Min soo Kim is a litigation associate in the Orange County office of Gibson Dunn.

Before joining the firm, Min soo clerked for the Honorable James C. Ho of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Honorable Martha M. Pacold of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Min soo received his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 2021. While in law school, he served as a publishing editor on the California Law Review. Min soo earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he graduated summa cum laude in 2017.

Min soo is a member of the State Bar of California and is admitted to practice before the the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and the Fifth Circuit.

Elizabeth A. Kiernan is an associate in the Dallas office of Gibson Dunn. She currently practices with the Firm’s Appellate and Constitutional Law Practice Group.

Elizabeth is a trusted appellate advocate and counselor. She has represented clients in their most complex, high-stakes, time-sensitive matters, appearing before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Texas Supreme Court, and state and federal courts of appeals. Elizabeth has successfully argued before the Fifth Circuit and has supported arguments in various courts, including the Texas Supreme Court, the Second, Fourth, Fifth, and Ninth Circuits, the Northern District of Texas, and the Third and Fifth Texas Court of Appeals of Texas. Elizabeth has successfully litigated cases involving contracts, the Constitution, and state law.

Elizabeth’s most significant victories include persuading a unanimous Fifth Circuit panel to uphold the dismissal of contractual and tort claims seeking over twelve-million dollars; securing a landmark victory at the U.S. Supreme Court to allow an insurer responsible for millions of dollars in bankruptcy claims to be heard on objections to its insureds’ plan of reorganization; obtaining writs of mandamus directing dismissal of billions of dollars in personal injury and property damage claims in the Houston Court of Appeals; reversing a fourteen-million-dollar summary judgment in the Fort Worth Court of Appeals; preserving appellate victory at the Texas Supreme Court; and upholding the constitutionality of voluntary, interfaith opening ceremonies before court sessions.

Elizabeth is recognized as an Appellate “Rising Star” by Thomson Reuters’s Texas Super Lawyers magazine.

Recent Representative Matters:

  • Representing energy companies in disputes arising out of the 2021 Texas winter storm, including in appeals of rules invalidly issued by the Public Utility Commission and in multidistrict litigation of tort claims.  Persuaded Houston Court of Appeals to grant writs of mandamus directing the multidistrict litigation trial court to dismiss billions of dollars personal injury and property claims on the pleadings.  E.g. In re Luminant, No.  01-23-00097-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.]); In re: Winter Storm Uri Litig., No. 2021-41903 (MDL Civ. Ct., Harris Cty., Tex.).  Obtained other favorable resolutions for client.  See Luminant Energy Company LLC v. PUC, No. 03-21-00108-CV (Tex. App—Austin) (obtained favorable agreement for client); Luminant Energy Company LLC v. PUC, No. 03-21-00126-CV (Tex. App—Austin) (same).
  • Argued and obtained a complete victory on behalf of a payment brand by persuading a unanimous Fifth Circuit panel to uphold the dismissal of contractual and tort claims seeking over $12 million dollars.  See Paymentech v. Landry’s, No. 21-20447 (5th Cir.) [argued].
  • Overturned a $14 million summary judgment by persuading court to uphold the validity of a payment brand’s security program and to revive the brand’s counterclaim for fraud.  See Visa Inc. v. Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc., 651 S.W.3d 278 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth Dec. 9, 2021, pet. filed).  Preserved victory by persuading the Texas Supreme Court to deny review after calling for full merits briefing.  Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. v. Visa Inc., No. 22-0024 (Tex.).
  • Persuaded a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court to hold that an insurer with financial responsibility for millions in bankruptcy claims is a “party in interest” that may object to its insureds’ Chapter 11 plan of reorganization.  See Truck Ins. Exch. v. Kaiser Gypsum Co., Inc., 602 U.S. 268 (2024).
  • Preserved significant appellate court victory by persuading the Texas Supreme Court to deny review after calling for full merits briefing in oil and gas case.  Nixon v. Hardaway, No. 18-0162 (Tex.). 
  • Defeated challenge to Health and Human Service’s rejection of former employee’s eight-figure wrongful termination suit.  Frey v. U.S. Dep’t of Health & Human Servs., No. 18-60205 (5th Cir.).
  • Secured emergency stay pending appeal and ultimately persuaded the Fifth Circuit to render judgment upholding constitutionality of Justice of the Peace’s practice of allowing volunteer chaplains to perform brief, optional, and interfaith opening ceremonies before court sessions.   Freedom from Religion Found., Inc. v. Mack, No. 21-20279 (5th Cir.). 
  • Represented various organizations as amicus curiae in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Fifth Circuit, the Texas Supreme Court, and the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Kisor v. Wilkie, No. 18-15 (U.S.) (on behalf of State and Local Government Associations); American Legion v. American Humanist Ass., Nos. 17-1717, 18-18 (U.S.) (on behalf of Utah Highway Patrol Association); Arizona v. Goodman, No. 18-391 (U.S.) (on behalf of Arizona Voice for Crime Victims, Inc., Memory of Victims Everywhere to Rescue Justice, and The National Crime Victim Law Institute );  Shin v. Ramirez, No. 20-1009 (U.S.) (Counsel of Record) (on behalf of two habeas scholars); Cochran v. SEC, No. 19-10396 (5th Cir.) (on behalf of the Texas Public Policy Foundation); Gregory v. New Prime, No. 21-0017 (Tex.) (on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce); In re Walmart, Nos. 21-0363, 21-0650 (Tex.) (on behalf of the Washington Legal Foundation); Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. State of Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission, No. 2020AP002007 (Wisc.), No. 24-154 (U.S.) (on behalf of Wisconsin Catholic Conference); Lackie v. Stinnie, No. (21-1756) (U.S.) (Counsel of Record) (on behalf of Alliance Defending Freedom and Americans for Prosperity Foundation); In re Dallas County, No. 24-0426 (Tex.) (on behalf of Texas Business Law Foundation).

Elizabeth graduated with Honors from the University of Chicago Law School in 2017. While at the Law School, she served as a Comments Editor of The University of Chicago Law Review. Elizabeth earned her Bachelor of Arts degree summa cum laude from the University of Alabama. She double majored in English and Political Science and was elected Phi Beta Kappa.

Prior to joining the Firm, Elizabeth served as a law clerk to the Honorable Jerry E. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Honorable William H. Pryor Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.  She also served as Special Counsel to U.S. Senator Josh Hawley for the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

Elizabeth is admitted to practice in Texas and the District of Columbia. She is also admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth, Seventh, Ninth, Eleventh, and Federal Circuits, and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, and Eastern Districts of Texas.

Melanie L. Katsur is a partner in Gibson Dunn’s Washington, D.C. office. She practices in the firm’s Litigation Department, and she is a member of the firm’s Antitrust and Competition and Class Action Practice Groups.

Melanie has substantial experience defending clients in complex commercial litigation matters in state and federal courts, including appellate courts, with a focus on antitrust and class actions. Her antitrust litigation experience includes representing clients in disputes in a range of industries, including financial services and consumer products. She has represented companies in class actions involving a range of antitrust-based claims, including allegations of price fixing, bid-rigging, tying, bundling, market allocation, and no-poach agreements. She also has represented clients facing monopolization and attempted monopolization claims.

