Simon Tysoe is a partner in the London office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the Mergers and Acquisitions, Energy and Infrastructure, and Oil and Gas Practice Groups.

Simon specialises in transactions in the energy sector and has extensive experience advising clients on a range of cross-border energy and natural resources transactions, including upstream, midstream, and downstream oil and gas M&A, power and renewables M&A, joint ventures, restructuring, and project development. He works with a range of financial investors, strategics, and commodity traders.

Simon has advised on country entry, including bid-rounds, farm-ins, PSC (as applicable) and JOA negotiations in numerous countries including: Algeria, Angola, Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, Cyprus, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, the Falkland Islands, Gabon, Honduras, Indonesia, Israel, Kenya, Malaysia, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Poland, Senegal, the Seychelles, Suriname, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine and Uruguay.

Simon is described by Chambers Global 2025 as “Fantastic to work with. He is client-oriented, and he gets deals done in record time.” and “Good for tricky M&A and PE deals and comes up a lot on oil and gas matters.” He is ranked Band 1 in Chambers UK 2025 for Energy & Natural Resources. He is additionally described by Chambers UK 2025 as “Very knowledgeable in his field and on an international level. He has a depth of expertise that is difficult to match.” Simon is described by Legal 500 UK 2025 as “a highly skilled M&A practitioner who regularly advises on the purchase and disposal of conventional and renewable energy portfolios” and “a pragmatic problem-solver and a top lawyer … who you would want by your side when things get complex at the negotiation table.” He is recognised by The Legal 500 UK 2026 as a ‘Leading Individual’ for Oil and Gas.

Simon received his Master of Arts from Lincoln College at the University of Oxford, and he is admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales.

Selected experience*: 

Power, renewables and sustainable energy 

  • RWE on its acquisition of Norfolk Vanguard offshore wind project from Vattenfall 
  • Igneo Infrastructure on the sale of a stake in the Finerge Iberian renewables platform to AXA 
  • Energy Capital Partners on the $2.4 billion acquisition of Atlantic’s Sustainable Infrastructure 
  • Iberdrola on the sale of a stake in East Anglia One offshore wind farm project to Green Investment Bank 
  • RWE on the sale of a stake in Dogger Bank South offshore wind farm to Masdar 
  • Triton Power on the sale of UK thermal power plants to SSE 
  • KKR on its £3.4 billion acquisition of Encavis AG 
  • Ara Partners on its investment in its partnership to create CycleØ Group, a UK-based biomethane platform, through the acquisition of FNX Liquid Natural Gas, a Spain-based company specializing in biogas capture and conversion 
  • Apical Group on the acquisition of a 67.65% stake in Bio-Oils Energy, a Spanish biofuel producer
  • EIG on its $255 million investment into solar energy company, Prosolia
  • Repsol on its acquisition of a 40% stake in Bunge

Upstream Oil and gas

  • EIG on its US$19 billion joint venture with Repsol Upstream, a newly-formed global oil and gas exploration and production company 
  • TotalEnergies on its $1.2 billion acquisition of CEPSA’s upstream assets in Abu Dhabi 
  • TotalEnergies on the US$330 million sale of its German subsidiaries interests in Kazakhstan’s Dunga oil and gas field to KMG
  • TotalEnergies on its sale of TEPKRI Sarsang, a Denmark-based oil and gas exploration and production company, to ShaMaran Petroleum 
  • SierraCol Energy (a Carlyle portfolio company) on its US$825 million acquisition of Occidental’s (Oxy) entire onshore oil and gas portfolio in Colombia  
  • Carlyle International Energy Partners on the acquisition of Shell Upstream Gabon by portfolio company Assala Energy Holdings and its subsequent disposal 
  • ExxonMobil Corporation on its sale of its entire upstream and midstream asset portfolio in Chad and Cameroon to Savannah Energy plc 
  • Navitas Petroleum on its acquisition of a 65% stake in the Sea Lion project, an oil field located offshore of the Falkland Islands, via the acquisition of Premier Oil Exploration and Production and participating interests in the field from Rockhopper Exploration 
  • Chevron on its $1.6 billion sale of its North Sea oil and gas business to Ithaca Energy

Downstream oil and gas and chemicals 

  • Chevron on the $2.17 billion sale of its interest in the SRC Refinery in Singapore, and its fuels station networks and related businesses in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Australia to ENEOS Corporation.
  • Varo Energy (a Vitol and Carlyle joint venture) on the acquisition of Peem AB, Sweden’s largest oil refiner. 
  • Vitol on the $2 billion acquisition of Engen Petroleum, a group with a significant Southern African fuels retail network   
  • ADNOC and OMV on the $13 billion acquisition of Nova Chemicals from Mubadala 
  • EQUATE Petrochemicals Company on its US$3.2 billion acquisition of MEGlobal International 
  • Chevron on the US$900 million sale of its refinery and fuels network in South Africa and Botswana to Sinopec 
  • Chandra Asri on the $800 million acquisition of the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park, Singapore from Shell 
  • Helios Investment Partners on the US$461.3 million acquisition of a 60% stake in the West African downstream business of Oando 
  • Helios Investment Partners on its acquisition with Vitol of a majority stake in the West African downstream business of Oando Plc and the formation of OVH Energy 

Infrastructure and Transport 

  • Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia on its joint acquisition of a 37.5% stake in Heathrow Airport alongside Ardian  
  • Corporate aspect of the refinancing of numerous airports including Budapest and Manchester  
  • GIC on the acquisition of a stake in GasLog an LNG vessel owner and operator 
  • The buyer on the acquisition of the Isle of Grain LNG regasification and storage facility in the UK 
  • Bomin Linde LNG in its joint venture with SGD logistika to form Blue Gas maritime bunkering company  
  • The partners on the acquisition of a 50% stake in VTTI, the energy storage and logistics group 
  • Total Energies on the sale of Grosstanklager – Olhafer Rostock to Euroports

 

*Includes matters prior to joining Gibson Dunn

Héctor González Medina is an associate in the Los Angeles office of Gibson Dunn. He currently practices in the firm’s Corporate Department and is a member of the Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity practice groups.

Representative Experience:

  • Platinum Equity in its carve out acquisition of Rehlko (formerly known as Kohler Energy), a global leader in distributed energy solutions, from Kohler Co.
  • IPI Partners in its sale of its business to Blue Owl Capital Inc., a leading alternative asset manager.
  • Aurora Capital Partners in its acquisition of First Legal, the largest independent provider of outsourced litigation support services across the United States.
  • Wafra in its strategic investment in Citation Capital, a private equity firm specializing in partnering with founder- and family-led businesses.
  • BMO Capital Markets, BofA Securities, Credit Agricole Securities, HSBC Securities and J.P. Morgan Securities, as underwriters’ counsel in connection with Vale Overseas Limited’s and Vale S.A.’s registered note offering.
  • Oncoclínicas do Brasil Serviços Médicos S.A., as U.S. counsel in its offer and sale of shares of common stock to qualified institutional buyers in the United States.

Héctor also maintains an active pro bono practice focused on education and immigration matters. He successfully represented a local charter school against the California Department of Education that unlawfully denied hundreds of thousands of dollars appropriated by the California Legislature to the school serving high-needs young women facing challenges like homelessness, poverty, teen pregnancy, abuse and trauma.

