New York office as a partner in the Real Estate Practice Group. Frank has a broad real estate practice advising acquirers, sellers, joint venture partners, borrowers, lenders, landlords, tenants, developers, sponsors, and issuers on a wide range of transactions and financings across industries.

“Frank is a talented practitioner who is highly regarded in the market and whose experience in both the equity and finance sides of dealmaking will be beneficial to clients across the spectrum,” said Eric M. Feuerstein, Co-Chair of the Real Estate Practice Group.

“I’m excited to join Gibson Dunn’s premier real estate platform,” said Frank. “The firm’s sterling reputation precedes it. From my own experience negotiating deals across the table, I know how talented and collaborative they are. As investor demand across real estate sectors continues to grow, the need for experienced counsel to help clients navigate the rapidly evolving market—particularly from a financing perspective—has never been greater.”

Gibson Dunn’s Real Estate Practice Group defines excellence in legal real estate, leveraging its exceptional size, scope, and global reach to deliver powerful outcomes for the industry’s most prominent players. The practice represents the world’s foremost real estate leaders, including private equity giants, family offices, sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, developers, and top financial institutions. In August, the practice welcomed REIT M&A partner David Perechocky.

About Frank J. Mangiatordi

Frank advises clients on a full range of real estate transactions, including portfolio and single-asset acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, financings, developments, sale/leasebacks, distressed asset workouts, reorganizations, and leases. His clients include institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds, lenders, borrowers, buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, and developers.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Frank served as a partner at another leading international law firm.

A team of trial lawyers from our Houston and Dallas offices led by partners Collin Cox and Sydney Scott secured a sweeping victory and a massive $296 million verdict for Arizona real estate development companies Gray Development and Gray Services following a 12-day trial in Maricopa County, Arizona.

The Gray companies had worked for a decade to develop projects for four desirable, high-end real estate sites in Phoenix and Scottsdale. In May 2019, our clients entered into a contract with ZOM Holding, based in Florida. The parties were to work together to pursue the development of the sites, but ZOM terminated the contract and eventually began developing the properties through one of its affiliates. We pursued claims for breach of contract and breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing, alleging that ZOM could not circumvent the Gray companies’ interests.

After deliberating for approximately five hours, the jury agreed, finding that ZOM breached both the contract between the parties (awarding $296,448,624) and its duty of good faith and fair dealing under the contract (also awarding $296,448,624). The jury granted the full amount of damages our clients sought.

“The Gray companies have been fighting for this moment for six years,” Collin said. “We are extremely thankful to the hardworking members of the jury who listened carefully to the evidence presented by both sides throughout this long trial. Bruce Gray put everything into his companies, and we’re gratified that the jury agreed with us that what ZOM did was wrong.”

In addition to Collin and Sydney, our Gibson Dunn Texas trial team included associates Ben Betner, Bryston Gallegos, Johanna Smith, Kylie Calabrese, and Jaime Barrios.

The case is Gray Services, LLC & Gray Development Group LLC v. ZOM Holding, Inc., Case No. CV2022-010650.

Gibson Dunn advised JPMorgan and the other arrangers and lenders on Beach Acquisition Bidco, LLC’s $4.405 billion credit facilities, comprising a $1.555 billion term loan B facility, a €1.25 billion term loan B facility, and a $1.6 billion multicurrency revolving credit facility, to finance, in part, the approximately $9.4 billion acquisition of Skechers U.S.A., Inc. by 3G Capital.  JPMorgan acted as lead arranger and will serve as administrative agent for the credit facilities. 

The Gibson Dunn finance team involved in the transaction was led by partners Doug Horowitz and Jin Hee Kim and included associates Anthony Hajj, Paul Rafla, Julia Sweitzer, Melody Karmana, and Mackenzie Alpert.

Gibson Dunn advised Grubhub Inc. and its subsidiary, Grubhub Holdings Inc., on Grubhub’s recently completed exchange offer and consent solicitation for its 5.500% senior notes due 2027. Under the transaction, holders of the existing notes were able to exchange them for cash and/or newly issued 13.000% Senior Secured Cash / PIK Notes due 2030, and to consent to amendments to the existing indenture.

Our team was led by partner Jason Zachary Goldstein and included associates Kevin Liang and Sue Su. Partner Robert D. Giannattasio, of counsel Rodrigo Surcan, and associates Nneka Chukwumah, Sarah Ediger, and Lauren Guzman advised on capital markets. Partners Andrew Cheng and Caith Kushner, of counsel Veronica G. Bonhamgregory, and associate Kaylin Chavez Ervin advised on debt financing. Partner Edward Wei and associate Emily Risher Brooks advised on tax. Partner Michael Collins advised on benefits.

