Harsha Ramesh, Author at Gibson Dunn

The Best Lawyers in America® 2027 Ones to Watch recognized 75 lawyers in 30 practice areas. Ones to Watch “recognizes associates and other lawyers who are earlier in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.”

The Best Lawyers in America® 2027 has recognized 234 lawyers in 64 practice areas.

The 2026 edition of the Managing IP Handbook recognized Gibson Dunn among the top firms for Patent Disputes, and the leading firms for IP Transactions, Federal Circuit, and Trademark Disputes, in the United States. Additionally, the guide recognized the firm’s California, New York, and Texas practices for their Patent Disputes work and its Washington, D.C. practice for its work in Trademark Disputes.

Based on recommendations from clients and peers, the guide also recognized 15 Gibson Dunn lawyers. Howard Hogan was named a Copyright Star and a Trademark Star. Wayne Barsky, Brian Buroker, Kate Dominguez, Benjamin Hershkowitz, Charlotte Jacobsen, Josh Krevitt, Jane Love, Mark Reiter, Brian Rosenthal, Daniel Thomasch, and Robert Trenchard were all recognized as Patent Stars. In addition, Daniel Angel was named a Transactions Star, Christine Ranney was named a Notable Practitioner and Jennifer Rho was recognized as a Rising Star.

Gibson Dunn was recognized with top tier rankings in China: Private Wealth Disputes in the 2026 edition of Chambers High Net Worth, a guide to the leading lawyers and law firms for international private wealth management in key jurisdictions around the world. Hong Kong partners Brian Gilchrist OBE and Elaine Chen were also recognized as Band 1 lawyers in the China: Private Wealth Disputes category.

Gibson Dunn has been recognized in the 2026 edition of the Chambers and Partners Litigation Support guide, which features detailed coverage of litigation support services in the U.S., U.K., Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America.

The firm and partner Robert L. Weigel, Co-Chair of our Judgment and Arbitral Award Enforcement Practice Group, were ranked in the Asset Tracing & Recovery (Global-wide) category, with Robert described by clients as “a premier strategist in the field of judgment enforcement.”

Gibson Dunn has once again been ranked in the Chambers and Partners Crisis & Risk Management guide. The firm was recognized in two categories in the 2026 edition: Environmental, Social & Governance Risk (Global-wide) and Crisis Management (USA – Nationwide).

Partner and Co-Chair of our Crisis Management Practice Group, Debra Wong Yang, was ranked in Crisis Management. The guide praised her as “an acclaimed white-collar crime defense expert, frequently advising high caliber clients on complex investigations, disputes and reputational matters.”

London partner Susy Bullock was recognized for her “excellent” practice in the Environmental, Social & Governance Risk category.

Eighteen Gibson Dunn lawyers from our Frankfurt and Munich offices have been recognized in The Best Lawyers in Germany™ 2027 for their respective practice areas, while an additional ten have been included in The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Germany™ 2027.

Markus Rieder was also named a “Lawyer of the Year” for Bayern – Corporate Governance and Compliance Practice.

The Best Lawyers in Germany™ 2026:

Frankfurt

Aliresa Fatemi (Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Private Equity Law)
Peter Gumnior (Employee Benefits Law; Labor and Employment Law)
Alexander Schürmann (Arbitration and Mediation; International Arbitration; Litigation)
Dirk Oberbracht (Corporate Law; Leveraged Buyouts; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Private Equity Law)
Annekatrin Pelster (Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
Lars Petersen (Public Law)
Wilhelm Reinhardt (Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Private Equity Law)
Annekathrin Schmoll (International Arbitration)
Sebastian Schoon (Banking and Finance Law)
Finn Zeidler (Arbitration and Mediation; Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Governance and Compliance Practice; Criminal Defense, Litigation)

