Hannah Watson Fanin is of counsel in the London office of Gibson Dunn and is a member of the firm’s Investment Funds Practice Group. She advises a broad variety of institutional investors, including national and international development finance institutions, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, funds of funds, and investment banks. Her clients invest into private funds covering a range of asset classes, including real estate, infrastructure, private equity and debt, in both developed and emerging markets.

Hannah’s experience spans a variety of fund-related transactions, from fund formation, co-investments and secondary transactions, through to GP and LP-led restructurings, enforcement actions and advising on end-of-life issues. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Hannah worked at another major international law firm and in house at an institutional investor. 

Jason S. Park is of counsel in the New York office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Investment Funds Practice Group.

Jason focuses on the formation and operation of private investment funds, including buyout funds, growth equity funds, real estate funds, natural resources funds, credit funds and co-investment funds, as well as funds-of-one and similar custom arrangements. His practice also includes advising on carried interest and similar internal GP arrangements and strategic initiatives involving private fund sponsors.

He earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the New York University School of Law in 2016. He received his Bachelor of Commerce, with high distinction, from the University of Toronto in 2013.

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

Kevin Lafferty is of counsel in the Century City office of Gibson Dunn, where he practices in the firm’s Transactional Department.

Kevin has a broad-based practice encompassing public and private merger transactions, acquisitions, joint ventures and investments as well as a variety of private equity and financing transactions for investment fund clients, including co-investments, fund restructurings and recapitalizations, secondary transactions and investment management firm stake investments and partnerships. He also advises public and private companies with respect to corporate governance matters.*

Kevin earned his law degree in 2013 from Duke University School of Law. While in law school, he served as an editorial board member of the Duke Law Journal and as a judicial extern to the Honorable Dolores K. Sloviter on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.

Kevin is admitted to practice law in the States of California and New York.

*Includes representations prior to Kevin’s association with Gibson Dunn.

Ari Lanin is a partner in Gibson Dunn’s Century City office and Co-Chair of the firm’s Private Equity Practice Group. He advises companies and private equity firms across a wide range of industries, focusing on public and private merger transactions, stock and asset sales, joint ventures and strategic partnerships, and public and private capital-raising transactions. Ari also advises public companies with respect to securities regulation and corporate governance matters, including periodic reporting and disclosure matters, Section 16, Rule 144, insider trading and the implementation of Rule 10b5-1(c) plans.

Ari is also a member of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions, Capital Markets, Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance, and Media, Entertainment and Technology practice groups.

Ari was ranked by Chambers USA in the category of Private Equity: Buyouts – California from 2020 to 2025, where clients described him as an “excellent, smart lawyer” and a “brilliant advocate.” From 2016 to 2022, Ari was also ranked by Chambers USA in the category of Corporate/M&A: Private Equity, where clients described him as “smart as a whip, incredibly responsive and a great team member,” having ” an intense work ethic” and a “superlative lawyer [who is] amazingly pragmatic and an incredible resource.”

Ari was named by Lawdragon as one of the 500 Leading Dealmakers in America for 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2025, and to the Los Angeles Business Journal’s LA500 list from 2019 to 2025. The LA500 lists the 500 most influential people in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Business Journal named Ari as one of its “Leaders of Influence” for Private Equity from 2020 to 2024. Ari was also named to the Daily Journal’s 2018 list of the ‘Top 100 Lawyers in California.’ Variety named Ari to its Dealmakers Impact Report in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022. Variety also named him to its 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022 Legal Impact Report, an annual list of the leading attorneys in the entertainment industry, and its “Hollywood’s New Leaders” list in 2012. The Hollywood Reporter named Ari to its 2017 Power Lawyers List, which features 100 of the entertainment industry’s most powerful attorneys. He has also been recognized as one of The Best Lawyers in America® for his work in Mergers and Acquisitions for 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Representative Transactions – Mergers and Acquisitions