Her general class action litigation experience includes multi-district litigation, actions in state and federal courts (both trial and appellate), and the representation of clients in a wide variety of industries, such as insurance, consumer products, securities, and healthcare.

Representative Antitrust Matters:

  • The defense of a major international financial institution in class action and other litigation alleging manipulation of foreign exchange benchmarks.
  • The defense of a major international financial institution in class action litigations alleging manipulation of various precious metals benchmarks.
  • The defense of a major international financial institution in multidistrict litigation alleging bid-rigging of U.S. Treasury auctions.
  • The defense of a major healthcare company in litigation alleging monopolization by a competitor. 
  • The defense of a major healthcare company in class action litigation alleging no-poach agreements. 
  • The defense of a generic drug manufacturer in class action and other litigation alleging price fixing in the generic drug industry.
  • The defense of a magazine distributor in litigation alleging a conspiracy to monopolize magazine wholesale markets.

She also has represented companies confronting investigations by regulatory authorities, including the U.S. Department of Justice, with parallel lawsuits filed by state attorneys general and the private class action bar. In addition, she has significant experience representing clients before arbitration panels.

Prior to joining the firm in 2002, Melanie served as a law clerk for the Honorable Susan H. Black of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. She earned her law degree cum laude from Duke University School of Law in 2001, where she was a Staff Editor for the Journal of Law and Contemporary Problems and a member of the Moot Court Board. Melanie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree magna cum laude in English and Political Science from Boston College in 1998, where she was a member of the Political Science Honors Program and Phi Beta Kappa.

Melanie is a member of the firm’s Pro Bono and Diversity Committees, and she previously served on the firm’s Hiring Committee. In 2014, the Gibson Dunn Pro Bono Committee awarded Melanie with the Frank Wheat Memorial Award for her outstanding achievements and commitment to pro bono initiatives. The Frank Wheat Memorial Award is given annually to the individual lawyer and team that demonstrated leadership and initiative in their pro bono work, obtained significant results for their pro bono clients, and served as a source of inspiration to others.

She is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia, as well as numerous federal district and appellate courts, including the United States Supreme Court.

Anastasia Katsari is an associate in the Brussels office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Antitrust and Competition Practice Group.

Anastasia’s practice encompasses all areas of competition law and focuses particularly on merger control, vertical and horizontal arrangements and State aid. She advises global and European clients from a variety of industries, including healthcare, digital, energy, consumer products and chemicals in connection with their most sensitive matters.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn in 2022, Anastasia practiced corporate law as well as litigation at a reputed Greek law firm, before joining DG COMP as a Bluebook Trainee and working for EU agencies.

A member of the Thessaloniki Bar and a registered European lawyer at the Brussels Bar, Anastasia graduated with a Master of Laws (with distinction) in European Competition Law & Regulation from the University of Amsterdam in 2019. She received her law degree from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 2015, having completed her Erasmus studies at the Universität Hamburg.

Anastasia is a native Greek speaker. She is also fluent in English and proficient in German.

Jonas Jousma is an associate in the Brussels office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Antitrust and Competition Practice Group. 

Jonas’ practice encompasses all areas of European and German antitrust, foreign direct investment and trade law. He has advised clients from the manufacturing, technology, pharmaceutical or media sectors in matters related to merger control, foreign direct investment control, the Digital Markets Act, Digital Services Act and EU State aid.

Admitted to the Munich Bar and to the Brussels’ bar EU list, Jonas passed his first State Exam at the University of Bayreuth in 2019. Jonas specialized in Intellectual Property and Competition Law, while also completing supplementary degrees in economics and engineering.

He speaks fluent German, English, and Spanish and has a good command of French.
 

Kunal Jhaveri is an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn, where he is a member of the firm’s Antitrust & Competition and Litigation Practice Groups.

Kunal’s practice focuses on complex litigation, merger review, and government investigations. His experience extends to drafting dispositive motions in federal courts and arbitration forums, managing critical data analytics and document discovery workstreams, and coordinating with expert consultants to optimize client advocacy. Kunal also maintains an active pro bono practice and has advised clients in veterans rights, nonprofit corporate governance, and housing rights.

Kunal received his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School and served as articles editor of the Michigan Journal of International Law. While at law school, he also served as an advanced student attorney in the Zell Entrepreneurship Clinic and President of the Society for Space Law and the Law of the Sea. Kunal received his undergraduate degree in Economics and Political Science, cum laude, from the University of California, Los Angeles. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, he was an associate at another large international law firm and served as a judicial intern to The Honorable Timothy M. Reif of the U.S. Court of International Trade.

Kunal is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and Maryland.

Yannis Ioannidis is an associate in the Brussels office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the firm’s Antitrust and Competition Practice Group as well as the Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Group.

Yannis has extensive experience in EU State aid law in various business sectors such as infrastructure, transport, post, telecommunications, rescue and restructuring aid to banks, and in the field of games of chance. His practice includes other areas of competition law as well. Currently, Yannis is advising on the EU Digital Services Act on questions of application and compliance, including on issues relating to fundamental rights protected under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Convention of Human Rights. He has also provided extensive advice on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues, such as decarbonization, the EU Emissions Trading System, and regulatory issues associated with the production of energy from renewable sources and other green initiatives. Yannis has also given comprehensive guidance on issues related to EU public procurement law as well as general EU administrative law.

Yannis has extensive litigation experience for more than 10 years in the above areas of law, pleading either as first or second chair both before the EU General Court and the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Yannis graduated with a Master of Laws (with distinction) from Queen Mary, University of London in 2013. He received his law degree from the Kapodistrian University of Athens in 2009.

He is a Greek qualified lawyer, member of the Athens Bar and a registered European lawyer at the Brussels Bar.

Richard Jenkinson is an England and Wales qualified associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the firm’s Antitrust and Competition Practice Group.

Richard has extensive experience across a wide range of antitrust issues, including merger control, civil and criminal cartel enforcement, permitted restrictions of competition, abuses of dominance and State aid/Subsidy Control. Richard has particular expertise advising on research and development collaborations, complex mergers and government subsidies. 

A recent joiner at Gibson Dunn, Richard spent over seven years at his previous firm advising on various antitrust matters. He advised in relation to the UK and EU notifications in the Korean Air/Asiana, eventually cleared with remedies in both jurisdictions as well as in-depth UK Phase 2 investigations into the Menzies/Airline Services and Ecolab/Holchem mergers. Richard also advised in relation to Eisai’s development of Lecanemab in collaboration with Biogen: a game-changing drug for the treatment of Alzheimer’s. Richard has also advised government and the private sector extensively on State aid and the new UK Subsidy Control Act.*  

Richard also gained rare experience advising on UK criminal cartel enforcement at his previous firms, having advised Consolis, the parent company of Stanton Bonna following the arrest of the latter’s chief executive for the cartel offence: from the dawn raid itself through to the final closure of the case several years later, as part of the team which secured a discount from the eventual fine for leniency and cooperation which was then-unprecedented in the UK.*

Richard was also seconded to the UK competition authority, providing legal advice to Phase 1 merger case teams. Among other cases, Richard worked on the CD&R/Morrisons supermarket merger, the NortonLifeLock/Avast cybersecurity merger and the Parker Hannifin/Meggitt aviation parts merger. *

*Some of these representations occurred prior to Richard’s association with Gibson Dunn.