Héctor earned his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and his Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, with a minor in Portuguese, from Stanford University.

 

Héctor is admitted to practice law in the State of California.

Perlette Jura is a partner in Gibson Dunn’s Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. offices and a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee. Her practice focuses on complex litigation. She co-chairs the firm’s Consumer Products and Retail Group. She is also the co-founder and co-chair of its Transnational Litigation and ESG Risk Groups. She has played a key role in a number of the firm’s most high-profile matters. Perlette has extensive experience working with the food and beverage, agricultural, aerospace, automotive, technology and energy industries.

Perlette has been recognized on multiple occasions as a “Leader of Influence” among Litigators and Trial Attorneys, and as one of the “Most Influential Woman Lawyers” in Los Angeles by The Los Angeles Business Journal. She is also recognized by Benchmark Litigation as one of the “Top 250 Women in Litigation” and featured as a California “Litigation Star.” Lawdragon has recognized Perlette as one of the 500 Leading Litigators in America and worldwide. BTI Consulting Group honored her as a Client Service All-Star, an attorney “who stand[s] above all the others in delivering the absolute best in client service.”

Consumer Products and Retail. As co-chair of the Consumer Products and Retail Group, Perlette is at the cutting edge of both litigation and investigation issues affecting consumer product companies. Perlette has played critical leadership roles in multiple high-profile consumer-deception and supply-chain lawsuits at both the trial-court and appeals level, including in U.S. Supreme Court appeals. She regularly counsels food and beverage companies on regulatory and litigation-risk issues, with particular expertise in helping companies navigate sensitive matters that present overlapping legal and media risks.

Complex and Transnational Litigation. As a co-chair of the firm’s Transnational Litigation Group, Perlette has extensive experience litigating and counseling on multidistrict and cross-border matters, including mass and class action suits. She has been recognized by Legal 500 as one of the top ten leading transnational litigation lawyers in the country and has held a spot in their Hall of Fame since 2022. She is regularly relied upon by clients to develop comprehensive multi-jurisdictional strategies and has advised on matters implicating the competing laws of more than 50 countries around the world. She also regularly advises on supply-chain risks and cross‑border compliance issues.

Environmental Social Governance Risk Group. Much of Perlette’s cross-border work involves a wide variety of domestic and cross-border supply chain, human rights, and tort disputes, including clients involved in manufacturing, food and beverage, agriculture and energy. In addition to litigating these matters, she also provides counseling and advice on to a number of clients on a wide range of ESG and ESG risk issues.

Perlette is the firmwide hiring chair. She is a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy. She served on the Board of Directors for the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, where she is a lifetime member. She is likewise a member of the Women of Stanford Law and the Diversity Law Institute.

Perlette also dedicates substantial time to pro bono matters. During her time at the firm, Perlette has received the firm’s annual award for successfully litigating the firm’s Most Challenging Pro Bono Matter, served as a Military Commission Observer for the 9/11 proceedings in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and she has partnered with Lawyers Without Borders to help do important cross-border pro bono work.

Some of Perlette’s most recent non-confidential matters include:

  • Doe 1 v. Meta Platforms (securing dismissal at both the trial and appellate court of a product liability class action targeting Facebook in a precedential decision holding that the claims were immunized under Section 230 because they sought to hold Meta liable as the publisher of third-party content).
  • Coubaly v. Cargill, Inc. et al. (D.C. Cir.) (securing dismissal at both the trial and appellate court of TVPRA claims against the cocoa industry arising out of alleged activity in Cote d’Ivoire).
  • Doe v. Apple, Inc. et al. (D.C. Cir.) (securing dismissal at both the trial and appellate court of TVPRA claims against major tech companies arising out of alleged human rights violations in the cobalt supply chain).
  • Falcone v. Nestlé USA, Inc., (9th Cir.) (defending against consumer deception claims challenging statements regarding supplier and supply chain practices, including obtaining rare grant of 23(f) appellate review of class-certification order) (ongoing).
  • Martinez v. Kraft Heinz Co. et al.(E.D. Pa.) (secured dismissal of first-of-its-kind lawsuit alleging that so‑called “ultra-processed foods” led plaintiff to develop health problems).
  • Ning Xianhua v. Oath Holdings, Inc. et al. (N.D. Cal.) (securing dismissal with prejudice of ATS, TVPA, and California UCL claims arising out of alleged activity in the People’s Republic of China).
  • Nestlé USA, v. Doe, 593 US 628 (dismissing a long-running Alien Tort Statute lawsuit against Nestle USA on extraterritoriality grounds) (co-counsel).
  • Myers v. Starbucks Co., (C.D. Cal.) (defending against consumer deception claims challenging statements regarding supplier and supply chain practices) (motion to dismiss granted in July 2020).
  • Doe v. Meta Platforms, Inc. (N.D. Cal.) (securing dismissal of claims against Meta filed on behalf of Rohingya refugees seeking to apply Burmese law to sidestep Section 230 immunity).
  • Council for Education and Research on Toxins v. Starbucks Corporation et al. (successfully defeated Proposition 65 challenge to coffee industry, including an order affirming judgment on appeal and denial of plaintiff’s petition for certiorari).
  • You v. Japan, et al. (successfully defending vehicle manufacturers in California against alien tort and RICO claims brought on behalf of a purported class of Korean citizens).
  • Worldwide Directories A. de C.V. v. Yahoo! Inc. (defeating a $2.7 billion cross-border RICO suit filed in New York arising out of alleged activity in Mexico).
  • Manspeaker v. Intel (defeating a series of lawsuits filed in Delaware and Arizona that involved complex choice of law and toxic tort issues).
  • Hupan v. Alliance One and related cases (securing dismissal of over 400 toxic tort claims brought on behalf of foreign farmers).
  • Chevron v. Donziger (successfully defending litigation against a fraudulent multibillion dollar Ecuadorian judgment arising from alleged environmental pollution in Ecuador).
  • Tellez v. Dole Food Co. (securing dismissal with prejudice of U.S.-filed toxic tort claims alleging that DBCP caused reproductive harm).
  • NML Capital v. Republic of Argentina (enforcing unpaid debts against the Republic of Argentina).
  • Osorio v. Dole Food Co. (blocking recognition and enforcement of $97 million toxic tort judgment awarded by Nicaraguan court without due process or evidence of causation).