Munich

Ferdinand M. Fromholzer (Corporate Governance and Compliance Practice; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Private Equity Law)
Kai Gesing (Competition / Antitrust Law; Intellectual Property Law; Litigation)
Markus Nauheim (Arbitration and Mediation; Automotive Law; Corporate Law; Litigation; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Private Equity Law)
Leo Plank (Restructuring and Insolvency Law)
Markus S. Rieder (Arbitration and Mediation; Corporate Governance and Compliance Practice; International Arbitration; Litigation)
Sonja Ruttmann (Venture Capital Law)
Benno Schwarz (Corporate Governance and Compliance Practice; Corporate Law; Criminal Defense)
Friedrich A. Wagner (Arbitration and Mediation; Litigation)

The Best Lawyers in Germany™: Ones to Watch

Frankfurt

Valentin Held (Litigation)
Vladimir Konchakov (Corporate Law; Venture Capital Law)
Vanessa Ludwig (Corporate Governance and Compliance Practice)
Fabiana Obermeier (Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
Andreas Rief (Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Private Equity Law)
Victor A. Thonke (Regulatory Practice)

Munich

Carla Baum (Litigation)
Nikita Malevanny (Information Technology Law; Intellectual Property Law; Litigation)
Enno Schley (Corporate Governance and Compliance Practice; Criminal Defense; Litigation
Alessandra Schmidt (Litigation)

Chambers once again named Gibson Dunn as “Real Estate Law Firm of the Year” at its 2026 USA Awards. The awards recognize “firms that demonstrate exceptional leadership, sustained performance and influence across the U.S. legal market.” The awards were presented on Thursday, June 11, 2026.

Gibson Dunn earned 67 practice area rankings, including 20 top-tier rankings, in the 2026 edition of The Legal 500 – United States.

Individually, the firm achieved 17 Hall of Fame rankings, which recognize individuals who consistently receive outstanding client feedback for continued excellence. Additionally, the firm achieved 60 Leading Partners rankings, as well as 14 Next Generation Partner rankings and three Leading Associate rankings.

The firm achieved first-tier rankings in the following categories:

Antitrust – Cartel
Antitrust – Civil litigation/class actions: defense
Dispute resolution – Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal) – Appellate: Courts of Appeal
Dispute resolution – Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal) – Appellate: Supreme Courts (States and Federal)
Dispute resolution – Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense: advice to corporates
Dispute resolution – General commercial disputes
Dispute resolution – International litigation
Dispute resolution – Securities litigation: defense
Energy – Energy transactions: oil and gas
Environment – Environment: litigation
Finance – Project finance – Infrastructure and PPP
Finance – Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate
Labor and employment – Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions)
Media, technology and telecoms – Media and entertainment: litigation
Media, technology and telecoms – Outsourcing
Real estate – Land use/zoning
Real estate – Real estate
Real estate – Real estate finance
Tax – US taxes: non-contentious
Transport – Rail and road: litigation and regulation – Rail and road – litigation and regulation

Legal 500’s Hall of Fame for 2026 consists of:

Theodore Boutrous – Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal) > Appellate: Courts of Appeal
Theodore Boutrous – Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes
Michael P. Darden – Energy > Energy transactions: oil and gas power
Patrick Dennis – Environment > Environment: litigation
Scott Greenberg – Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate
Peter Hanlon – Energy > Energy transactions: electric power
Scott Hammond – Antitrust > Cartel
Jane Horvath – Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection)
Perlette Michèle Jura – Dispute resolution > International litigation
Mary Murphy – Real estate > Land use/zoning
Stephen Nordahl – Media, technology and telecoms > Outsourcing
Tomer Pinkusiewicz – Finance > Project Finance
Jesse Sharf – Real estate > Real estate
Jesse Sharf – Real estate > Real estate finance
Daniel Swanson – Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense
Joseph Warin – Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
Michael Weinberger – Real estate > Real estate finance

Leading Partners:

Chair & Managing Partner Barbara Becker – M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: large deals ($1bn+)
Daniel Angel – Media, technology and telecoms > Outsourcing
Daniel Angel – Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions
Aaron Beim – Real estate > Real estate finance
Barry Berke – Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers
Richard Birns – M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: large deals ($500m+)
Rachel Brass – Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense
Reed Brodsky – Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
Krystyna Blakeslee – Real estate > Real estate finance
Trey Cox – Energy > Energy litigation: oil and gas
Steven Domanowski – Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate
Thomas Dupree – Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal) > Appellate: Courts of Appeal
Thomas Dupree – Transport > Rail and road: litigation and regulation > Rail and road – litigation and regulation
Pamela Endreny – Tax > US taxes: non-contentious
Miguel Estrada – Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal) > Appellate: Courts of Appeal
Andrew Fabens – Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings
Eric Feuerstein – Real estate > Real estate
Stacie Fletcher – Environment > Environment: litigation
Amy Forbes – Real estate > Land use/zoning
Anita Girdhari – Finance > Project finance
Noam Haberman – Real estate > Real estate finance
Thomas Hungar – Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal) > Appellate: Courts of Appeal
Douglas Horowitz – Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings
Douglas Horowitz – Finance > Commercial lending > Advice to borrowers
Allyson Ho – Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal) > Appellate: Courts of Appeal
Elizabeth Ising – M&A/corporate and commercial > Corporate governance
Dani James – Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
Josh Krevitt – Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage)
Monica Loseman – Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
Jane Love – Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage)
Brian Lutz – Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense
Brian Lutz – Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
Saul Mezei – Tax > US taxes: contentious
Rahim Moloo – Dispute resolution > International arbitration
Ryan Murr – Healthcare > Life sciences
Daniel Nelson – Environment > Environment: litigation
William Peters – Media, technology and telecoms > Outsourcing
Nicholas Politan – Energy > Energy transactions: electric power
Nicholas Politan – Energy > Renewable/alternative power
Cynthia Richman – Antitrust > Cartel
Cynthia Richman – Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense
Heather Richardson – Insurance > Advice to insurers
Benyamin Ross – Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional
Brian Rosenthal – Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage)
Ilissa Samplin – Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation
Ben Saltsman – Real estate > Land use/zoning
Michael Saliba – Finance > Commercial lending > Advice to direct lenders/private credit
Jason Schwartz – Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions)
Adam Smith – International trade > Customs, export controls and economic sanctions
Andrea Smith – Dispute resolution > International litigation
Katherine Smith – Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions)
Orin Snyder – Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes
Orin Snyder – Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers
Orin Snyder – Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation
Steve Tsoneff – Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional
Sanford Stark – Tax > US taxes: contentious
Deborah Stein – Insurance > Advice to insurers
Rahul Vashi – Energy > Energy transactions: oil and gas power
Stephen Weissman – Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense
Kahlil Yearwood – Real estate > Real estate finance

Next Generation Partners:

Jordan Estes – Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
Robert Giannattasio – Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings
Sarah Graham – Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional
Meghan Hungate – Media, technology and telecoms > Outsourcing
Meghan Hungate – Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions
Madalyn Miller – Transport > Aviation and air travel: finance
Michael Perry – Antitrust > Merger control
Ilissa Samplin – Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters)
Brian Scrivani – M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: large deals ($500m+)
Molly Senger – Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions)
Stephen Silverman – Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate
Jennafer Tryck – Labor and employment > ERISA Litigation
Terrell Ussing – Tax > US taxes: contentious
Edward Wei – Tax > US taxes: non-contentious

Leading Associates:

Ruben Almaraz – Finance > Project Finance
Stephen Hammer – Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal) > Appellate: Courts of Appeal
Vlad Zinovyev – Energy > Energy transactions: electric power

Gibson Dunn is pleased to announce that Katie Townsend has rejoined the firm’s Litigation and Media, Entertainment, and Technology Practice Groups as a partner in the Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. offices. Katie’s practice will focus on representing clients on a wide range of First Amendment, media, and technology-focused litigation and advisory matters.

“We are delighted to welcome Katie back to Gibson Dunn,” said partner Theodore J. Boutrous Jr. “Katie is an exceptional litigator who, for the last decade, has made a real impact by winning high-stakes cases on behalf of news organizations and journalists. As media companies and technology platforms face increasingly complex First Amendment issues, Katie’s unique experience and insights will prove invaluable to clients navigating this changing landscape.”

“I am thrilled to be coming home to Gibson Dunn,” said Katie. “I’m returning to private practice at a time when the litigation environment is shifting significantly, and media and technology companies alike are facing new and emerging challenges. I know firsthand that Gibson Dunn’s First Amendment media litigation platform is unmatched, and there is no place I’d rather begin the next chapter of my career than alongside this elite team.”