Thomas G. Hungar is a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Gibson Dunn. His practice focuses on appellate litigation, and he assists clients with congressional investigations and complex trial court litigation matters as well. He has presented oral argument before the Supreme Court of the United States in 28 cases, including some of the Court’s most important patent, antitrust, securities, and environmental law decisions, and he has also appeared before numerous lower federal and state courts.

Thomas served as General Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives from July 2016 until January 2019. As General Counsel, he provided legal advice and litigation representation on a non-partisan basis to the House and its leadership, members, officers, and staff, and he worked closely with numerous House committees in connection with their oversight and investigative activities. Previously, he served as a Deputy Solicitor General of the United States. In that position, he supervised business-related appellate litigation for the federal government, with particular emphasis on patent, antitrust, securities, and environmental appellate cases, and he also oversaw appellate litigation in banking, bankruptcy, tax, government contracts, communications, copyright, labor, trademark, and international trade matters. In private practice, Thomas’s appellate experience has encompassed those areas as well as class actions, constitutional law, employment law, product liability, administrative procedure, insurance coverage and bad faith, and general commercial litigation. He has handled scores of business-related appeals in the Supreme Court and lower appellate courts, and has briefed and argued many high-profile matters.

Representative cases in which he has presented oral argument include:

  • Slack Technologies, LLC v. Pirani (statutory standing to sue under Section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933).
  • Microsoft Corp. v. i4i Ltd. Partnership (standard of proof for challenges to patent validity).
  • Stoneridge Investment Partners, LLC v. Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. (rejecting “scheme liability” as basis for imposing liability on secondary actors in securities fraud actions under SEC Rule 10b-5 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934).
  • Leegin Creative Leather Prods., Inc. v. PSKS, Inc. (overruling Dr. Miles rule of per se invalidity for vertical minimum resale price maintenance agreements under Section 1 of the Sherman Act).
  • KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex Inc. (clarifying standard for determining when an invention claimed in a patent is “obvious,” and therefore ineligible for patent protection, under Section 103(a) of the Patent Act).
  • Environmental Defense v. Duke Energy Corp. (Clean Air Act New Source Review case clarifying test for determining whether a “modification” to a pollutant-emitting source has occurred so as to require a permit under the Prevention of Significant Deterioration program).
  • Illinois Tool Works, Inc. v. Independent Ink, Inc. (overturning longstanding presumption of market power that arose in tying cases under Section 1 of the Sherman Act when the defendant held a patent on the tying product).
  • Quanta Computer, Inc. v. LG Electronics, Inc. (patent infringement action involving application of patent-exhaustion doctrine to method claims and to sales of components of patented systems).
  • Dura Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Broudo (requiring securities fraud plaintiffs invoking the fraud-on-the-market theory to plead and prove loss causation by identifying a causal connection between the alleged fraud and the security’s subsequent decline in price).
  • National Cable & Telecom. Ass’n v. Brand X Internet Servs. (upholding FCC’s determination that cable modem broadband Internet access service is solely an unregulated “information service” under the federal Communications Act and does not include a regulated “telecommunications service” component).

Thomas is a Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers and is a frequent lecturer in his areas of expertise. While at the Department of Justice, he served as Appellate Counsel to the Intellectual Property Task Force Executive Staff, and he was awarded the John Marshall Award for Outstanding Legal Achievement, the Department’s highest award presented to attorneys for contributions and excellence in legal performance, in recognition of his handling of patent-law matters before the Supreme Court. Most recently, Thomas has garnered national recognition for his Appellate Practice in The Legal 500 – United States, Best Lawyers in America, and in Chambers USA, which has repeatedly highlighted Thomas for his “expertise in appellate litigation” and experience with employment and antitrust disputes, as well as Congressional Investigations. Thomas was also recently named a “Litigation Star” by Benchmark Litigation.

Thomas served as an Assistant to the Solicitor General of the United States from 1992-1994. He also served as a law clerk to Justice Anthony M. Kennedy of the Supreme Court and to Circuit Judge Alex Kozinski of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He received his law degree from Yale Law School in 1987, where he was a Senior Editor of the Yale Law & Policy Review. He received his Bachelor of Science degree magna cum laude in mathematics/computer science and economics from Willamette University in 1984.

Thomas is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.

Brad Hubbard is a partner in the Dallas office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the firm’s Appellate and Constitutional Law Practice Group.

Brad has been recognized as a “Rising Star” appellate practitioner by Law360 in its feature of  “attorneys under 40 whose legal accomplishments belie their age” and as one of Lawdragon’s “500 X – The Next Generation,” which identifies lawyers “who will define where the legal profession of our country goes” and “whose leadership will be called upon by businesses and individuals when they face their crossroads.” In addition, he was named as one of D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas,” an appellate “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers, a “Future Star” by Benchmark Litigation, and “One to Watch” in appellate practice by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America,™ which recognizes attorneys for “outstanding professional excellent in private practice.”

Brad is a trusted appellate advocate and counselor. He has represented clients in their most complex, high-stakes, time-sensitive matters before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Texas Supreme Court, and state and federal courts of appeals throughout the country. Brad has presented argument before the Fifth and Tenth Circuits; second-chaired arguments in the Texas Supreme Court, the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Circuits, and the First, Fifth, and Fourteenth Texas Courts of Appeals; and conducted direct, cross, and redirect examination of witnesses at trial. Brad has successfully litigated cases involving arbitration, antitrust, class actions, the constitution, contracts, products liability, trade secrets, the False Claims Act, RICO, and state and federal criminal law.

Brad’s most significant victories include reversing the largest judgment in the history of the False Claims Act in the Fifth Circuit; prevailing in the Texas Supreme Court in a case of first impression about scope of section 230 of the Communications Decency Act; slashing a record-breaking $125 million verdict to less than $2 million in the Texas Supreme Court and Corpus Christi court of appeals; reversing a half-billion-dollar jury verdict in the San Antonio court of appeals and preserving that win in the Texas Supreme Court; reversing a seven-figure verdict in the Texas Supreme Court; reversing an eight-figure verdict in the Dallas court of appeals; and prevailing in several eight-figure arbitration cases in the Fifth Circuit. Brad has also helped clients preserve significant wins in the U.S. Supreme Court, the Texas Supreme Court, and the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Circuits.