Recent Publications and Presentations

  • “The Legal 500 Country Comparative Guides 2023: United States Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial matters” (annual contributing author).
  • “Appeals 2021” (Getting the Deal Through, May 2021) (contributing author).
  • Gibson Dunn Discusses Mandatory Corporate Human Rights Due Diligence, (CLS Blue Sky Blog, March 24, 2021) (contributing author).
  • “Appeals 2019” (Getting the Deal Through, June, 2019) (contributing author).
  • One Small Step or One Giant Leap? FAA Releases Final Rules on Commercial Drone Use in the United States (Client Alert, June 27, 2016) (contributing author).
  • Extraterritoriality: The ATS In Focus (Law360, October 25, 2016).
  • Courts Make Doing Good Abroad Bad for Business At Home (Law360, January 14, 2016).
  • International Aspects of U.S. Litigation: Practitioner’s Deskbook (ABA, 2016) (contributing author).
  • Enforcement of Foreign Judgments 2015 in 29 Jurisdictions Worldwide, United States (Getting the Deal Through, September 2015) (contributing author).
  • Enforcing Arbitration Awards in California (Practical Law, 2015) (contributing author).
  • Disparate Treatment of the Corporate Citizen: Stark Differences Across Borders in Transnational Lawsuits (Business Law International, May 2014).
  • Economic Rising Stars in Latin America (Pacific Council on International Policy, 2014 Spring Conference).
  • Semiconductor Birth Defect Cases Keep Unraveling In Delaware (Law360, March 12, 2014).
  • The Outer Limits of Expert Testimony Gatekeeping (Law360, March 13, 2013).
  • Successful Global Strategies for Litigating Cross-Border Disputes in the United States (ABA, 2012).
  • Legal Globetrotting II: Recognizing & Enforcing Foreign Judgments and Arbitral Awards (ABA, Miami 2012) (presentation for the American Bar Association, Section of International Law).
  • Enforcing Workers’ Compensation in Toxic Tort Birth Defects Cases (American College of Environmental Lawyers, 2012).
  • Confronting the New Breed of Transnational Litigation: Abusive Foreign Judgments (U.S. Chamber of Commerce (PLI), 2011).
  • Unconstitutional Judgments for Import: Constitutional Limitations on Recognition and Enforcement of Abusive Foreign Judgments (Pepperdine Law Review, 2011).
  • Legal Globetrotting: Recognizing & Enforcing Foreign Judgments and Arbitral Awards (ABA, Dublin 2011) (presented for the American Bar Association, Section of International Law).
  • Forum Non Conveniens and Foreign-Judgment Recognition: Different Sides of Different Coins (Defense Research Institute, 2011).
  • Transnational Litigation and Foreign Judgments: Litigating Recognition and Enforcement Actions in the United States and Developing a Successful Global Strategy (ABA, 2011).
  • A New Transnational Battleground (presented for the Los Angeles County Bar Association in Los Angeles, October 2010).

Education & Background. Before joining the firm, Perlette served as a law clerk to the Honorable Pamela Ann Rymer of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Perlette graduated Order of the Coif from Stanford Law School. She was an Executive Editor of Stanford Law Review and received the Board of Editors Award. Perlette was also the Student Director of the Stanford Community Law Clinic, and a graduate advisor and teacher. During her time at Stanford, she was awarded the Public Interest and Pro Bono Service Award and a Stanford Law School Fellowship. Perlette graduated summa cum laude from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she was the Commencement Speaker at the Fine Arts & Humanities ceremony.

Perlette is a Fellow with the Litigation Counsel of America. She is licensed to practice in California, the District of Columbia, and New York. She is admitted to appear before the Supreme Court of the United States; the United States Courts of Appeals for the District of Columbia, Second, Fifth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Circuits; and the United States District Courts for the District of Columbia, the Northern, Southern, and Central Districts of California, the Northern District of Illinois, and the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York. She is a member of the International Bar Association, the American Bar Association’s Transnational Legal Practice Committee, and the Association’s International Courts Committee and International Litigation Committee.

Eric Hwang is an associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the Business Restructuring & Reorganization Practice Group and Liability Management & Special Situations Practice Group. He represents creditors, private equity funds and other financial institutions in a wide variety of liability management and distressed credit transactions.

Representations include*:

  • An ad hoc group of lenders and noteholders to Zayo, a communications infrastructure provider, on its $8.5 billion amend and extend transaction and structured financing commitment for Zayo’s acquisition of fiber solutions provider Crown Castle.
  • Diameter Capital Partners in a $250 million drop-down financing to Liberty Puerto Rico.
  • An ad hoc group of DIP lenders and term loan lenders in the $1.1 billion new money debtor-in-possession financing and chapter 11 cases of First Brands Group LLC, a global automotive aftermarket parts supplier.
  • Cision in connection with a $250 million new money financing and a $2.4 billion recapitalization of its credit facilities and senior notes.
  • Oregon Tool in connection with a $150 million new money financing and a $1.3 billion recapitalization of its credit facilities and senior notes.
  • United Site Services in a $300 million new money financing and the recapitalization of $2.6 billion of secured and unsecured liabilities.
  • Aventiv Technologies in a new money and uptier refinancing transaction involving more than $1.6 billion of first and second lien liabilities.
  • Elliott Investment Management as the anchor lender to Magenta Buyer in drop-down liability management transactions that raised $400 million of new money and refinanced over $4 billion of 1L and 2L liabilities.
  • An ad hoc group of term lenders to Maverick Gaming in a comprehensive amendment and uptier exchange.
  • An ad hoc group of term lenders to LifeScan Global in connection with an amendment and extension of 1L and 2L credit facilities.
  • An ad hoc group of 1L and 2L lenders to Mitel in connection with a new money and uptier financing transaction.

Mr. Hwang received his Juris Doctor cum laude from Harvard Law School and his Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College.

*Includes transactions prior to Mr. Hwang’s association with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

Hayley Fritchie is Of Counsel in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher where she practices with the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Group.

She has experience in a wide range of employment litigation matters, representing clients across various industries, including retail, financial institutions, and fitness. Hayley has experience assisting in single-plaintiff and class and collective action litigations, in both state and federal court. She also advises clients on day-to-day labor and employment issues, and conducts investigations into sensitive employment matters.

After receiving her Juris Doctor magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, from Tulane Law School in 2016, Hayley completed two federal clerkships and was an associate in the Labor & Employment department of Proskauer Rose. She graduated, cum laude, from Tulane University in 2013.

Hayley has been recognized as a “Rising Star” by New York Super Lawyers since 2020.

She is admitted to practice in the States of New York and Louisiana, and before the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

Yara Mansour is of counsel in the New York office of Gibson Dunn. She is a member of the firm’s Tax Practice Group.

Yara received her Juris Doctor and her Master of Laws in Comparative Law from Cornell University in 2010, where she served as an editor for the Cornell International Law Journal and graduated magna cum laude. Yara earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in International Relations and English Literature from Wheaton College in 2007.

She is admitted to practice law in New York.

Maurice Stewart is of counsel in the London office of Gibson Dunn and is a member of the firm’s Finance Practice Group.

Maurice has extensive experience advising banks, alternative credit providers, private equity investors and corporates in relation to a wide range of finance transactions, including leveraged acquisition finance, infrastructure financings, corporate lending and financial restructuring.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Maurice worked at the London office of another major global law firm. He also previously completed a secondment to J.P. Morgan, advising its Leverage Finance Credit team on a range of sponsor-led transactions.

Sarah Patterson Kelly is a litigation associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn.

She previously served as a law clerk to the Honorable Pierre N. Leval of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the Honorable Maxine M. Chesney of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

Sarah earned her law degree in 2021 from Columbia Law School, where she was a James Kent Scholar and served as Executive Editor of the Columbia Business Law Review. She graduated magna cum laude from Duke University, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Prior to law school, Sarah was an investment banking associate.

She is admitted to practice in New York and California.

Ata Nalbantoglu is an associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the Business Restructuring and Reorganization and Finance Practice Groups.