Gibson Dunn’s Media, Entertainment, and Technology Practice Group’s litigators have a winning track record litigating virtually every kind of dispute that arises in the media, entertainment and technology industries. The firm’s experience encompasses First Amendment issues concerning freedom of speech and of the press, litigation for tech companies over the contours of section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, contractual issues such as profit participation and film finance, as well as intellectual property issues such as copyright, trademark and trade secret, and the right of publicity.

Protecting First Amendment rights has long been a hallmark of Gibson Dunn’s practice. The firm has represented major news organizations and journalists for decades in defamation cases, access to courts matters, subpoena battles, and other matters. The firm played a leading role in overturning the largest defamation verdict in history against a news organization and represented White House correspondents in two separate successful First Amendment/Due Process Clause lawsuits to reinstate their suspended press credentials.

About Katie Townsend

Katie is formerly the Deputy Executive Director and Legal Director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. At the Reporters Committee, Katie oversaw the organization’s legal services portfolio, including its litigation, vetting/pre-publication review, and amicus practices. She also led the Reporters Committee’s impact litigation efforts, regularly representing news organizations, journalists, and documentary filmmakers in public records, court access, and legal defense matters.

Katie began her legal career in Gibson Dunn’s Los Angeles office as a summer associate in 2006 and served as an associate from 2007-2014. She earned her law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2007, where she was a member of the editorial board of the Virginia Law Review.

Gibson Dunn finished in the top spot in Debtwire’s 2024 lead counsel league table.

According to Debtwire’s North America 2024 Restructuring Advisory Mandates Report, the market “shift toward out-of-court restructurings benefited Gibson Dunn, whose creditor-focused advisory work helped secure the top spot on Debtwire’s 2024 lead counsel league table.”

In addition to setting the bar on the year-end tables, Gibson Dunn also closed out the month of December strong – claiming the first-place position in the lead counsel monthly table.

In response to the anticipated complexities and rapid changes in the immigration landscape under the new administration, Gibson Dunn has launched a specialized Immigration Task Force. Bringing together the firm’s experience in humanitarian immigration law, labor and employment law, appellate and constitutional law, and administrative law and policy, the Task Force will provide clients with timely and comprehensive updates on developments that impact both the business and humanitarian immigration sectors.

“As we have already seen, the new administration will change the immigration system in major ways, which may present significant challenges for businesses and individuals alike,” said Stuart Delery, a litigation partner in Gibson Dunn’s Washington, D.C. office and a member of the firm’s Immigration Task Force. “We formed our Task Force to equip clients with reliable information and real-time guidance on immigration-related developments as they unfold to ensure our corporate clients, immigration clients, and broader communities have access to the knowledge they need to understand and effectively manage their interests in a swiftly changing environment.”

The firm’s Immigration Task Force comprises eight members from its leading Administrative Law and Regulatory, Appellate and Constitutional Law, Labor and Employment, and Litigation Practice Groups. In addition to Stuart, the members are Naima Farrell, Nancy Hart, Katie Marquart, Laura Raposo, Matthew Rozen, Ariana Sañudo, and Betty Yang. The Task Force will offer a comprehensive suite of resources designed to keep clients informed and prepared for changes in immigration law and policy. These resources will include client alerts on new executive orders, laws, regulations, agency guidance, and court cases; in-depth newsletters and articles offering detailed analysis and practical advice for navigating the evolving immigration landscape; and interactive webinars and live sessions providing opportunities for direct engagement.

In addition, through the Task Force, the firm will support pro bono initiatives and foster collaborations that address the humanitarian aspects of immigration changes. The firm has previously represented Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients at the Supreme Court, mobilized firmwide efforts to assist Afghans seeking safety from the Taliban, and assisted vulnerable child migrants to obtain legal status.