His pro bono victories include persuading a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate his client’s religious-liberty claims against two Kansas police officers; defeating an Establishment Clause challenge to a justice of the peace’s volunteer chaplaincy program in the Fifth Circuit; protecting the First Amendment rights of the Kountze ISD cheerleaders in the Texas Supreme Court; and giving voice to crime victims and their families in a number of important criminal cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Recent Representative Matters:

  • Prevailed in a “landmark decision” (Texas Lawbook) reversing $663 million judgment, “the largest in the history of the False Claims Act,” on behalf of a leading Texas manufacturer in a “legal war for its financial life and its reputation” (Dallas Morning News). U.S. ex rel. Harman v. Trinity Industries, Inc., No. 15-41172, 872 F.3d 645 (5th Cir. 2017), cert. denied No. 17-1149, 139 S. Ct. 784 (2019). Successfully obtained dismissal of over a dozen related state-law suits filed by same relator.
  • Secured emergency stay pending appeal and, in one of the “biggest Texas rulings of 2021” (Law360, Dec. 17, 2021), ultimately persuaded the Texas Supreme Court to dismiss plaintiffs’ common-law claims ground-breaking case of first impression about the scope of section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996; defeated plaintiffs’ attempt to secure U.S. Supreme Court review, despite support from 25-state coalition. In re Facebook, No. 20-0434, 625 S.W.3d 80 (Tex. 2021), cert denied 21-549, 142 S. Ct. 1087 (U.S. 2022).
  • Slashed a $125 million verdict by 99 percent (to under $2 million), and eliminated the largest emotional-distress award in Texas history ($63 million). Signature Industrial Services, LLC v. International Paper Co., No. 20-0396, 638 S.W.3d 179 (Tex. 2022), aff’g in part and rev’g in part No. 13-18-00186-cv, 628 S.W.3d 541 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi 2021).
  • Eliminated “record-setting $740 million trade secrets theft and fraud judgment” (Law360, June 4, 2020), for leading title insurance provider, and successfully preserved that victory in the Texas Supreme Court. Title Source, Inc. v. HouseCanary, Inc., No. 04-19-00044-cv, 612 S.W.3d 517 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 2020), denied No. 20-0683 (Tex. 2022).
  • Obtained complete victory for leading provider of credit-monitoring services by securing reversal of decision refusing to send claims under federal Credit Creditor Repair Organization Act—brought as a putative, eight-figure class action—to arbitration. Forby v. One Technologies, L.P., No. 20-10088 (5th Cir. 2021) [argued].
  • Won preliminary injunctive relief from emergency arbitrator, secured judicial confirmation of that preliminary injunctive relief in case involving multi-billion-dollar, exclusive distribution agreement, and persuaded courts to dismiss one related case and stay the other pending arbitration. Vital Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. PepsiCo, Inc., No. 0:20-cv-62415 (S.D. Fla.); Quash Seltzer, LLC v. PepsiCo, Inc., No. 0:21-cv-60191 (S.D. Fla.).
  • Prevailed on every issue in a nine-figure, eight-day arbitration about an exclusive distribution agreement between energy-drink supplier and leading beverage distributor; defeated every ground of appeal raised by supplier in AAA appeal. PepsiCo, Inc. v. Vital Pharmaceuticals, Inc., No. 0:22-cv-60805 (S.D. Fla.).
  • Secured emergency stay pending appeal in high-profile First Amendment case against Texas Justice of the Peace Wayne Mack, permitting him to continue allowing volunteer chaplains to perform brief, optional, and interfaith opening ceremonies before court sessions while the Fifth Circuit adjudicated the merits of his appeal. Vindicated that stay by persuading the Fifth Circuit to render judgment in favor of Judge Mack, which ensured that he can continue to honor the volunteer chaplains. Freedom from Religion Foundation, Inc. v. Mack, No. 21-20279, 4 F.4th 306 (5th Cir.2021) (stay pending appeal), 49 F.4th 941 (5th Cir. 2022) (merits) [argued].
  • Overturned a $7.25 million verdict on statute-of-frauds grounds in one of the “biggest Texas Supreme Court rulings of 2018” (Law360, Apr. 13, 2018). Hill v. Shamoun & Norman, LLP, No. 16-0107, 544 S.W.3d 724 (Tex. 2018). After the district court compelled plainly overbroad and improper discovery on remand, persuaded the Fifth Court to stay the discovery order pending resolution of our mandamus petition—also persuaded the State to file an amicus brief in support of our mandamus petition. In re Albert G. Hill, No. 05-19-00394-cv (Tex. App.—Dallas 2019).
  • Persuaded a unanimous Supreme Court to reinstate pro se plaintiff’s religious-liberty claims against police officers who forced her to stop praying in her own home; garnered amicus support from the State of Texas and numerous former federal prosecutors. Sause v. Bauer, No. 17-742 (U.S.). Argued Ms. Sause’s case in the Tenth Circuit and drew a strong concurrence from Chief Judge Tymkovich, which set the stage for the Supreme Court victory. Sause v. Bauer, No. 16-3231 (10th Cir.) [argued].
  • Represented the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Texas Association of Business, and the Washington Legal Foundation in three personal jurisdiction cases before the Texas Supreme Court. American Campus Communities, Inc. v. Berry, No. 21-0874 (Tex.); Luciano v. SprayFoamPolymers.com, LLC, No. 18-350 (Tex.); Cessna Aircraft Co. v. Garcia, No. 19-0381 (Tex.)
  • Prevailed on high school cheerleaders’ First Amendment free-speech claim against their school district, which included persuading the Texas Supreme Court to revive their claims after the court of appeals had ruled them moot. Matthews v. Kountze Independent School District, No. 14-0453, 484 S.W.3d 416 (Tex. 2016), No. 09-13-00251-cv (Tex. App.—Beaumont).

Brad also maintains an active pro bono practice, focusing on religious liberty and crime victims’ rights. He received the firm’s 2021 Frank Wheat Memorial Award for his commitment to pro bono work. In addition to victories for Judge Mack, Ms. Sause, and the Kountze cheerleaders described above, Brad has also represented a number of crime victims and crime victims’ organizations before the U.S. Supreme Court—to make sure voice is given to the voiceless. This includes representing Pablo Castro’s children in his murderer’s RLUIPA challenge to Texas’s enforcement of his capital sentence. Justice Kavanaugh quoted our brief while questioning the advocates during oral argument, and Justice Thomas extensively cited (and quoted from) our brief in his dissenting opinion. Ramirez v. Collier, No. 21-5592, 142 S. Ct. 1264 (U.S. 2022). Brad also represented the victims’ families in Bucklew v. Precythe, No. 17-8151, 139 S. Ct. 1222 (U.S. 2019) (method of execution), and Kahler v. Kansas, No. 18-6135, 140 S. Ct. 1021 (U.S. 2020) (Kansas’s insanity test), a bipartisan coalition of members of congress in United States v. Briggs, No. 19-108, 141 S. Ct. 467 (U.S. 2020) (statute of limitations for rape under Uniform Code of Military Justice), and prominent victims’ rights organizations in Kansas v. Boettger, No. 19-1051 (U.S.) (state statute proscribing violent threats), and Arizona v. Goodman, No. 18-391 (U.S.) and Arizona v. Martinez, No. 16-1489 (U.S.) (denial of bail to sex offenders).

