Stephen D. Nordahl

Partner

​Stephen D. Nordahl is a partner in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher's New York office and Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn's Strategic Sourcing and Commercial Transactions Practice Group.  Mr. Nordahl's practice focuses on information technology, business process and asset management outsourcing transactions, commercial and other technology-related transactions, as well as joint ventures and strategic alliances, in each case, with a particular focus on complex international transactions.  Mr. Nordahl has also represented clients in numerous disputes related to strategic sourcing and commercial transactions.

Mr. Nordahl has represented clients on strategic sourcing and commercial transactions since 1996.  He has worked with clients on a wide range of legal and business issues relating to complex outsourcing and technology transactions, including structuring, negotiating and documenting both large- and small-scale ITO and BPO transactions, and assisting clients with complex licensing and systems implementations, technology-based strategic alliances and joint ventures.  His ITO experience includes the outsourcing of virtually every IT function, including infrastructure, applications development and maintenance, end-user computing, help desk and network operations.  His BPO experience includes the outsourcing of middle- and back-office financial services processes, facility management functions, claims processing, human resources, finance and accounting, logistics functions, print processes and procurement.

In addition, Mr. Nordahl also has a long track record of representing clients in disputes related to strategic sourcing.  He has assisted clients investigate, strategize and, when warranted, negotiate settlement or termination agreements with respect to outsourcing disputes related to both information technology and business process outsourcing transactions.

Mr. Nordahl has worked with a broad range of clients and industries, including the consumer products, energy, financial services, life sciences, pharmaceutical and publishing industries.  His clients have included, among others, AT&T Corp., Avon Products, Best Western, Cendant, Conoco, Direct Energy, DuPont, Emdeon, Genpact, The Home Depot, ING, Invista Inc., Johnson & Johnson, JPMorgan Chase, Prudential Financial, M&T Bank, Omnicom Group, Reader's Digest and Reed Elsevier.

Mr. Nordahl has written numerous articles regarding technology and outsourcing issues and is frequently asked to lecture at industry events. Mr. Nordahl has also received wide acclaim for his outsourcing work. He has been ranked by Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, included in The Best Lawyers in America®, recognized as a “Leading Lawyer” in The Legal 500 United States (Media Technology & Telecoms, Technology— Outsourcing) and named to The Legal 500’s United States Hall of Fame, which highlights outstanding partners who receive constant praise by their clients for continued excellence, and are at the pinnacle of the profession.  Chambers calls Mr. Nordahl a “domain expert,” “tier one player” and “one of the lead practitioners” in the outsourcing space, noting that he commands respect for the “top-flight support” he offers as a “brilliant negotiator,” “problem solver and a zealous advocate,” and that “he has an attention to detail and articulates and advances his clients’ interests well.”  One client notes he is “the smartest, most capable and most business-oriented attorney I've ever dealt with” and when dealing with highly complex transactions he is “fantastic at catching things that others might not think about and making sure our deal is comprehensive.”

Mr. Nordahl received his Juris Doctor in 1994 from Fordham University School of Law, where he was a notes editor for the Urban Law Journal.  He also has degrees from The London School of Economics and Lehigh University, where he graduated cum laude.  He is admitted to practice in New York.

Capabilities

Credentials

Education:
  • Fordham University - 1994 Juris Doctor
  • Lehigh University - 1991 Bachelor of Science
Admissions:
  • New York Bar