Gibson Dunn won a crucial victory for victims of terrorism before the D.C. Circuit in Estate of Jeremy Isadore Levin v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Nos. 23-7080, 23-7082.  For the second time, the D.C. Circuit unanimously reversed the district court’s dismissal of our clients’ order of attachment of nearly $10 million in blocked Iranian funds.  Its decision clears the way for victims of terrorism to attach blocked terrorist funds to their judgments against state sponsors of terrorism under the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA), even when the government has brought its own forfeiture proceedings against the assets.

Gibson Dunn represents a group of plaintiffs (“the Owens plaintiffs”) who hold nearly $1 billion in judgments against the Islamic Republic of Iran, stemming from its role in al Qaeda’s 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.  In October 2019, an agent of Iran attempted to route nearly $10 million (intended for the purchase of a Liberian oil tanker) through a series of banks including Wells Fargo, where they were blocked pursuant to an order of the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC).  The Owens plaintiffs attached the blocked funds to their judgments, and the United States — which had earlier sought forfeiture of the same funds — intervened and moved to quash the writ of attachment.

The district court initially granted the motion to quash after accepting the government’s arguments that the blocked funds were not “assets of Iran” for purposes of TRIA, even though the government had blocked the funds because of their Iranian origination.  In 2022, the D.C. Circuit unanimously reversed the district court’s decision, holding that because the funds were clearly traceable to Iran, they were attachable under TRIA.  On remand, the district court nonetheless granted the government’s renewed motion to quash the writs on the basis (1) that the government’s forfeiture action — including the issuance of an OFAC license allowing the government to pursue forfeiture — unblocked the funds for purposes of TRIA and (2) that under the prior exclusive jurisdiction doctrine, the government’s forfeiture action barred any subsequent proceedings against the funds. 

The D.C. Circuit (Katsas, Walker, Garcia) again reversed unanimously in an opinion by Judge Katsas, holding that the funds remain blocked for purposes of TRIA, since they are still subject to a blocking order and immobilized at Wells Fargo.  While the government’s license authorized it to pursue forfeiture of the funds, it did not unblock them or allow the government to take present possession of the funds. The court explained that to hold otherwise would vitiate TRIA since the government could “thwart attachment of blocked assets simply by authorizing itself to initiate forfeiture proceedings.”

The court also rejected the district court’s application of the prior exclusive jurisdiction doctrine to bar the writs. It held that the doctrine — which was designed to prevent the practical problems associated with two different courts exercising in rem jurisdiction over the same piece of property — does not apply to proceedings “filed in the same court.” 

This is a major win for victims of terrorism, especially since the other circuits previously rejected attempts to attach assets under TRIA that are the subject of forfeiture proceedings.  And it is not uncommon for the government to bring forfeiture proceedings against assets it has blocked.  By concluding that “TRIA specifically allows attachments” that otherwise would be prohibited under the civil forfeiture statute, the D.C. Circuit vindicated TRIA’s notwithstanding clause, which allows victims of terrorism to attach blocked assets of state sponsors of terrorism “[n]otwithstanding any other provision of law.”

Partner Jessica Wagner argued the appeal and led the Gibson Dunn team, which included associate Jeffrey Warren and a former partner and associate.

The 2025 edition of LMG Life Sciences recognized Gibson Dunn for excellence in the following six practice areas:

•            Antitrust

•            Corporate

•            General Patent Litigation

•            Hatch-Waxman Patent Litigation (Branded)

•            Mergers and Acquisitions

•            White-Collar/Government Investigations

Additionally, 18 Gibson Dunn lawyers were named Life Science Stars:

•            Joseph Barbeau

•            Wayne Barsky

•            Barbara Becker

•            Branden Berns

•            Reed Brodsky

•            Winston Chan

•            Charlotte Jacobsen

•            Jane Love

•            Ryan Murr

•            Saee Muzumdar

•            Melanie Neary – 2025 Rising Star

•            John Partridge

•            Christine Ranney – 2025 Rising Star

•            Karen Spindler

•            Eric Stock

•            Jeffrey Thomas

•            Daniel Thomasch

•            Robert Trenchard

The rankings are based on a combination of firm-submitted questionnaires, partner interviews, client surveys, and independent research.

Click here to view the complete rankings.

Gibson Dunn is leading the representation of lenders to First Brands Group LLC, the auto-parts supplier that recently filed for bankruptcy in the Southern District of Texas.  Partner Scott Greenberg, Global Chair of our Business Restructuring and Reorganization Practice Group, and his team are advising the large group of lenders who provided $4.4 billion of DIP financing to First Brands in the highly reported Chapter 11 case.

Details of the bankruptcy are available from these and numerous other sources: Bloomberg, Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal (subscriptions required).