“Gibson Dunn’s pro bono practice has consistently been and will continue to be a leader in high-impact litigation across a number of social justice issues, including protecting the rights of individuals and families affected by evolving or unconstitutional immigration policies,” said Katie, a partner in Gibson Dunn’s Los Angeles office and the firm’s Pro Bono Chair. “Lawyers have a profound responsibility to promote safety, freedom, and justice for those seeking refuge from persecution and protection from violence, as well as the opportunity to build a better life. We remain committed to this cause.”

Gibson Dunn is pleased to announce that Jake M. Shields has joined the firm’s Washington, D.C. office as a partner and member of the firm’s False Claims Act/Qui Tam Defense, Litigation, and White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Groups.

“We are excited to welcome Jake to Gibson Dunn,” said Jonathan Phillips, Co-Chair of the firm’s global False Claims Act/Qui Tam Defense Practice Group. “The number of False Claims Act cases continue to increase with no abatement in sight. We have built a destination practice for clients facing these high-stakes challenges, and Jake’s DOJ Civil Fraud litigation experience will bring further depth to Gibson Dunn’s defense team. Jake also has strong experience in cybersecurity fraud cases, having handled some of the first such cases to be opened under DOJ’s Civil Cyber Fraud Initiative, and his perspectives will significantly benefit clients facing challenges in this emerging area.”

“I’m thrilled to begin the next chapter of my career at Gibson Dunn,” said Jake. “Gibson Dunn’s premier litigation platform, coupled with its unmatched talent, will serve as a strong foundation on which to build. I look forward to collaborating with this high caliber team to help clients navigate their investigatory and litigation challenges.”

Gibson Dunn continues to attract top legal talent from government amidst one of the fastest growth periods in the firm’s history. The firm’s team includes senior officials from the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, and other agencies at the forefront of consumer protection, competition, white collar investigations, transactional, and policy areas. Recent additions to the firm include Osman Nawaz, former SEC Enforcement Senior Officer and National Unit Chief; Katlin McKelvie, who joined after serving senior roles at the Food and Drug Administration and Department of Health and Human Services; Stuart Delery, who formerly held positions of White House Counsel, Deputy Counsel to the President, Assistant Attorney General of the DOJ Civil Division, and Acting Associate U.S. Attorney General; Gus Eyler, who served as Director of DOJ’s Consumer Protection Branch; Svetlana Gans, who served as Chief of Staff at the Federal Trade Commission; and former federal judges Gregg Costa and George Hazel.

About Jake M. Shields

Jake is a former Senior Trial Counsel in the Fraud Section of the Civil Division at the U.S. Department of Justice. While at DOJ, Jake also served on detail to the Technology and Digital Platforms Section of DOJ’s Antitrust Division. Prior to joining DOJ, Jake was in private practice for more than a decade.

With expertise in the False Claims Act, Jake is experienced in matters involving allegations of healthcare fraud, financial fraud, procurement fraud, and customs fraud, as well as violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, Tariff Act, Payroll Protection Program, and restrictions on off-label marketing of prescription drugs. Jake also has had significant involvement in DOJ’s efforts to enforce federal cybersecurity requirements through the Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative. An experienced litigator, Jake has served as lead counsel in multiple False Claims Act and other complex civil and fraud litigations.

Jake earned his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2003, where he served on the editorial board of the Virginia Law Review. From 2003 to 2004, Jake clerked for Judge Emilio M. Garza on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Gibson Dunn has elected 35 lawyers to its partnership, effective January 1, 2025.

Commenting on the partnership class, Gibson Dunn Chair and Managing Partner Barbara L. Becker said: “These outstanding attorneys play an important role in the life of our firm and do extraordinary work on behalf of our clients—we are excited to see everything they will continue to accomplish as members of our partnership.”

The newly elected partners are:

John Adams (Litigation / Dallas) is a Texas-focused trial lawyer whose practice involves complex commercial disputes, with an emphasis on disputes in Texas and in the oil and gas industry. He received his law degree from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in 2015.

Cassie Therese Aprile (International Arbitration and Litigation / London) focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation and international arbitration, representing clients across a broad range of industry sectors. She received her LL.B. from the University of Queensland in 2008.