  • Aurora Capital Group. Acquisition and subsequent disposition of DuBois Chemicals, Inc.
  • Aurora Capital Group. Acquisition and subsequent disposition of Industrial Container Services, LLC.
  • WndrCo, LLC. Organization and partnership with investors.
  • Platinum Equity. Acquisition and subsequent disposition of NILCO.
  • Platinum Equity. Acquisition of Interior Logic Group and Criterion Brock.
  • Aurora Capital Group. Acquisition of Pace Analytical Services.
  • Aurora Capital Group. Acquisition of Restaurant Technologies, Inc.
  • Korn Ferry International. Acquisition of Hay Group.
  • The Chernin Group. Partnership with KKR in CA Media and creation of Emerald Media.
  • Otter Media. Acquisition of a majority stake in Fullscreen, a multichannel network.
  • RecoverCare, LLC. Merger of RecoverCare, LLC and Joerns Healthcare, LLC.
  • The Chernin Group. Joint venture with AT&T to acquire, invest and launch online video businesses.
  • Aurora Capital Group. Acquisition of National Technical Systems, Inc.
  • Aurora Capital Group. Acquisition of Zywave, Inc.’s insurance division.
  • Platinum Equity and The Gores Group. Acquisition and subsequent disposition of Alliance Entertainment.
  • The Chernin Group. Partnership with an investor group including Providence Equity Partners and Qatar Holding LLC.
  • Aurora Capital Group. Acquisition of Market Track, LLC.
  • Aurora Capital Group. Acquisition and subsequent merger of RecoverCare, LLC and MedaSTAT, LLC.
  • Bionics Trust. Buyout of contingent consideration relating to merger agreement with Boston Scientific Corporation for $1.15 billion and related asset dispositions.
  • K&F Industries Inc. Sale to Meggitt-USA, Inc., a subsidiary of Meggitt PLC, for approximately $1.8 billion.
  • Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. Acquisition of Silvue Technologies Group, Inc.
  • Infineon Technologies AG. Acquisition of Primarion, Inc.
  • Goldman, Sachs & Company. As financial advisor to Genesis Microchip, in the sale of Genesis Microchip Inc. to STMicroelectronics for a total equity value of approximately $336 million.
  • Korn/Ferry International. Acquisition of Lominger Limited, Inc., Lominger Consulting and related intellectual property.
  • IAC/InteractiveCorp. Joint venture with Dow Jones to offer personal finance related web services.
  • Hollywood Entertainment Corporation. Advised the Special Committee of the Board of Directors in the sale of Hollywood Entertainment Corporation to Movie Gallery, Inc. for approximately $1.25 billion. Advised the Special Committee in connection with the successful defense against a hostile takeover attempt by Blockbuster Inc.
  • Helix Medical Inc. Sale to Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership.
  • PictureArts Corporation. Sale to Jupitermedia.

Representative Transactions – Capital Markets

  • Represented Barclays Capital as sole underwriter in connection with MGM Resorts International’s $512 million common stock offering and Tracinda Corporation’s $348 million secondary common stock offering.
  • Represented Douglas Dynamics, Inc. in its initial public offering.
  • Represented AECOM Technology Corporation in an at-the-market equity offering of up to four million shares of common stock.
  • Represented Banc of America Securities LLC as lead underwriter in connection with a $750 million 13.00% senior secured notes offering by MGM Resorts International.
  • Represented Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. as lead underwriter in connection with a $750 million 7.50% senior notes offering by MGM Resorts International.
  • Represented Barclays Capital Inc. as lead underwriter in connection with a $750 million 7.625% senior notes offering by MGM Resorts International.
  • Represented Banc of America Securities LLC as lead underwriter in connection with a $250 million 6.875% senior notes offering by MGM Resorts International.
  • Represented American Tire Distributors Holdings, Inc. in its debt exchange offer and resale.
  • Represented Deutsche Bank Securities as lead underwriter in connection with a $300 million 5.875% senior notes offering by MGM Resorts International.
  • Represented JPMorgan as lead underwriter in connection with a $450 million 5.875% senior notes offering by MGM Resorts International.
  • Represented Morgan Stanley as lead underwriter in connection with a $450 million 5.875% senior notes offering by MGM Resorts International.

Additional Representations – Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance

  • Korn/Ferry International
  • Intel Corporation
  • Mondelez International, Inc.
  • Shea Homes
  • Herbalife Ltd.
  • Fluor Corporation

Publications

Ari has authored publications and client memoranda on a variety of securities law and mergers and acquisitions related matters.