Gibson Dunn of counsel Yair Galil and associate Victoria Jones Yilmaz are the authors of a Practice Note for Practical Law [PDF] that explains the importance of achieving fungibility of incremental term loans and highlights an important yet sometimes-overlooked aspect of incremental loan structuring that must be considered in order to attain true fungibility of the incremental term loans with existing initial term loans: calibrating amortization terms.

“Careful review of the current effective amortization rate of the initial term loans (as opposed to the facial amortization rate in the credit agreement), as well as due regard to the impact of prior prepayment events,” write the authors, “can help avoid inadvertent misalignment of amortization schedules that could interfere with full fungibility.”

Gibson Dunn advised Meridiam, a leading global investment and asset management firm specializing in public-private partnership (PPP) projects and infrastructure investments, on the formation of Meridiam Infrastructure North America Fund IV, a North American-focused infrastructure fund with $1.8 billion of capital commitments.

Our investment funds team was led by partner Shukie Grossman and included associates Curtis Vella and Fiona Xin. Partner Daniel Zygielbaum and of counsel Kate Long advised on tax, and partner Michael Collins advised on benefits.

First up are litigators at Davis Polk & Wardwell, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Cahill Gordon & Reindel, King & Spalding and Milbank, who represented the last defendants standing after nearly a decade and a half of litigation over allegations that banks conspired during the financial crisis to manipulate the U.S. Dollar London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR. In a case that went up to the Second Circuit on appeal four times, U.S. District Senior Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald last week granted summary judgment to the defendants and decertified a class of plaintiffs that had been led by named plaintiffs that included Yale University, Vistra Energy Corp. and the mayor and city council of Baltimore. The judge wrote in a 273-page opinion that the alleged conspiracy was “simply so vague that it would have been impossible to enforce and, hence, economically senseless.”

The Gibson Dunn team representing UBS included partners Eric Stock and Jefferson Bell and associates Katie Salvaggio and Amir Heidari.

To read the complete article visit Law.com (subscription required)

Reprinted with permission from the October 3, 2025 edition of “The AmLaw Litigation Daily” © 2025 ALM Global Properties, LLC. All rights reserved. Further duplication without permission is prohibited, contact 877-256-2472 or asset-and-logo-licensing@alm.com.

Gibson Dunn earned 31 practice area rankings and 25 individual rankings in the 2026 edition of The Legal 500 UK. Five partners were named to The Legal 500 Hall of Fame, recognizing individuals who receive consistent feedback from the market for continued excellence, and 13 partners were named Leading Lawyers in their respective practices.

The firm was recognized in the following categories:

Our Legal 500 Hall of Fame practitioners for 2026 are:  Sandy Bhogal – Corporate and Commercial: Corporate Tax; Steve Thierbach – Corporate and Commercial: Equity Capital Markets; Ali Nikpay – Corporate and Commercial: EU and Competition; Philip Rocher – Dispute Resolution: Commercial Litigation; and Christopher Howard – Finance: Corporate Restructuring & Insolvency.

The partners named as Leading Lawyers are: Chris Haynes – Corporate and Commercial: Equity Capital Markets: Mid-Large Cap; Michelle Kirschner – Corporate and Commercial: Financial Services: Non-Contentious/Regulatory; Ali Nikpay – Dispute Resolution: Competition Litigation; Penny Madden – Dispute Resolution: International Arbitration; Federico Fruhbeck – Projects, Energy and Natural Resources: Infrastructure: M&A and Acquisition Financing; Patrick Doris – Public Sector: Administrative and Public Law; Sean Tierney – Real Estate: Commercial Property: Investment; Robert Carr – Real Estate: Property Finance; Mark Manson-Bahr – Real Estate: Property Finance; Sacha Harber-Kelly – Risk Advisory: Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime (advice to corporates); Joel Harrison – TMT (technology, media and telecoms): IT and telecoms; Ben Fryer – Corporate and Commercial: Tax; and James Cameron – Finance: Transport Finance and Leasing .

In addition, Alice Brogi was named a Next Generation Partner for Corporate and Commercial: Private Equity Transactions – High-Value Deals (£500M+) and Projects, Energy and Natural Resources: Infrastructure: M&A and Acquisition Financing; Claibourne Harrison was named a Next Generation Partner for Real Estate: Commercial Property – Investment; Freya Church was named a Leading Associate for Real Estate – Commercial Property: Investment; Ceyda Knoebel was named a Leading Associate in Dispute Resolution: International Arbitration; Mark Leverkus was named a Leading Associate for Finance: Transport Finance and Leasing; and Tom Jackson was named a Leading Associate for Finance: Transport Finance and Leasing.

The guide was published on October 1, 2025.