Maxwell Ball (Mergers and Acquisitions / New York) has experience in a broad range of mergers and acquisitions transactions, with a particular focus on representing private equity sponsors in leveraged buyout acquisitions, joint venture transactions, divestitures, minority investments, leveraged recapitalizations, restructuring transactions, and other complex corporate transactions. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 2015.

Abbey A. Barrera (Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Data Innovation / San Francisco) focuses on privacy and technology litigation, counseling, and regulatory matters, and represents several technology and social media companies in complex privacy class actions. She graduated from New York University School of Law in 2014.

Alex Bluett (Projects / Paris) is an energy and infrastructure specialist, advising all types of clients (infra funds, industrials, developers, funders) across all asset classes (infrastructure, renewable energy, energy transition) in relation to their industrial contracts, their financings, and their M&A transactions. He received his law degree from the University of Cambridge Faculty of Law in 2008.

Tyler Cohen (Private Equity / Hong Kong) has experience across a broad range of private equity, M&A and corporate matters across the Asia-Pacific region, including leveraged buy-outs, growth equity investments, convertible instruments, infrastructure investments, and general corporate governance. He received his law degree from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law in 2015.

Dana Lynn Craig (Litigation / San Francisco) leads the most consequential discovery challenges our clients encounter, establishing herself as an authority in effectively and efficiently guiding all stages of the process, including motion practice, oral argument, and framing trial themes. She graduated from Stanford Law School in 2007.

Jakob Egle (Private Equity / London) is an experienced private equity lawyer who assists sponsor clients with purchase agreements, shareholder arrangements, management equity plans, and other transactional requirements in a cross-border context. He received his LL.M. from Columbia Law School in 2015.

Sara Ghalandari (Land Use and Development / San Francisco) focuses her practice on land use law, advising clients on all aspects of land use and development, including entitlement processes, zoning regulations, environmental documentation, and transactional agreements between private and public entities. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 2010.

Gina Hancock (Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits / Dallas) focuses her practice on compensation and employee benefits aspects of corporate transactions and initial public offerings, including advising on incentive plans, employment and severance agreements, ERISA benefit plans, and corporate governance matters. She earned her JD from Georgetown University Law Center in 2015.

Nick Harper (Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice / Washington, D.C.) specializes in appeals and administrative law, with a particular focus on representing clients in the crypto sector. He received his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 2015.

Grace E. Hart (Litigation / New York) represents clients in a wide range of complex commercial, employment, and trade secret litigation in federal and state courts, and has significant experience in matters involving emerging and established technology companies. She received her law degree from Yale Law School in 2016.

Scott K. Hvidt (Litigation / Dallas) focuses his practice on complex civil litigation and trial advocacy and is particularly experienced in antitrust litigation and commercial disputes in Texas courts. He earned his JD from Columbia Law School in 2015.

James Jennings (Tax / New York) has a broad transactional tax practice with a focus on complex M&A and capital markets transactions, as well as a variety of tax advisory matters, and particular experience in partnership taxation. He received his law degree from the University of Virgina School of Law in 2015.

Michael J. Kahn (Securities Litigation / San Francisco) focuses his practice on securities litigation, including shareholder class actions and derivative lawsuits. He earned his JD from New York University School of Law in 2012.

Harrison A. Korn (Mergers and Acquisitions / Washington, D.C.) advises public and private companies, private equity firms, boards of directors and special committees in a wide variety of complex corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, asset sales and other carve-out transactions, leveraged buyouts, spin-offs, joint ventures, and strategic investments and corporate governance matters. He earned his JD from Yale Law School in 2014.

Allison Kostecka (Securities Litigation / Denver) focuses her practice on securities litigation and complex civil litigation and has advised clients facing a broad range of commercial disputes in state and federal courts, as well as with regulatory agencies. She graduated from Duke University School of Law in 2010.

Poonam G. Kumar (White Collar Defense and Investigations / Los Angeles) focuses her practice on white collar criminal defense and investigations, litigation, and trials, helping clients in a wide range of industries navigate complex civil and criminal matters. She received her law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 2007.

Melanie E. Neary (Capital Markets and Life Sciences / San Francisco) advises clients in the life sciences industry on a wide range of complex transactions and matters, with a particular focus on capital markets and private company financings and securities regulation and corporate governance. She earned her JD from the University of Michigan Law School in 2016.