In addition, Brad recently represented Senators Dianne Feinstein, Jon Kyl, and Orrin Hatch—the drafters and co-sponsors of Crime Victims’ Rights Act—in a case brought by Courtney Wild, one of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, both before the U.S. Supreme Court and the en banc Eleventh Circuit, where Judge Hull dedicated two pages of her dissenting opinion to the arguments presented in our brief. Ms. Wild, represented by Judge Paul Cassell, alleged that federal prosecutors violated her right to confer with and be treated fairly by prosecutors by secretly negotiating a non-prosecution agreement with Epstein in 2007. Wild v. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, No. 21-351 (U.S.); In re Courtney Wild, No. 19-13843, 994 F.3d 1244 (11th Cir. 2021) (en banc).

Brad served as one of the inaugural law clerks to the Honorable James C. Ho of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. And, before joining the firm, Brad served as a law clerk to the Honorable Steven M. Colloton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

Brad graduated with Honors from the University of Chicago Law School in 2013, where he served as Managing Editor of The University of Chicago Law Review. He was a Kirkland & Ellis Scholar and a member of the Order of the Coif. While at the Law School, he was a John M. Olin Fellow in Law and Economics and received the Chicago Bar Association Federal Tax Section’s Award for Academic Achievement in Taxation. Brad received his Bachelor’s and Master’s in Accountancy, summa cum laude, from the University of Missouri, where he was a four-year letter winner and captain of the nationally ranked men’s swim team.

He is a member of the Texas bar and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Third, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Circuits, and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas.

Stuart Houston is an associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Antitrust and Competition Practice Group. Stuart is a dual-qualified solicitor, admitted in England & Wales and Ireland.

Stuart has broad experience advising clients on a wide range of antitrust and regulatory issues including cartel investigations and leniency proceedings, abuse of dominance investigations, market studies and sectoral investigations as well as merger control, foreign investment and national security.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Stuart practised in the Competition and Regulatory group at a premier law firm, spending time in both the London and Brussels offices.

Stuart’s experience includes advising: *

  • Alphabet, Inc. and Google LLC in relation to the European Commission’s investigation under Article 102 TFEU into Google’s business practices in digital advertising and the subsequent successful appeal of the European Commission’s AdSense Decision to the General Court of the European Union.
  • Vodafone Group PLC in relation to the merger of Vodafone UK and Three UK, the commercialisation of its UK tower portfolio and the operation of its UK network sharing partnership with Virgin Media O2.
  • Suez S.A. in relation to its public takeover by Veolia.
  • Taylor Wimpey PLC in relation to the CMA’s consumer law investigation in relation to leasehold homes and the CMA’s housebuilding market study.
  • Google LLC in relation to the CMA’s digital platforms and online advertising market study.
  • A client in relation to parallel cartel investigations by the CMA and the European Commission and related applications for immunity from fines.

*Some of these representations occurred prior to Stuart’s association with Gibson Dunn.

Adam Steene is of counsel in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn. He practices in the firm’s Litigation Department and is a member of the Appellate and Constitutional Law Practice Group and the Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Group.

Before joining Gibson Dunn, Adam clerked for Justice Neil M. Gorsuch of the Supreme Court of the United States, Chief Judge William H. Pryor Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and Judge Andrew S. Oldham of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He also served as a Gregory S. Coleman Fellow in the Office of the Attorney General of Texas. Earlier in his career, Adam practiced at a prominent international law firm, where he focused on commercial litigation and antitrust matters and argued cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Supreme Court of Georgia.

Adam received an LL.M. with public service honors from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and an LL.B. with first-class honors from the University of Law, London. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales by the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn. Adam also holds an M.A. in Classics from Columbia University and a B.A. in Classics with first-class honors from King’s College London.

Adam is admitted to practice law in the State of New York and the District of Columbia, as well as before the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Courts of Appeals for the Second and Fifth Circuits, and the United States District Courts for the Eastern District of New York, Southern District of New York, and Western District of Texas.

Jay Srinivasan is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Gibson Dunn. He is a litigator and trial lawyer, practicing in the firm’s Antitrust and Competition, Trade Regulation, and Media, Entertainment & Technology Practice Groups. He previously served as the partner in charge of the Los Angeles office and is a Chambers‑ranked antitrust lawyer. Jay was recently named one of Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Antitrust and Competition Lawyers,” recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a “Litigation Star,” and featured on the Daily Journal’s “Top Antitrust Lawyers” list, highlighting California’s leading antitrust practitioners.

Jay adeptly represents a wide range of clients in the high tech, entertainment, and energy industries in their most high-profile litigations. Additionally, he provides expert antitrust counsel on mergers/joint collaborations, government investigations, and proposed business practices. In addition to his antitrust practice, Jay specializes in complex business litigation and class action defense primarily in the technology and entertainment industries.

Representative antitrust engagements include:

  • Representation of Apple in its successful defense against antitrust claims brought by Epic Games. Jay had a substantial trial role in Apple’s defense of its App Store-related business practices.
  • Several other ongoing and past representations of Apple against class actions brought respectively by competitors, consumers, and developers, challenging Apple’s various consumer-facing products and services.
  • Ongoing representation of RealPage, the leading software developer in the real estate industry, against a multi-district antitrust class action alleging a conspiracy to fix rents for multifamily residential units. The Court recently appointed Jay to serve as the lead liaison counsel for the 40+ defense group.
  • Representation of Hewlett-Packard Company in its competition/breach of contract dispute with Oracle Corporation regarding Oracle’s failure to meet its obligations to support HP’s mission critical servers, resulting in a jury award of over $3 billion.
  • Representation of Time Warner Cable against putative class of subscribers seeking over $6 billion in restitution for TWC’s alleged failure to afford subscribers the opportunity to opt out of new Los Angeles Dodgers and Lakers sports channels, resulting in dismissal by California Superior Court and affirmance by California Court of Appeal.
  • Representation of Intel Corporation in a case brought by the New York Attorney General asserting state and federal antitrust claims on behalf of New York state agencies, municipalities, and consumers for alleged microprocessor overcharges, resulting in dismissal of all claims.
  • Representation of Intel Corporation in a Section 5 case brought by the Federal Trade Commission challenging wide-ranging conduct. Jay’s focus has been on the technical claims, including allegations about software functionality, industry benchmark design, and industry standard-setting.
  • Representation of Intel Corporation in a Section 2 Sherman Act case brought by a competitor regarding broad-ranging business and engineering practices, resulting in a settlement of all claims.
  • Representation of Cox Communications in a consumer class action alleging a Section 1 Sherman Act conspiracy regarding the bundling of cable channels to subscribers, resulting in a dismissal of all claims on the pleadings.
  • Representation of Sempra Energy in a consumer class action alleging a conspiracy regarding the supply of natural gas in California, resulting in a favorable settlement after three months in trial.
  • Representation of American Airlines, Inc. in a case brought by travel agents alleging a Section 1 Sherman Act conspiracy regarding travel agent commissions, resulting in a dismissal of all claims on the pleadings.