Ata advises public and private companies, as well as secured and unsecured lenders, in connection with complex cross-border restructurings, distressed liability management exercises, and special situations debt transactions.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Ata was an associate in the New York office of another major law firm, where he focused on restructuring and insolvency matters. He also served as a Judicial Law Clerk to Chief Judge Martin Glenn of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.

Ata received his Juris Doctor (Chayes Fellow) from Harvard Law School and his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (College Honors) from Washington University in St. Louis. He also attended the London School of Economics as part of the General Course program, earning First Class Honors.

Ata is admitted to practice in the State of New York.

 

Representative experience advising*:

  • Lincoln Power, L.L.C. and its affiliate debtors in their chapter 11 cases in connection with their Section 363 sale process and chapter 11 plan
  • Audacy in prepackaged chapter 11 cases to restructure approx. US$1.9 billion of funded debt
  • The joint liquidators of Three Arrows Capital, Ltd, which was one of the largest trading firms for digital assets prior to its liquidation, in connection with its BVI liquidation proceeding and US chapter 15 case
  • First Mode Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiary, a multinational developer and manufacturer of decarbonization solutions for heavy industry, including ultra-class mine haul trucks and rail freight locomotives, in its chapter 11 cases and Section 363 sale
  • Exela Technologies, a global business process automation (BPA) leader, in connection with its chapter 11 cases
  • Pine Gate Renewables, a developer and owner-operator of utility-scale solar and energy storage projects across the United States, in its chapter 11 case, addressing more than US$7 billion of funded debt and equity capital

* Includes experience prior to joining Gibson Dunn.

Mary Beth Maloney is a first-chair trial lawyer for public companies, their boards, and senior executives in their highest-stakes federal and state court litigation, securities matters, and government enforcement actions, with a particular focus on healthcare, life sciences, and financial services. She is regularly retained as lead trial counsel when public companies face existential threats — from regulators and watchdog organizations, in securities class actions and SEC enforcement, and in bet-the-company commercial disputes. Chambers USA calls her a “tenacious litigator” who fights for “the best outcome from every angle possible.” In 2026, the AmLaw Litigation Daily named Mary Beth and her trial team Litigators of the Week for their successful representation of five Tenet Healthcare community hospitals as lead trial counsel in a federal bench trial against The Leapfrog Group. She is ranked by Chambers USA in New York Securities Litigation, among other recognitions.

Recent Trial Wins

In January 2026, Mary Beth served as lead trial counsel for five Tenet Healthcare community hospitals in a federal bench trial against The Leapfrog Group in the Southern District of Florida, securing a sweeping post-trial decision that Leapfrog’s hospital safety grading methodology constituted an unfair and deceptive business practice under Florida law and granting the community hospitals complete injunctive relief. She continues to represent these hospitals in post-judgment proceedings.

In January 2025, Mary Beth co-first-chaired the trial in Alcon v. Aurion Biotech before Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick in the Delaware Court of Chancery, securing a partial win in a corporate governance and voting rights dispute. She continues to represent Alcon in follow-on matters in the Delaware Court of Chancery and other forums.

Life Sciences Representations

Mary Beth represents leading life sciences companies, including Alcon, Novartis, Esperion Therapeutics, and Gilead, in their most complex litigation and arbitration matters.

Pharmaceutical Royalty, Licensing, and Collaboration Disputes. Mary Beth represents pharmaceutical royalty license holders and collaboration agreement parties in active contract disputes and arbitrations, at both the pre-litigation and arbitration stages.

Mary Beth serves as lead litigation counsel for each of the following life sciences clients:

  • Novartis, in numerous matters at both the pre-litigation stage and in active litigation
  • Gilead, in a confidential commercial dispute
  • Esperion Therapeutics, in a pharmaceutical licensing dispute in the Southern District of New York, resolved favorably

Complex Commercial Litigation

Mary Beth serves as lead litigation counsel for Tenet Healthcare across an active portfolio of high-stakes commercial matters, including litigation against Eisenhower Medical Center in California state court. She also advises Citadel Americas, one of the world’s largest hedge funds, in employment mobility and trade secrets disputes across the United States and in foreign jurisdictions.

Her other recent lead counsel representations include:

  • Xerox in a pre-litigation commercial dispute, securing $225 million in relief
  • Coupang, the “Amazon of South Korea,” in a contract dispute resolved in the Delaware Court of Chancery
  • An international hedge fund in a dispute with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation arising from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank
  • A group of investment funds in a contract dispute in the Southern District of New York and Delaware Bankruptcy Court, resulting in complete dismissal
  • Patriarch Partners Management Services in a contract dispute for management fees in New York Supreme Court

Earlier in her career, Mary Beth was part of the Gibson Dunn team that represented Chevron Corporation in its successful RICO and fraud action barring enforcement of a $9 billion Ecuadorian judgment.

Securities Litigation

Mary Beth’s securities practice covers civil class actions, derivative suits, and SEC investigations and enforcement actions for public companies, financial institutions, and senior executives. Recent representations include:

  • Goldman Sachs (underwriter counsel) in a securities litigation in the Southern District of New York
  • Hut 8, a FinTech company, in a civil securities fraud class action in the Southern District of New York and numerous follow-on actions
  • Estée Lauder in a securities class action in the Southern District of New York, resolved by settlement
  • Centerview Partners and one of its managing directors: complete dismissal of civil securities and common law fraud claims, affirmed by the Fifth Circuit
  • Sequential Brands Inc. and its former Directors: successful resolution without penalty of a multi-year SEC investigation, and favorable resolution of the related securities fraud class action in the Southern District of New York
  • Vale, Brazil’s largest mining company, in a civil securities fraud class action in the Southern District of New York, resolved favorably by settlement
  • Immunomedics (a Gilead company) and its former executives in a securities fraud class action in the District of New Jersey, resolved favorably

She also represented Lynn Tilton and Patriarch Partners against SEC fraud charges, defeating debarment and disgorgement of $200 million.

Thought Leadership and Speaking

Mary Beth co-authored Tariffs and Royalties in License Agreements: Key Considerations for Life Sciences (April 2025). She co-led a roundtable on Winning Strategies for License Agreement Disputes at the Consero Legal Leaders in Life Sciences Forum, and has appeared at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference and the TD Cowen Investor Conference on behalf of her life sciences clients.

Boards and Professional Affiliations

Mary Beth serves on the New York State Permanent Commission on Access to Justice, on the Board of Directors of the Center for Justice Innovation, and on the Board of Directors of the New York City Urban Debate League. She is also an Advisory Board Member for Women in Funds.

Prior Experience

Before joining Gibson Dunn, Mary Beth clerked for the Honorable Alicemarie H. Stotler, then Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. She previously spent six years working in the California State Capitol.

Education

J.D., University of Southern California Gould School of Law (Editor-in-Chief, Southern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal)

B.A., Barnard College, magna cum laude (Phi Beta Kappa; Erica Jong Writing Fellow; graduated in three years)

Martin Guermonprez is of counsel in the Paris office of Gibson Dunn, where he serves as member of the firm’s Business Restructuring and Reorganization, Transnational Litigation, and International Arbitration Practice Groups.

Martin specializes in restructuring and dispute resolution.