Daniel Nowicki (Appellate and Constitutional Law / Los Angeles) focuses his practice on complex civil litigation—with an emphasis on trial advocacy and appellate brief-writing—and has litigated numerous cases at the trial and appellate level, as well as in arbitration. He received his law degree from New York University School of Law in 2014.

Andrew Robb (Intellectual Property / Palo Alto) has a wide range of experience litigating intellectual property disputes, with a focus on patent litigation. He earned his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 2013.

Sophie C. Rohnke (Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Data Innovation / Dallas) has broad experience defending clients in regulatory investigations and high-profile class actions, with a particular focus on technology companies facing consumer protection and data privacy issues. She received her law degree from the University of Oxford Faculty of Law and her LL.M. from Harvard Law School in 2011.

Elizabeth Romefelt (Mergers and Acquisitions / New York) has experience in a broad range of M&A transactions, including representation of both public and private companies and financial sponsors in connection with mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, minority investments, restructurings and other complex corporate transactions. She received her JD from The University of Texas School of Law in 2014.

David P. Salant (Litigation / New York) has a broad litigation practice focused on complex commercial, securities, and white-collar disputes in state and federal courts. He received his law degree from Harvard Law School in 2015.

Dennis Seifarth (Private Equity / Munich) focuses on private equity and M&A transactions and advises clients on complex domestic and cross-border acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, divestiture transactions, management equity programs, joint ventures, and all aspects of their M&A activities. He received his law degree in 2008 and his Dr. iur. in 2015 from the Friedrich Schiller University Jena Faculty of Law.

Stephen D. Silverman (Business Restructuring and Reorganization / New York) focuses on a broad range of restructuring and special situations matters, including comprehensive in and out of court restructurings, recapitalizations, financings and complex liability management transactions, in each case with a focus on creditor and investor side representations. He graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 2015.

Prerna Soni (Real Estate / San Francisco) has a broad real estate practice that includes acquisitions, joint ventures, mortgage and mezzanine financings, workouts, debt restructurings, and foreclosures. She received her JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2014.

Wesley Sze (Class Actions / Palo Alto) represents clients in class actions and complex civil litigation, with a particular focus on disputes at the intersection of law, technology, and privacy. He received his law degree from Stanford Law School in 2015.

Kate Timmerman (Investment Funds / New York) specializes in the establishment and operation of private funds, as well as advising fund managers with respect to GP-led secondary transactions and advising investors with respect to their investment in private funds and transfers of interest from such funds. She earned her LL.B. from Bond University Faculty of Law in 2012.

Todd J. Trattner (Life Sciences / San Francisco) focuses on intellectual property transactions in the life sciences industry, including royalty financings, licensing transactions, commercial agreements, asset acquisitions, and advising on complex intellectual property issues in connection with M&A and financing transactions. He earned his JD from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 2011.

Jessica L. Wagner (Appellate and Constitutional Law / Washington, D.C.) is an appellate litigator who brings her strong analytical skills to a range of practice areas, including administrative law, judgment enforcement, and torts, helping clients present crisp arguments before all levels of federal and state courts. She earned her JD from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2015.

Frances Waldmann (Artificial Intelligence / Los Angeles) advises clients in global regulatory compliance and enforcement, product counseling, litigation, and transactional matters related to artificial intelligence, data privacy, and emerging technologies. She received her law degree from the University of Oxford Faculty of Law in 2009.

Geoffrey E. Walter (Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance / Washington, D.C.) focuses his practice on advising public companies on a wide range of securities and governance matters, including corporate governance, shareholder activism, SEC compliance, annual meetings, investor engagement, and executive compensation. He received his law degree from Columbia Law School in 2013.

Adam Whitehouse (Mergers and Acquisitions / Houston) focuses his practice on M&A and advises clients ranging from private equity sponsors and portfolio companies to public companies, with particular experience in the energy space, including related to oil and gas, energy transition, oilfield services, and tax credit sales. He graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2010.

