Tiaunia N. Henry is a partner in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Los Angeles office where she is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department with a diverse practice that focuses primarily on complex business litigation, including antitrust, breach of contract and transnational cases. As an experienced litigator and trial attorney, she has represented clients in various industries including the oil and gas, medical device, media and entertainment, semiconductor, paper manufacturing and information technology consulting industries. Tiaunia has extensive experience representing multinational corporations, both foreign and domestic, in disputes that involve litigation pending in multiple jurisdictions, including the development of legal strategies to avoid inconsistent rulings, preclusion of claims, and/or waiver of defenses in subsequent litigation.
Representative matters in which Tiaunia has been involved include:
- Representation of a multinational engineering firm before a JAMS tripartite arbitration panel to resolve a contract dispute that arose in connection with a long-term joint venture, resulting in a favorable arbitral ruling that the terms of the joint venture agreement entitled her client to substantial present and future compensation.
- Representation of San Diego Gas & Electric Company in its successful challenge of the City of Laguna Beach’s ordinance requiring the undergrounding of its utilities as violative of the Contracts Clauses of the United States and California Constitutions and California state law.
- Defended a city in a lengthy bench trial alleging a violation of the California Voting Rights Act and Equal Protection Clause.
- Representation of an automobile manufacturer in a putative class action alleging breach of implied warranty, breach of contract, fraudulent concealment and violations of various California consumer protection laws, including California’s Unfair Competition Law, resulting in an early dismissal of all claims with prejudice.
- Defended Motorcar Parts of America in disputes pending in multiple jurisdictions arising out of the bankruptcy of its Canadian subsidiary and alleging negligent misrepresentation, tortious interference, conspiracy, conversion and unjust enrichment, resulting in the favorable settlement of all claims.
- Representation of Chevron Corporation in defense against the recognition and enforcement of a fraudulently obtained multibillion dollar environmental judgment in Ecuador. Henry was a member of the trial team in Chevron’s RICO suit against the co-conspirators who participated in a conspiracy seeking to extort billions of dollars from Chevron. Chevron Corp. v. Donziger, 974 F.Supp.2d 362 (S.D.N.Y. 2014).
- Representation of Vivendi S.A., a French multinational media company, and several affiliated directors in a civil shareholder class action and derivative litigation in Delaware’s Court of Chancery relating to a more than $8 billion stock repurchase transaction with Activision Blizzard, Inc., a California-based software and gaming company.
- Representation of Intel Corporation in antitrust cases asserting violations of Section 2 of the Sherman Act and Section 5 of the FTC Act challenging various business practices resulting in settlement of all claims.
- Representation of a multinational healthcare product manufacturer in an antitrust suit brought by a putative class of purchasers of pulse oximetry products resulting in victory on summary judgment.
- Representation of Deloitte Consulting LLP in a breach of contract case alleging failure to properly perform under an information-technology agreement governing the design and configuration of a software system resulting in settlement of all claims.
In 2023, Tiuaunia was recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal, which named her to their “Thriving in their 40s: LA’s Leaders of Influence” list. She was also recognized as a finalist for the Community Impact Award (Large Company) at the 2023 Los Angeles Business Journal Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Awards.
Tiaunia received her Juris Doctor degree and a Master of Laws in Comparative and International Law from Duke University School of Law. While earning her degrees, she was also a member of the Duke Journal of Comparative and International Law. In 2003, Tiaunia graduated magna cum laude from Pepperdine University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science.
Tiaunia is co-chair of the firm’s Los Angeles-Area Diversity Committee (2012 to present). In addition, she is a member of the firm’s Hiring Committee, Well-Being Committee and Los Angeles Community Affairs Committee, and previously served on the firm’s Associates Committee. Tiaunia currently serves on the Leadership Council of Public Counsel (2012 to present) and formerly served on the Law Alumni Association Board of Directors of Duke University School of Law (2014 to 2020). She is a member of the American Bar Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, the John M. Langston Bar Association, and the Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles.
Capabilities
Credentials
Education:
- Duke University - 2007 Juris Doctor
- Duke University - 2007 Master of Laws (LL.M.)
- Pepperdine University - 2003 Bachelor of Arts
Admissions:
- California Bar