He handles significant cross-border restructurings and sophisticated French pre-insolvency and insolvency matters. Martin seamlessly represents private and public companies of all sizes and sectors, insolvency practitioners, debtors and creditors, through challenging times. His practice covers the finance aspects of restructuring such as credit facilities, debt restructuring, sales of business, and new money funding.

Martin’s wide dispute experience covers all aspects of civil, securities, corporate and commercial litigation before French and worldwide courts, as well as complex international arbitration proceedings – with a focus on insolvency and recovery of debt situations. He notably advises his clients in the context of investment treaty arbitration, including to enforce high stakes arbitral awards.

A member of the Paris Bar since 2019, and of the New York Bar since 2018, Martin graduated with distinction (Dean’s List) in 2017 from Georgetown University where he received a Master of Laws in General Studies. He also received a Master of International Affairs (MIA) in 2017 from Sciences Po Paris and a Master of International Corporate and Tax Law in 2015 from University Paris I – Panthéon Sorbonne. Over the years, he has taken part in editing the Delos Guide to Arbitration Places (GAP), a study providing in-house counsel, corporate lawyers, and arbitration practitioners with practical insight into selecting arbitral seats and conducting arbitral proceedings

He speaks French and English fluently.

David Hania is of counsel in the Paris office of Gibson Dunn, where he serves as member of the firm’s Business Restructuring and Reorganization and Litigation Practice Groups.

His dual practice focuses on restructuring and dispute resolution.

David specializes in pre-insolvency and insolvency matters, acting in the context of distressed LBO transactions, French and cross-border safeguard and reorganization insolvency proceedings. He has advised debtors, shareholders, buyers and also insolvency practitioners and creditors in their relationships with companies facing difficulties.

He has significant knowledge in civil and commercial litigation. David advises clients in equity capital insolvency dispute matters, conflicts arising out of M&A operations and intricate business relationships. His experience encompasses advising companies in multiple sectors, with a focus on retail.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn in 2020, he practiced with a leading American law firm since 2019. He had previously worked within a leading French law firm’s restructuring practice for two years.

Admitted to the Paris Bar since 2017, David received an M.S. in 2015 from HEC. He also graduated in General private law from University Paris II – Panthéon Assas in 2011, as well as in Business law from University Versailles St Quentin-en-Yvelines in 2010.

David speaks French and English fluently.

Russell Balikian is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn. He practices in the firm’s Appellate and Constitutional Law Practice Group and Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Group. He represents clients in high-stakes litigation before the Supreme Court of the United States and other federal and state courts across the country, as well as in major proceedings before administrative agencies. Russell was named a Top 25 Telecommunications Attorney of 2025 (Attorney Intel), recognized as a Rising Star in Telecommunications (Law360, 2024) and One to Watch in Appellate Practice (Best Lawyers, 2023). 

Russell has extensive experience in administrative law, especially in the telecom and technology sectors. He regularly represents clients challenging or supporting agency rules and orders, and he defends companies against enforcement actions by federal regulators, such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Russell brings the capabilities of an appellate attorney to all stages of the case, from building the record before the agency to litigating the case in court. 

Russell also has nationwide experience litigating appeals and dispositive motions in high-profile matters, including putative class actions, major commercial disputes, and mass-tort cases. He has represented clients at every level of the federal and state judiciary. Russell also advises clients on appellate strategy and critical legal issues.

Representative Matters:

  • Represented wireless trade association in successful appellate challenge to FCC’s 2024 “net neutrality” order (Sixth Circuit). Previously represented same association seeking Supreme Court review of FCC’s 2015 “net neutrality” order (SCOTUS).
  • Representing major mobile carriers in appellate challenge to FCC orders imposing $92 million in penalties regarding location data (D.C. Circuit; SCOTUS).
  • Representing U.S. Chamber of Commerce as amicus curiae in appeal concerning the scope of the TCPA’s private right of action (Seventh Circuit).
  • Representing successor of chemical manufacturer as appellate counsel in nationwide tort litigation.
  • Won appeal upholding constitutionality of 2025 amendments to Delaware General Corporation Law (Delaware Supreme Court).
  • Won reversal of bench-trial decision rejecting $421 million breach-of-contract claim (E.D. Virginia).
  • Won dismissal of class action alleging that major financial-services company made misleading disclosures about a leading investment product (N.D. California). Won affirmance on appeal (Ninth Circuit).
  • Won complex appeal holding that class action against numerous financial entities was impermissibly extraterritorial, and that plaintiff lacked antitrust standing and failed to allege proximate cause for RICO claim (Second Circuit). Successfully opposed petition for certiorari (SCOTUS).
  • Won injunction holding that federal law preempted Puerto Rico’s debt-restructuring act (D. Puerto Rico). Twice won affirmance on appeal (First Circuit; SCOTUS).
  • Successfully intervened on behalf of satellite operator in support of FCC order transitioning C-Band spectrum for 5G wireless deployment (D.C. Circuit).
  • Filed amicus brief on behalf of U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Loper Bright v. Raimondo (2024) addressing the separation-of-powers problems associated with reflexive Chevron deference (SCOTUS).

Russell clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court of the United States, Judge Gregory G. Katsas of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and Judge Diane S. Sykes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He received his law degree from Yale Law School, where he was Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Law & Policy Review. He graduated summa cum laude from Taylor University with a bachelor’s degree in both Political Science and Biblical Literature.

Russell is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia.

Brad McCormack is of counsel in Gibson Dunn’s Washington, D.C. office and a member of the firm’s Global Tax Controversy and Litigation Practice Group. His practice focuses on international tax, federal tax controversy, and transfer pricing.

Brad advises clients at every stage of federal tax controversy, from audit through administrative appeals and litigation. He also advises on cross-border planning and compliance, including transfer pricing, cross-border reorganizations, and the application of U.S. international tax rules.

Before joining Gibson Dunn, Brad spent 12 years as a senior attorney in the IRS Office of Associate Chief Counsel (International), most recently as Senior Technical Reviewer. In that role, he helped draft Treasury Regulations and IRS guidance implementing significant international tax provisions and advised on litigation involving a range of international tax issues, including the validity of Treasury Regulations. He received the IRS LB&I Commissioner’s Excellence Award twice.

Earlier in his career, Brad spent nearly seven years in private practice at a global law firm with a leading international tax practice, where he advised multinational corporations on transfer pricing, cross-border financial products, captive insurance, foreign restructurings, and reorganizations.

Brad speaks and writes regularly on international tax, transfer pricing, and tax controversy, including at the Practising Law Institute’s annual International Tax Issues program and meetings of the American Bar Association Section of Taxation. He co-authored Obtaining Information from the Government — Disclosure Statutes, Bloomberg BNA Tax Matters Portfolio 625-1st T.M.

Representative Matters*

  • Principal drafter of the 2020 final regulations under section 250 governing the deduction for foreign-derived intangible income (T.D. 9901).
  • Principal reviewer of, and significant drafting contributor to, AM 2025-001, addressing the IRS’s enforcement of periodic adjustments under the section 482 transfer pricing rules.
  • Contributing drafter of proposed and final Treasury Regulations implementing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, including regulations under section 59A (base erosion and anti-abuse tax) and section 863 (inventory sourcing).
  • Advised the IRS Large Business & International Division and the U.S. Department of Justice, Tax Division on transfer pricing issues in major litigation, including litigation involving the validity of the cost sharing regulations and the treatment of intangible property transfers in cross-border reorganizations.
  • Advised the IRS Advance Pricing and Mutual Agreement Program (APMA) on advance pricing agreements and competent authority matters, including binding arbitration under a U.S. tax treaty.
  • Led trial preparation for a multinational client in a U.S. Tax Court transfer pricing case, including pleadings, witness interviews and preparation, and IRS computational adjustments.
  • Represented captive insurance companies nationwide in IRS audits and administrative appeals involving loss reserve deductions, accounting methods, Subpart F, and federal excise tax issues.