  • “Equity Repurchase Provisions, Good Faith and Fiduciary Duties”, published in the Delaware Business Court Insider
  • “SEC Staff Issues Updated Interpretive Guidance on Rule 10b5-1 Plans”
  • “Mandatory Electronic Filing and Other Changes to Form D”
  • “Chapter 14: Roles and Responsibilities of Non-Board Participants in Corporate Governance” in Corporate Governance: Law and Practice Treatise, LexisNexis/Matthew Bender Treatise
  • “Cashing Out Company Stock Options in M&A Transactions,” December 2007 edition of Financier Worldwide magazine
  • “Planning for Electronic Filing and Website Posting of Section 16(a) Reports”
  • “SEC Requires Electronic Filing of Section 16(a) Reports”
  • “SEC Proposes Rules Implementing Provisions of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Requiring Companies to Reconcile Non-GAAP Financial Information, File Earnings Announcements and Releases on Form 8-K, Disclose Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements, Contingent Liabilities in Management’s Discussion and Analysis, and Prohibit Issuers, Directors and Officers from Trading During Pension Fund Blackout Periods”

Education

Ari received his law degree in 2000 from the University of Southern California Law School, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif and served as a member of the Southern California Law Review. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history, with a minor in music, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from Brandeis University in 1997.

Allyson N. Ho is Co-Chair of the Firm’s nationwide Appellate and Constitutional Law Practice Group and partner in the Dallas office of Gibson Dunn.

She has presented over 100 oral arguments in federal and state courts nationwide, including six high-stakes business cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Chambers has called her “undoubtedly one of the premier appellate lawyers in the United States”—“a magician” who “creates paths to victory that others do not see”—and ranked her among leading appellate advocates every year for the past 15 years. Benchmark Litigation has named her one of the “Top 250 Women in Litigation,” a “Litigation Star,” and shortlisted her for “Appellate Litigator of the Year.” She is one of the few appellate lawyers nationwide named to the BTI Client Service All-Stars List, recognized by corporate counsel for “delivering the absolute best in client service.” Since 2015, Allyson is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America guide for Appellate Practice. Most recently, Lawdragon named her to its 2025 500 Leading Litigators in America guide, which highlights “the best litigators the U.S. has to offer.”

The American Lawyer has recognized her in its “Litigators of the Week” column every year for the past four years. The National Law Journal has repeatedly featured her on its “Appellate Hot List.” Law360 has honored her as an “Appellate MVP,” “Litigation Powerhouse,” and leading member of the “Employment Group of the Year.” Texas Lawyer has recognized her as a “Distinguished Leader,” “Attorney of the Year Finalist,” leading member of a “Litigation Department of the Year,” and one of the state’s most “Winning Women.”

Federal and State Appellate Practice

Allyson has argued significant business cases before the U.S. Supreme Court in the areas of bankruptcy, patents, ERISA, employment, and administrative law. She has appeared before every federal court of appeals in the country, including en banc arguments before the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Circuits, and successfully represented businesses in every federal circuit. She also regularly represents businesses in state appellate courts across the country, including the Texas Supreme Court, Texas appellate courts in Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and Eastland, and state appellate courts in Arizona, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, and West Virginia.

Her most significant wins include multiple U.S. Supreme Court decisions overturning decades-old precedent opposed by the business community, several multi-billion dollar and nine-figure reversals in both federal and state appellate courts across the country, and critical class certification reversals and significant constitutional rulings.

National Law Journal called her a “Veteran SCOTUS Advocate” in the “upper echelons of Supreme Court practice.” Law360 named her a “Supreme Court Star” and “one of the nation’s preeminent appellate lawyers.” And EmpiricalSCOTUS.com ranked her among “the most successful attorneys that currently practice before the Court.”

She once argued two significant business cases before the Court within the span of 21 days—including a “significant ruling for employers” that “paved a new path for companies paying millions of dollars in retiree health care benefits” (Law360), and a landmark administrative law dispute in which “several justices agreed with Ho’s contention that SCOTUS should revisit and overrule its own precedent” (Law360). She prevailed against the EEOC in a case that the employment defense bar called “good news for employers across the country.” And in “the most important patent case in modern history” according to patent law experts, her argument before the Court was credited for “pick[ing] up two votes that pundits thought unreachable.”