Representative entertainment and non-antitrust engagements include:

  • Ongoing representation of TikTok in the Social Media Adolescent Addiction MDL, serving as one of the lead trial counsels for TikTok in this consolidated action of more than 1000 individual cases.
  • Ongoing representation of Big Fish Entertainment against copyright and trademark infringement claims in the context of unscripted television programming.
  • Representation of MGM Studios in a lawsuit alleging copyright claims in the context of licensing disputes over MGM’s film and television content, resulting in favorable settlement.
  • Representation of MGM Studios against putative class of profit participants relating to the studio’s home video revenue, resulting in complete victory by defeating class certification. MGM was the only studio to win on the merits.
  • Representation of Netflix in breach of contract disputes, resulting in early, favorable settlements.
  • Ongoing representation of DFS Galleria, the world’s largest duty-free retailer, in its successful lawsuits against the Guam International Airport Authority in which DFS asserted claims for unfair competition, bid-rigging, and related misconduct. Jay recently led a bench trial in one of the related cases.
  • Representation of Boston-based AEW in an action stemming from a real estate development joint venture, in which the plaintiffs sought almost $12 billion in damages. After a multi-week bench trial on AEW’s motion for terminating sanctions, the Court granted AEW’s terminating sanctions motion, finding that the plaintiffs had engaged in the forgery of key contracts, committed perjury and engaged in widespread evidence destruction in an effort to cover up the wrongdoing.
  • Representation of Hewlett-Packard Company in a proposed nationwide class action alleging state tort and unfair competition claims regarding inkjet printer cartridges, resulting in denial of class certification and granting of summary judgment on all claims.
  • Representation of Hewlett-Packard Company in consumer class actions filed in California, Texas, and South Carolina alleging state tort and unfair competition claims regarding representations about hard drive capacity, resulting in a nuisance-value settlement of all claims.

Jay is a Co-Editor of the current edition of the ABA’s Antitrust/Intellectual Property Handbook, and is the editor of the current edition of the Gibson Dunn’s Antitrust Handbook, which has long served as a reference of first resort for in-house counsels regarding antitrust-related issues.

Jay received his Juris Doctor from the New York University School of Law, in 1995. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical & Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois in 1991, after which he worked for a software company in Silicon Valley.

Eric is an associate in the Orange County office of Gibson Dunn.

Eric received his Bachelor of Science in Applied and Computational Mathematics, Bachelor of Arts in Economics, and Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Southern California, where he was a Renaissance Scholar. He received his Juris Doctor from the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. During law school, he externed for the Honorable John F. Kness of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Eric has passed the bar examination in the People’s Republic of China and the CFA Level III exam. He is admitted to practice law in the State of California.

Aaron Briggs is a partner in Gibson Dunn’s San Francisco office and a member of the firm’s Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance Practice Group. Aaron’s practice focuses on advising public companies and their boards of directors, with a focus on technology and life sciences companies, on a wide range of securities and governance matters, including:

  • SEC compliance matters, including Exchange Act reporting, Securities Act registration issues, earnings releases and investor presentations, financial reporting and internal/disclosure control issues, securities law compliance (e.g., Section 16, Reg FD, Reg G, insider trading), auditor issues
  • Corporate governance matters, including compliance with state corporate laws and NYSE/Nasdaq requirements, board/committee operations effectiveness, board evaluations, board composition and diversity, independence issues, fiduciary duties
  • ESG and sustainability matters, including disclosure, alignment with TCFD/SASB/integrated reporting frameworks, program development, engagement with ratings agencies and other stakeholders, risk and liability management, board oversight
  • Investor engagement matters, including disclosure usability and proxy/10-K redesigns, investor and proxy advisory firm expectations and engagement, shareholder communication effectiveness
  • Annual meeting matters, including proxy statement compliance and effectiveness, proxy timeline and supplier management, proxy solicitation issues and effectiveness, meeting conduct best practices and issues, virtual meeting implementation
  • Shareholder activism matters, including dealing with shareholder proposals, vote-no campaigns, adverse proxy advisor vote recommendations, hedge fund activism
  • Executive compensation matters, including best practices, board oversight and governance, CD&A and other disclosures, SEC registration issues, investor expectations

In-House Experience

Before rejoining Gibson Dunn, Aaron served for five years as Executive Counsel – Corporate, Securities & Finance, at General Electric Company. His in-house experience—which included responsibility for SEC reporting and compliance, board governance, proxy and annual meeting, investor outreach and executive compensation matters, and included driving GE’s revamp of its full suite of investor communications (proxy statement, 10-K, earnings releases, and integrated report)—provides a unique insight and practical perspective on the issues that his clients face every day.

Memberships and Professional Involvement

  • Co-Chair, Certified Corporate Governance Professional Oversight Commission for the Society for Corporate Governance
  • Member of Advisory Board, Society for Corporate Governance Northern California Chapter
  • Transparency Advocate, RealTransparentDisclosure.com
  • Corporate Governance Professional Certificate, Society for Corporate Governance

Awards and Accolades

  • Fellow, American College of Governance Counsel, an organization of leading corporate governance lawyers from the US and Canada (2023)
  • Inductee, Governance Intelligence Hall of Fame (2023)
  • Winner, Governance Professional of the Year, Corporate Secretary Magazine Corporate Governance Awards (2016)

Representative Transactions Serving as Governance Counsel

  • Reverse Mergers: Crescent Biopharma Reserve Merger (2025) , Jade Biosciences Reverse Merger (2025) , Oruka Therapeutics Reverse Merger (2024) , Spyre Therapeutics Reverse Merger (2023) , Gyre Therapeutics Reverse Merger (2023)
  • IPOs: Apogee Therapeutics (2023) , Zevia PBC (2021), Shattuck Laboratories (2020), Biora Therapeutics (2020), 89bio (2019)
  • Other: Quidel-Ortho Merger (2022)

Selected Publications and Speaking Engagements

  • Co-Creator & Author, A Practical Guide to SEC and Proxy Compensation Rules, “Chapter 18: Proxy Disclosure Effectiveness”
  • Contributing Author, “Annual State of Board Evaluations in the U.S.” (2025)
  • Speaker, Society for Corporate Governance Essentials Conference, “Fundamentals of Corporate Governance & External Sources of Authority” (January 2026)
  • Speaker, Gibson Dunn MCLE Blitz, ” SEC Rulemaking & Getting Ready for the Annual Reporting Season” (January 2026)
  • Speaker, Society for Corporate Governance Western Regional Conference, “The Human Side of Governance” (October 2025)
  • Speaker, Society for Corporate Governance Essentials Express Conference, “Fundamentals of Disclosure Regulation” and Annual Meeting” (October 2025)
  • Speaker, Council of Institutional Investors Fall Conference, “The Changing Dynamics of Shareholder Engagement” (September 2025)
  • Speaker, Society for Corporate Governance National Conference, “Key to Successful Board Materials & Presentations” and “Managing Professional Transactions in Governance” (July 2025)
  • Speaker, National Association of Corporate Directors, “Proxy Season Reflections” (June 2025)
  • Speaker, Gibson Dunn Securities Regulation Client Panel Series, “SEC Up Close” (June 2025)
  • Speaker, Practising Law Institute SEC Institute, “Update on Management’s Discussion & Analysis” (June 2025)
  • Moderator, Society for Corporate Governance Northern California Chapter Event, “Navigating Complex Stakeholder Expectations Ahead of the 2025 Proxy Season” (February 2025)
  • Speaker, Center for Professional Education SEC Virtual Conference, “Hot Button Issues for Public Companies” (December 2024)
  • Speaker, Gibson Dunn Capital Markets Client Webcast Series, “IPO & Public Company Readiness: Corporate Governance & ESG Considerations” (2024)
  • Speaker, ABA SEER Fall Conference, “Lost at Sea? Navigating the Evolving ESG & Climate Disclosure Landscape” (2024)
  • Speaker, Society for Corporate Governance National Conference, “The Growing Company – Charting Your Course from Small/Mid-Cap to Large Cap (2024)
  • Speaker, Gibson Dunn Securities Regulation Client Webcast Series, “Key Considerations for Your 2024 Proxy Statement” (2023)
  • Speaker, Society for Corporate Governance Essentials+ Conference, “SEC Rulemaking Developments” (2023)
  • Speaker, Gibson Dunn MCLE Blitz, “ESG Opportunities & Pitfalls” (2023)