*Includes matters handled prior to joining Gibson Dunn.

Brad received his Juris Doctor from the University of Notre Dame Law School and a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from Providence College.

He is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and before the United States Tax Court.

Phillip Yan is a litigation associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn. Phillip’s practice focuses on commercial litigation, administrative law and regulatory practice, and appellate and constitutional law.

Phillip graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he served as an Articles Editor for the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. He graduated with a degree in English and Political Science from Amherst College.

Phillip is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.

Eamonn Butler is an associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Labour and Employment Practice Group.

Eamonn advises clients across a range of industries on employment law matters spanning disputes, advisory work and transactional support. His experience includes handling internal disciplinary and grievance matters, workplace investigations, employment litigation and dispute resolution, as well as advising on redundancy processes, TUPE, corporate transactions and whistleblowing issues.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Eamonn practised as an associate at a Magic Circle law firm in London.

Eamonn holds a Master of Law (LL.M, First Class) from the University of Cambridge and a Bachelor of Civil Law with History (BCL, First Class) from University College Dublin. He is admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales and Ireland (non-practising).

Oliver D. Welch is a resident partner in the Hong Kong office and a partner in the Singapore office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. He is a member of the firm’s Litigation and White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Groups. Oliver has extensive experience representing multi-national corporations throughout the Asia region on a wide variety of compliance and anti-corruption issues. He focuses on internal and regulatory investigations, including those involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and regularly counsels clients on their anti-corruption compliance programs and controls, including the drafting of policies, procedures, and training materials designed to foster compliance with global anti-corruption laws. Oliver also frequently advises on anti-corruption due diligence in connection with corporate acquisitions, private equity investments, and other business transactions.

The Gibson Dunn white collar team in Asia is regularly recognized as the leading practice in the region in publications such as Chambers Global, Chambers Asia Pacific, Chambers Greater China, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, and IFLR1000. Oliver is consistently ranked as a leading lawyer and a notable practitioner for Regulatory: Anti-corruption and Compliance by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific and Chambers Greater China Region. In the Chambers Greater China Region guide, interviewed clients quoted that Oliver “is one of the finest minds in the region. He is skilled at navigating complex matters and provides guidance and advice that is practical and relevant,” “has his ear to the ground and gives very practical, implementable solutions,” “is an excellent attorney with a depth of experience in Asia-Pacific,” and “exhibits a practical, common-sense approach to servicing clients’ needs, bringing calm to heated conversations and issues, yet consistently delivering against required actions at the highest level of both client service and expertise.”

His recent experience includes the following:

  • Advised multiple private equity firms on the compliance risks involved in acquisitions around the region, including India, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, and South Korea
  • Represented a multinational conglomerate before the DOJ and SEC in a China-based investigation into allegations of improper payments and misconduct
  • Conducted numerous internal investigations regarding allegations of corrupt conduct in the India and China operations of a healthcare and industrial conglomerate
  • Conducted a global assessment of the compliance program (including controls around anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, trade sanctions, export controls, competition, and data privacy) of a South Korea-based multi-national conglomerate
  • Represented a multinational company before the DOJ and SEC in a India-based investigation into allegations improper payments and misconduct

Prior to joining the Hong Kong office, Oliver practiced in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office, where he represented a managed care organization in a consolidated MDL proceeding involving claims under RICO, ERISA, and the Sherman Act. He also represented a number of clients during Congressional investigations.

Oliver received his law degree cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School, where he was an executive editor of the Michigan Law Review. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Brigham Young University. Prior to attending law school, Oliver managed a regulatory affairs department at a global food and cosmetics company, where he had primary responsibility over product registration and regulatory compliance in North America, Asia, South America, Europe, and Australia. He speaks Korean and is a member of the bars of New York and the District of Columbia.

Will Hallatt is a partner in the Hong Kong office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. He is Co-Chair of the firm’s Financial Regulatory Practice Group globally and head of the Asia-Pacific Financial Regulatory practice. As a trusted advisor to the world’s leading financial institutions, Will provides comprehensive contentious and advisory regulatory support to a diverse range of clients around the world. These include global investment banks, wholesale and retail banks, hedge funds, private wealth managers, investment managers, digital asset companies (including exchanges, stablecoin issuers, broker/dealers and asset managers), and major payments and fintech firms. Will also works closely with the firm’s International Trade practice in relation to sanctions issues, particularly vis-à-vis Greater China risk.

Will has extensive experience in handling both internal and external regulatory investigations, in particular high-stakes enforcement matters brought by key financial services regulators, including the Hong Kong Securities & Futures Commission (SFC) and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). Prior investigations that Will has worked on cover issues such as digital asset licensing breaches, product mis-selling cases, IPO sponsor conduct, anti-money laundering and terrorist financing compliance, systems and controls failures, and cybersecurity incidents.

Will routinely advises on new regulatory developments and compliance advisory matters, as well as the extraterritorial impact of third-country regulation, such as MiFID II, the EU Benchmark Regulation, MiCA, and the GENIUS Act. He is a leading expert on culture, conduct and governance, having worked with regulatory bodies including the Financial Stability Board (FSB) on key reforms in this area. He has also led the industry response on a number of the most significant regulatory change issues in recent years, working closely with senior figures from major regulators, including the SFC, HKMA, Hong Kong Insurance Authority (IA) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), together with leading industry associations, including the Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA) and the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA). In that regard Will is also a long-standing member of AIMA’s Regulatory Committee in Hong Kong.

Will also has particular expertise in relation to the regulation of cryptocurrencies and other digital assets, and has advised the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges as well as regulated financial institutions on a range of key strategic matters in this space. This includes advising cryptocurrency exchanges on regulatory restructurings, high profile regulatory investigations, and the handling of licence applications in multiple jurisdictions. Will also frequently works with Gibson Dunn’s leading Funds Management team to advise investors on their investments into cryptocurrency-focused funds and the regulatory issues associated with such investments.

Will is highly ranked for both contentious and non-contentious regulatory work in Chambers Greater China Region and Chambers FinTech. Will is also named as a leading partner for fintech and financial services in The Legal 500. A client notes that: “William has his ear to the ground when it comes to regulatory developments across Asia. He is the first person I speak to concerning regulatory developments and his advice is always practical and measured. His experience in regulatory investigations allows him to think several steps ahead as to where an investigation is heading.” Will is also “particularly adept at engaging with regulators such as the Hong Kong Securities & Futures Commission as well as the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.” In 2025, Will was also named as one of 10 Power Players globally in Financial Services Regulation, recognizing his influential role in shaping the future of financial regulation in AI, FinTech, and digital assets.

Before joining Gibson Dunn, Will served as a partner at Herbert Smith Freehills, where he was head of the firm’s Financial Services Regulatory practice in Asia. He began his legal career at Linklaters in London.