David A. Wolber (International Trade / Hong Kong) focuses on international trade and financial crime regulatory matters, spearheading the firm’s International Trade offerings in Asia, particularly around economic sanctions, export and import controls, cross border investment controls, and general geopolitical and national security-based advisory matters. He earned his JD from Georgetown University Law Center in 2011.

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 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 is pleased to announce that Ryan Kim has joined the firm’s New York office as a partner. Ryan will be heading Gibson Dunn’s private credit efforts.

“We are excited to welcome Ryan to Gibson Dunn,” said Scott Greenberg, Global Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Business Restructuring and Reorganization Practice Group. “Ryan is a versatile finance lawyer with significant experience in private credit space. He is well known to our clients and a natural fit for our growing team.”

“Ryan’s comprehensive and distinctive practice spans the full life cycle of a credit investment, from initial capital deployment to liability management transactions and in-court and out-of-court restructurings for debtors and creditor groups. He will be an invaluable resource for our clients in a highly active private credit market,” added Doug Horowitz, Co-Chair of the firm’s Finance Practice Group.

“I’m thrilled to begin the next chapter of my career at Gibson Dunn,” said Ryan. “The talent across the firm is unmatched, and I very much look forward to working alongside this outstanding team. Gibson Dunn’s premier platform is an excellent foundation as I continue to build out my practice.”

Ryan’s arrival continues the growth of Gibson Dunn’s New York office, with the recent additions of M&A partner George Sampas, private equity partner Brian Scrivani, special situations partner Caith Kushner, regulatory finance partner Ro Spaziani, real estate finance partners Michael Weinberger and Krystyna Blakeslee, and executive compensation and employee benefits partner Kate Napalkova.

About Ryan Kim

Ryan is spearheading the firm’s private credit initiatives and focuses on advising creditors, asset managers and alternative capital sources on all aspects of financing transactions. He has experience with a wide variety of finance transactions, including syndicated loan financing, cash flow and asset-based lending, rescue financings, debtor-in-possession financings and other special situation opportunities. He is particularly active in representing asset managers deploying capital in the middle market and direct lending spaces. Ryan was previously a partner at an international law firm. He earned his law degree, with honors, from Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar.

Gibson Dunn is pleased to announce that Will Summers has today joined the firm’s London office as a partner in its Private Equity Practice Group. The group will also be joined in London by of counsel, Michael Skouras.

Commenting on the arrivals, Richard Birns, Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Private Equity Practice Group, said: “Will has a reputation for excellence and a solid track record as a trusted advisor to large PE sponsors. We’re thrilled to have both Will and Michael join our global private equity team.” “I am excited to be joining a top-tier practice in one of the world’s most prestigious law firms. Gibson Dunn’s global footprint and strong reputation in private equity were a huge draw to me, together with its ambitious expansion plans in the UK, Europe and beyond. I am looking forward to utilising the firm’s expertise across all major practice areas to deliver the best possible service to the firm’s existing and future private capital clients,” said Will.

Gibson Dunn has expanded its transactional practices in London in recent years, with the arrival of private equity partners Isabel Berger, Alice Brogi, Wim de Vlieger, Robert Dixon, Federico Fruhbeck, and Till Lefranc. In the past year, the London office was also joined by finance partners Kavita Davis and David Irvine.

About Will Summers

Will advises private equity houses and financial sponsors on cross-border acquisitions, divestitures, co-investments, joint ventures, minority and growth capital investments, carve-outs, and corporate restructurings. He is a recommended practitioner in The Legal 500 for London for Private Equity: Transactions – High-Value Deals (£250 million+), where clients commend his “exceptional talent and dedication” and “sharp focus, attention to detail and pragmatism.” He earned his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Law with Another Legal System (Hong Kong) from the University College London.

About Michael Skouras

Michael advises private equity sponsors and other investors on complex cross-border acquisitions, divestitures, co-investments, minority and growth capital investments. He earned his Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the University of Exeter.

The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 Ones to Watch recognized 109 lawyers in 40 practice areas. Ones to Watch “are recognitions given to attorneys early in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.” The list was published on August 15, 2024.

The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 has recognized 205 lawyers in 64 practice areas. The list was published on August 15, 2024.