Academic Experience

Aaron received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Chicago Law School in 2007, where he was a Kosmerl Scholar. He received his Bachelor of Arts with high honors from the University of Notre Dame in 2004.

Annekatrin Pelster is of counsel in the Frankfurt office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity, Capital Markets and Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance Practice Groups.

Annekatrin advises corporate entities and private equity investors with a focus on public M&A transactions as well as corporate and securities law, including joint ventures, corporate structural measures, corporate governance, and capital markets compliance.

Handelsblatt/The Best Lawyers™ 2025/2026 list her among the best lawyers for Corporate Law and M&A in Germany.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Annekatrin was a corporate associate in the Frankfurt office of a renowned US law firm.

Annekatrin is fluent in German and English and advanced in French.

Experience

Representative transactions* include advising:

  • Advent International and Centerbridge on the public tender offer for Aareal Bank AG.
  • Advent International on the public tender offer for DOUGLAS Holding AG and the subsequent squeeze-out.
  • Anheuser-Busch InBev on general corporate matters and various M&A transactions.
  • Atlas Copco in connection with the €1.1B tender offer for ISRA VISION AG and the subsequent squeeze-out.
  • Credit Suisse as financial advisor to Bain Capital and Carlyle in connection with the tender offer for OSRAM.
  • Fair Value REIT-AG on the public tender offer by DEMIRE Deutsche Mittelstand Real Estate AG.
  • Fosun International on the acquisition of a 23.16% stake in TOM TAILOR Holding AG.
  • Hellman & Friedman on the IPO of Scout24 AG and a subsequent block trade.
  • HJM Investment GmbH & Co. KG on the sale of a stake in RENOLIT SE and the acquisition of RKW SE.
  • Lazard as financial advisor to the board of directors of RIB Software SE in connection with the tender offer for RIB Software SE by Schneider Electric SE; the supervisory board in connection with the tender offer for Axel Springer SE by KKR; and the supervisory board of Innogy in the tender offer for Innogy by E.ON.
  • Lotto24 AG in connection with its delisting.
  • Oaktree in connection with the voluntary public takeover offer for Deutsche Euro Shop AG.
  • One Equity Partners on the acquisition of:
    • transformer manufacturer SGB-SMIT from private equity investor BC Partners;
    • Powertech Transformers Group by its portfolio company SGB-SMIT;
    • Alltub Group, a market leader in aluminum and laminate specialty packaging for the cosmetics industry and other markets.
  • Perella Weinberg Partners as financial advisor to Deutsche Börse in connection with the merger of Deutsche Börse and London Stock Exchange.
  • Xella, a leading building materials company headquartered in Germany, and the Management Team on the sale of Xella to Lone Star.

*Includes Experience Prior To Joining Gibson Dunn

Alexander Horn is an of counsel in the Frankfurt office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Class Actions, Transnational Litigation, Product Liability, and International Arbitration Practice Groups.

Alex focuses on class actions and collective redress, complex commercial litigation, and cross‑border disputes, including international arbitration. He regularly represents multinational corporations in high‑stakes matters involving novel procedural and substantive issues, often at the intersection of German, European, and U.S. law.

He is a seasoned courtroom litigator who has conducted more than 400 trial and appellate hearings before courts across Germany.

Alex is recognized as a Best Lawyer in Germany for Litigation and International Arbitration by Handelsblatt / The Best Lawyers™ 2025/2026 and is recommended by The Legal 500 Deutschland 2025 and The Legal 500 EMEA 2025 for Dispute Resolution / Commercial Litigation.

His recent experience includes advising:

  • A global tech company, successfully defending it in German litigation involving claims under the EU Digital Services Act and German anti-libel laws
  • A U.S. company in digital content litigation in Germany
  • Mercedes-Benz in climate change litigation
  • Mercedes-Benz in diesel-related litigation, including a Declaratory Model Action (“Musterfeststellungsklage”)

Alex regularly publishes on collective redress, corporate litigation, and online content disputes. He is a frequent panelist for the German‑American Lawyers Association, speaking on U.S.–European cross‑border litigation and developments in U.S. constitutional law.

He studied law at the Universities of Freiburg and Grenoble and holds an LL.M. from Duke University School of Law, where he focused on U.S. civil procedure, complex litigation, and alternative dispute resolution. He has been admitted as a German lawyer (Rechtsanwalt) since 2016.

In addition to his native German, Alex speaks English and French.

Alex Xiao is an associate in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and a member of the firm’s Business Restructuring and Reorganization and Liability Management and Special Situations Practice Groups.

Alex represents ad hoc lender and noteholder groups, strategic investors, asset managers, hedge funds, private equity funds, and companies across a host of in court and out of court transactions. Alex has experience structuring and implementing liability management transactions, recapitalization transactions, distressed exchanges, amend-and-extend transactions, and various in court financings.

Alex has played a role on a number of teams advising:

  • Altice France: Represented the secured lender and noteholder group in connection with its global restructuring, addressing approximately €25 billion of secured debt and representing the first large-scale liability management exercise in Europe
  • Ardagh Group: Represented the Secured Notes group in connection with the company’s comprehensive $6 billion debt and equity recapitalization transactions; Ardagh is a leading global manufacturer of metal and glass packaging products
  • Cision: Represented an ad hoc group of first lien lenders and unsecured noteholders of Cision, a leading global provider of earned media software and services to public relations and marketing communications professionals, in a liability management exercise
  • EmployBridge: Represented an ad hoc group of first lien lenders in connection with the company’s liability management transaction; EmployBridge is a leading provider of technology-enabled, light industrial workforce solutions
  • AMC Entertainment: Represented an ad hoc group of secured lenders in the company’s liability management transactions; AMC is the largest movie exhibition company in the United States and globally
  • CommScope: Represented an ad hoc group of first lien lenders and noteholders in a transaction that secured commitments of over $3.15 billion in new first lien term loans and $1 billion in first lien notes; CommScope a global leader in network connectivity solutions
  • Global Medical Response : Represented an ad hoc group of secured lenders and noteholders in connection with an amend-and-extend transaction; Global Medical Response is a leading provider of ground medical transportation and mobile healthcare services in the United States
  • Cumulus Media: Represented an ad hoc group of secured lenders and noteholders in connection with a liability management transaction; Cumulus is the second-largest owner and operator of radio stations in the United States
  • Audacy: Represented an ad hoc group of secured lenders in the company’s prepackaged chapter 11 cases; Audacy is one of the country’s two scaled radio broadcasting groups and one of the country’s largest podcast studios
  • Invited (ClubCorp): Represented an ad hoc group of secured lenders in connection with an amend-and-extend transaction; Invited is one of the largest owners and operators of private golf and country clubs in the United States
  • Endo International plc: Represented an ad hoc group of secured lenders in the company’s chapter 11 proceedings; Endo is a multi-billion-dollar global specialty biopharmaceutical business
  • Rackspace: Represented an ad hoc group of secured lenders and noteholders in the company’s liability management transactions; Rackspace is a leading end-to-end hybrid, multicloud, and AI solutions company
  • Envision Healthcare Corporation: Represented an ad hoc group of secured lenders in the company’s liability management transactions and subsequent chapter 11 proceedings; Envision is a leading national medical group
  • Serta Simmons Bedding: Represented an ad hoc group of secured lenders in the company’s chapter 11 proceedings; Serta is one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of mattresses in North America
  • Lumileds: Represented an ad hoc group of secured lenders in the company’s prepackaged chapter 11 cases; Lumileds is a Dutch-based global leader in innovative lighting solutions
  • National Public Finance Guarantee Corporation: Represented the company in connection with the Title III cases of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and certain of its instrumentalities*
  • Brooks Brothers: Represented the company in its chapter 11 cases, Canadian proceeding under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, and going-concern sale of its international businesses*

Alex received his B.A. magna cum laude from Brandeis University and received his J.D. from Duke University School of Law. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Alex served as a policy fellow at the Office of the Majority Whip of the United States House of Representatives and an associate in the Restructuring Department of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in New York. 
 
Alex is admitted to practice in the State of New York and before the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Publications:

  • No Time Runs Against the King (IRS): The Golden Creditor Rule and Its Discontents, REAL EST. FIN. J. (Oct. 25, 2021).
  • Confirming the Obvious: Why Antique Chinese Bonds Should Remain Antique, 16 U. PA. ASIAN L. REV. 472 (2021).
  • How to Respond to Election Meddling in the Cyber Space: An International Law Case Study on the Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election, 30 DUKE J. COMP. & INT’L L. 349 (2020).

*Includes representations prior to Alex’s association with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.

Lafayette Greenfield II is an Of Counsel in the Washington, DC office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and a member of the firm’s Transportation and Space Practice Group.

Lafayette’s practice focuses on corporate, transactional and regulatory matters relating to the aerospace, satellite, telecommunications, data center and cloud computing industries. He has extensive experience advising companies, investors and financial institutions operating or investing in these industries on a wide range of corporate and financing transactions, including equity investments, mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, securitizations, project and leveraged financings, public offerings, and financial restructurings.  In addition, Lafayette has deep expertise helping clients structure and negotiate purchase and services contracts involving aerospace, satellite, telecommunications, data center and cloud computing assets and services.

Lafayette is a member of the New York and District of Columbia bars.  He received his Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law in 2013, where he was a member of the Howard Law Journal.  He received a Bachelor of Science in political science from Radford University in 2009.

Dani R. James is a partner in Gibson Dunn’s New York office. A former federal prosecutor, Dani defends clients in a broad range of white collar criminal and regulatory matters, including allegations of insider trading, market manipulation, public corruption, bid-rigging, tax fraud and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. She represents executives, directors and officers, and other individuals, as well as companies, in sensitive, complicated and often high-profile criminal and regulatory trials, hearings, investigations and other proceedings conducted by federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the New York State Attorney General’s Office and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, among other agencies.

Dani has been consistently recognized as a leading lawyer by prestigious legal ranking publications, including Chambers USA (2019–2025), Lawdragon (2019–2022, 2025–2026), The Best Lawyers in America® (2023–2026), and The Legal 500 (2022–2023). She was recently recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a 2026 “Litigation Star” in New York and had been named to Crain’s NY’s 2024 List of Notable Black Leaders. “Dani is one of the best in the business. She is savvy and smart,” say Chambers sources. “She is pragmatic, strategic and a delight to work with.” Chambers sources have also praised her as “really creative, committed, smart, empathetic, and [having] a wonderful demeanor with clients, who really respect her,” and “a persuasive courtroom advocate, strategically smart, and a passionate fighter for her clients.” She is “an extraordinarily strong lawyer and one of the future leaders of the bar.” Legal 500 recently commended Dani as an “excellent lawyer,” highlighting that she and her colleagues “throw themselves between the government and their clients, fighting for justice every step of the way.”

In addition to her expertise in criminal matters, Dani excels in handling complex civil litigation, including securities class actions, shareholder derivative suits, civil racketeering cases and complex business disputes. Dani is also adept at conducting corporate internal investigations and counseling audit committees and special litigation committees on compliance matters. Dani previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York from 1999 to 2003, representing the United States as lead counsel in a wide variety of federal criminal cases involving securities fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, international narcotics trafficking, racketeering and violent offenses, as well as appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Recent Representations*

  • Currently represent Bill Hwang of Archegos in a criminal case involving allegations of open-market manipulation and bank fraud involving billions of dollars in alleged losses.
  • Recently secured complete vindication for a hedge fund manager in an insider trading and fraud case, with an acquittal on the insider trading charges at trial and the dismissal of the remaining counts after they were overturned on appeal.
  • Represented former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio in federal and local criminal investigations that were successfully concluded without any charges or other actions being taken.
  • Represented a former senior executive of a multinational oil services firm in investigations by the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission of alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
  • Represented an investment management firm in a bid-rigging investigation by the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice and successfully persuaded the government to take no action against the firm despite charges leveled against several of the firm’s employees.
  • Conducted an internal investigation on behalf of the board of directors of the U.S. division of a multinational bank into claims of managerial misconduct and unlawful trading activity.
  • Represented one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies in a federal district court action against a multinational pharmaceutical corporation over allegations of breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation and fraudulent inducement in connection with the parties’ collaboration agreement to commercialize a migraine drug.
  • Co-lead trial counsel for a class of consumer packaged goods companies in a civil antitrust action against a leading provider of in-store advertising programs.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Dani was a Partner in the New York office of a major law firm and served as Co-Chair of its White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice. She previously served as an assistant visiting professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, where she taught courses on criminal law and conducted extensive research on federal sentencing issues.

Dani is involved in several professional organizations, serving as President of the New York Council of Defense Lawyers and as a board member for the Federal Defenders and The Office of the Appellate Defenders. She previously served as an advisory board member for Legal Outreach and a steering committee member for the When There Are Nine Scholarship Project.

Dani received her J.D. from Yale Law School and her B.A., summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from Columbia University.

*Matters handled prior to joining Gibson Dunn