Will received his law degree from the University of Leeds in 2001. He is admitted as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales and as a Solicitor of the High Court of Hong Kong.

Representative Matters

Will’s representative matters include:

Advisory Matters

  • Advising a major Central Bank on the review and enhancement of its enforcement function and processes.
  • Advising ASIFMA in relation to industry responses to proposed reforms to the enforcement frameworks of the SFC and the HKMA in Hong Kong.
  • Advising a number of leading financial institutions in relation to the implementation of the SFC’s market soundings regime.
  • Assisting a number of leading financial institutions with detailed sanctions scenario planning in the context of the evolving geopolitical landscape.
  • Advising a virtual bank on applications for SVF and virtual banking licenses from the HKMA in Hong Kong.
  • Advising a payments provider on their application for an SVF license in Hong Kong.
  • Advising AIMA in relation to the SFC’s introduction of electronic data storage requirements for use of EDSPs, which included successfully lobbying the regulator for additional guidelines to assist with the practical implementation of the requirements.
  • Advising major cryptocurrency operators, including leading cryptocurrency derivatives exchanges, on regulatory and compliance matters, including potential licensing applications in Asia.
  • Advising several financial institutions on the implications of and compliance with the PRC’s National Security Law for Hong Kong.
  • Advising ASIFMA in relation to its response to the SFC’s informal consultation on the Manager in Charge (“MIC”) regime.
  • Advising ASIFMA in relation to the HKMA’s introduction of the Registered Institutions Senior Managers Accountability (“RISMA”) regime.
  • Advising ASIFMA with respect to the implementation of the SFC’s Internal Investigation Disclosure Obligation.
  • Advising ASIFMA in relation to its response to the HKMA’s first consultation on the introduction of its Mandatory Reference Checking regime in Hong Kong.
  • Working with ASIFMA in relation to the impact of the EU Benchmark Regulation on firms operating in Asia Pacific.
  • Lobbying the SFC on behalf of 16 financial institutions and ASIFMA in relation to the application of the revised Hong Kong Professional Investor regime to corporate finance business.
  • Advising AIMA on its response to the SFC’s formal consultation on amendments to the Fund Manager Code of Conduct and associated changes to the SFC Code of Conduct in Hong Kong.
  • Advising several financial institutions and asset managers in relation to preparation for and the managing of risk-based on-site inspections by the Intermediaries Supervision Department of the SFC.
  • Advising a number of major financial institutions on the implementation of the SFC’s Internal Investigation Disclosure Obligation.
  • Advising a number of major financial institutions on the implementation of the Hong Kong SFC’s MIC regime and the HKMA’s RISMA regime.
  • Advising a number of global financial institutions on the changes by the SFC to the Hong Kong Professional Investor Regime.
  • Advising a leading global investment bank on enhancements to its anti-money laundering policy and processes.
  • Advising a global investment bank in relation to the scope of the Hong Kong licensing regime and the ability of that institution to conduct certain transactions in Hong Kong.
  • Advising a number of investment banks and financial institutions on general compliance and regulatory issues in Hong Kong.
  • Advising a French investment manager on the OTC derivatives regulatory regime in Hong Kong.
  • Advising a number of financial institutions on SFC licensing applications in Hong Kong.
  • Advising a major global exchange operator on applying for an ATS license from the SFC in Hong Kong.
  • Advising financial institutions on regulatory due diligence matters and change of control applications across multiple jurisdictions in Asia-Pacific and Europe, including the integration of Merrill Lynch’s APAC business into Bank of America during the 2008 Financial Crisis and the 2010 sale of RBS’ businesses in Asia Pacific.

Contentious Matters

  • Advising UBS in relation to the 2019 enforcement action brought by the SFC against it and a number of other leading investment banks in relation to their roles as sponsor on a number of Hong Kong IPOs.
  • Advising a leading financial institution in relation to the misselling of digital asset products to retail clients.
  • Advising multiple digital asset exchanges on regulatory investigations by a number of leading global regulators, including the SFC and the MAS, into potential licensing breaches.
  • Advising a leading financial institution on multiple investigations by the SFC into systems and controls breaches resulting in, amongst other things, the overcharging of fees to clients.
  • Advising a leading global investment bank on an investigation by the SFC into the disclosure of price sensitive information in the context of research.
  • Advising a leading global investment bank in relation to an enforcement led investigation by the SFC into their role as sponsor on a Hong Kong IPO.
  • Advising a leading global investment bank in connection with enforcement proceedings being brought by the SFC in the context of an aborted IPO.
  • Advising a leading global investment bank in relation to investigations into potential fraud by a former employee, involving regulatory enquiries from the ICAC, the HKMA and the SFC.
  • Advising a large Chinese financial institution in relation to an enforcement investigation by the SFC into potential market misconduct offences.
  • Advising an international investment manager with respect to enforcement proceedings brought by the SFC in connection with alleged systems and controls failings.
  • Advising a leading European financial institution in relation to an investigation by the HKMA into alleged breaches of Hong Kong AML requirements.
  • Advising a leading Australian financial institution in relation to an investigation by the HKMA into alleged breaches of Hong Kong AML requirements.
  • Advising a leading European financial institution on an internal investigation into potential mis-selling of financial products and the contents of the investigation report provided to the HKMA.
  • Conducting internal investigations for a major Australian financial institution in response to complaints referred by the HKMA in respect of alleged mis-selling of financial products and preparing investigation reports and responses to address the allegations.
  • Advising a leading Middle Eastern financial institution in relation to an investigation by the HKMA into alleged breaches of Hong Kong AML requirements.
  • Advising a Hong Kong listed Chinese corporate in relation to an investigation by the SFC’s enforcement division into disclosure of price sensitive information.
  • Advising a leading global investment bank in assisting with the gathering of information by the Hong Kong SFC on behalf of the US SEC in relation to a US SEC investigation.
  • Advising a Hong Kong listed corporate and its parent company in relation to regulatory enquiries and litigation concerning the potentially fraudulent transfer of financial services business from regulated entities within the Listco group across a range of jurisdictions, including Hong Kong, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, to third party entities.
  • Advising a Hong Kong listed corporate in relation to an investigation by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange into certain directors’ compliance with their non-competition undertakings.
  • Conducting an internal investigation for a leading global financial institution into potential systems and controls failings.
  • Carrying out an internal investigation for a Hong Kong based financial institution in connection with enforcement proceedings being brought by a regulator outside Hong Kong.
  • Conducting a regulatory review mandated by the Securities Commission Malaysia in relation to a leading South East Asian bank’s systems, controls and processes as a Principal Adviser / Sponsor on IPO transactions in Malaysia.
  • Conducting an internal investigation for a major Australian financial institution into historical sales practices within its Taiwan business.
  • Conducting an internal review in relation to potential regulatory risk arising from an aborted IPO for the corporate finance division of a leading international investment bank in Hong Kong.
  • Conducting an internal investigation for a leading investment manager into misuse of information by a departing employee, together with associated regulatory reporting requirements.
  • Advising multiple financial institutions in relation to breach reporting obligations, including the timing and content of breach reporting notifications.

Brian Gilchrist is a partner in the Hong Kong office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. He is a member of the firm’s Litigation and White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Groups. Brian has extensive experience in dispute resolution, with a focus on commercial litigation involving matters concerning banking, insurance, tax, employment, contentious probate, directors’ duties, and minority shareholders’ rights. He is also an experienced advisor on regulatory matters and has handled both domestic and multijurisdictional arbitrations. Brian has acted as a key legal advisor to many of the largest Hong Kong and international companies and institutions. He has acted for, as well as against, Regulators, and is recognized in the market as someone who is usually involved in any ‘bet the company’ dispute in Hong Kong.

He is consistently recognized as a leading lawyer and notable practitioner by publications and is a top-ranked lawyer by Chambers Greater China Region. Interviewed clients remark that Brian “is unique in the sense that he is a strategist. He’s always three steps ahead – sometimes even ahead of the client in terms of what they want to achieve” and “is on the speed dial of everyone who is anyone. He’s head of the team and is extremely important as the overall strategist and with regard to communicating with the client.” Other sources note that “He’s the real big dog in town. He’s the real deal and is every bit as good as advertised in terms of his advice and analysis”, “people like him are set apart for their commercial and strategic judgement when it comes to decision making in litigation”, and that he “is very good at dealing with difficult situations and finding a simple commercial solution, that’s what he’s known for in the market. He’s definitely the person to go to for complexity”. 

Brian is ranked Band 1 in the Chambers Global and Chambers High Net Worth Guides. Described as a “legendary figure” with vast experience, clients were quoted saying, “Brian has seen anything and everything, he has roamed the earth in the litigation scene in Hong Kong”. “Brian is a trusted adviser who always produces commercial solutions”, “Brian Gilchrist has unparalleled gravitas and experience in the area…he is particularly knowledgeable in terms of trust-related matters”, and further, “Brian is unique in the sense that he is a strategist. He’s always three steps ahead – sometimes even ahead of the client in terms of what they want to achieve”. Brian is also recognized in The Legal 500 Hall of Fame, having been listed as a Leading Individual for many consecutive years, as well as classed as a Leading Individual in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific‘s Dispute Resolution: Litigation, Domestic and International Corporate Tax, and Private Client and Family categories. In The Legal 500 Asia Pacific guide, a client noted that Brian “is an exceptional litigator and a trusted advisor whose counsel goes far beyond the purely legal. He consistently demonstrates an ability to identify and address the real concerns underlying complex commercial disputes”. He is also recognized by Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) for Commercial Litigation, Commercial Mediation, and Asset Recovery; Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific; and Lawdragon 500’s Leading Global Litigators and Global Leaders in Crisis Management guides.

Some of his recent and most significant experience includes advising:

  • The company and opposing shareholders in resisting a petition to wind up a highly successful company brought by a minority shareholder seeking to enforce minority shareholders’ rights involving court proceedings in Hong Kong and the British Virgin Islands.
  • The Trustee in a high-profile breach of trust claim that was successfully defended at trial and the appeal was eventually withdrawn.
  • One of the parties to a high-profile contested probate action concerning the succession rights to the significant estate of a high net worth individual.
  • Various entities in defending or intervening in judicial review proceedings brought before the courts of Hong Kong.
  • Various corporates and financial institutions in structuring and managing internal investigations of misconduct or other improper actions of employees and former employees, and handling the resulting litigation, regulatory inquiries, and any criminal investigation of the wrongdoers.
  • A Hong Kong tertiary institution in relation to disciplinary-, grievance- and discrimination-related investigations and hearings.

Brian has sat as a deputy judge of the High Court of Hong Kong SAR, as well as the tribunal chairman for a statutory body dealing with appeals. He was a member of the Council of the Law Society of Hong Kong from 2009 to 2022 and was elected and served as a vice president of the Law Society of Hong Kong for 3 terms from 2018 to 2021. Brian has also acted as the honorary legal advisor to the British Consul General in Hong Kong for over 20 years and was recognized for his contribution in such role with the award of an OBE in 2020.

Brian has acted as the general editor for Chitty on Contracts Hong Kong Specific Volume since the initial edition, as well as having contributed to the Hong Kong White Book since it was first published. He has been a member of the Solicitors Higher Rights of Audience Assessment Board, the Court of Final Appeal Rules Committee, and the High Court Rules Committee, and is presently a member of the Civil Court Users’ Committee and the Standing Committee on Legal Education and Training, as well as a number of other statutory bodies and committees.

Brian graduated from the University of Cambridge, Magdalene College with a Bachelor of Arts in 1987 and a Master of Laws in 1988. He is a Cambridge Rugby Blue. Brian has been admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales since 1991 and Hong Kong since 1995.

Sébastien Evrard is the Partner in Charge of the Hong Kong office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. He is a member of the firm’s Antitrust and Competition Practice Group. Based in Asia since 2010, Sébastien handles complex antitrust matters in Asia and the European Union including merger control, non-merger investigations, and litigation—for clients within a wide range of industries such as aviation/shipping, banking, energy/mining, media/entertainment, software/hardware, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, automotive, and fast moving consumer goods. His practice also focuses on the antitrust aspects of intellectual property rights, and the interplay between data privacy and antitrust. He has represented clients before multiple regulators in Asia and Europe, and has litigated cases in multiple jurisdictions.

Sébastien is regularly recognized as an expert and notable practitioner in his field by publications such as Chambers Greater China Region, Chambers Global, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Who’s Who Legal , and IFLR1000. He was recently included in Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Antitrust and Competition Lawyers” for Asia and EU. The Legal 500 Asia Pacific states that “The ‘extraordinarily good’ Evrard is noted for his extensive knowledge of Chinese anti-monopoly law.” A client was quoted within the guide saying “Sébastien Evrard is an excellent antitrust lawyer, among the very best in this field. He picks up on issues quickly, is extremely responsive and a pleasure to work with.” Interviewed clients noted in the Chambers Greater China Region guide that “Sébastien is great at handling complex antitrust litigation. He is very experienced in guiding the direction of big-picture issues, and he understands how economics works for litigation,” and that “he has the ideal combination of a formidable legal mind together with commercial and strategic acumen.”

His recent experience includes advising:

  • Marriott’s acquisition of Starwood
  • Kimberly Clark’s acquisition of Softex
  • Uber’s sale of its Southeast Asia business to Grab
  • A leading technology company in abuse of dominance investigations and litigation in China
  • Various car manufacturers in relation to cartel investigations in multiple Asian jurisdictions
  • A manufacturer of fast-moving consumer goods in a cartel investigation in Taiwan
  • Hong Kong Telecommunications in a declaratory action before the Hong Kong Court of Appeal

Sébastien is a co-author of Anti-Monopoly Law and Practice (Oxford University Press, 2011), the leading English treatise on competition law in China, and Competition Law in China: Laws, Regulations, and Cases (Oxford University Press, 2014). He also has published multiple articles related to competition, intellectual property, and information technology law. He is a frequent speaker at international conferences.

Sébastien gained his LL.M. from Columbia University (James Kent Scholar (highest honor) and Walther Gelhorn Prize (valedictorian) in 2003, and his Licentiaat in de Rechten from the Catholic University Leuven in 1995. He speaks English, French, and Dutch and is admitted to practice in Brussels and Hong Kong.