Government and Public Service Experience

Allyson has a distinguished record of experience at the highest levels of the federal government. She served as Special Assistant to President George W. Bush, Counselor to Attorney General John Ashcroft, and law clerk to Justice Sandra Day O’Connor of the U.S. Supreme Court and Judge Jacques L. Wiener Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Her record of public service also includes appointments to various boards and commissions, including the Administrative Conference of the United States, the United States Supreme Court Historical Society, the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society, the Federalist Society Board of Visitors, and the Washington Legal Foundation Legal Policy Advisory Board. She is vice chair of the Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee, appointed by U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz to evaluate potential appointments of all federal judges and U.S. Attorneys in Texas. She has also served on the U.S. Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel for the Northern District of Texas. She has testified before Congress on issues of importance to the business community.

Other Background Information

An active pro bono litigator, Allyson works most frequently with First Liberty Institute, the National Organization for Victim Assistance, and the National Crime Victim Law Institute. Her amicus briefs have been repeatedly cited in multiple Supreme Court opinions and during oral argument.

She graduated from Duke University magna cum laude  with a B.A. in English, Rice University with an M.A. and Ph.D. in English Literature, and the University of Chicago Law School with high honors. She was a member of the Law Review and Order of the Coif. She and her husband Jim, a federal judge, have a twin daughter and son.

Tyler Helms is an associate in the San Francisco Office of Gibson Dunn, and a member of the firm’s Antitrust and Competition Practice Group. 

Before joining the firm, Tyler served as a law clerk to the Honorable Roslyn O. Silver of the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. He received his law degree from Stanford Law School and graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State University with degrees in Economics and Political Science.

Tyler is a member of the California bar.

Aaron Hauptman is a litigation associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn. He practices in the firm’s Appellate and Constitutional Law and Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Groups.

Before joining Gibson Dunn, Aaron clerked for the Honorable Neomi Rao of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and for the Honorable Jerry E. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

He received his law degree from Yale Law School, where he served as Executive Editor of the Yale Journal on Regulation, as a member of the Supreme Court Clinic, and as a Coker Fellow (legal writing instructor).

Prior to law school, Aaron worked as a management consultant. He graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University with a major in Public Policy and a minor in Neuroscience.

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

Alex Harris is of counsel in the Los Angeles office of Gibson Dunn. He currently practices in the firm’s Litigation Department. Alex focuses on appellate and intellectual property litigation.

Alex has been recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America for Appellate Practice (2021-2024), and Litigation – Intellectual Property (2022-2024).

Prior to joining the firm, Alex served as a law clerk to the Honorable Raymond M. Kethledge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. He received his law degree from Stanford Law School, where he conducted advanced clinic coursework in Supreme Court litigation and edited the Stanford Technology Law Review.

Alex has argued before federal and state courts, at the trial and appellate levels, in paid and pro bono cases. He has also served as Continuing Legal Education faculty and his work has appeared in the Maryland Journal of International Law and the Washington Legal Foundation’s Legal Opinion Letters.

Alex is licensed to practice law in the State of California and before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Federal, Sixth Circuit, and Ninth Circuits, and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Central Districts of California.

Alex’s representative matters include:

  • Lead associate in a major Supreme Court patent case, Alice v. CLS, 573 U.S. 208 (2014). The Court unanimously held ineligible patents asserted against Gibson Dunn client CLS Bank claiming the abstract idea of escrow, implemented on a generic computer. In naming Gibson Dunn the 2015 Litigation Department of the Year, The American Lawyer described Alice as “a gamechanger for Silicon Valley tech companies.”
  • Successfully defended in the Second Circuit, and prevented Supreme Court review of, Gibson Dunn client NML Capital’s injunction ordering Argentina to abide by its contractual promise to provide equal treatment to NML’s bonds that Argentina had defaulted on. Alex and the rest of the Gibson Dunn team then enforced the injunction against numerous subsequent challenges, culminating in NML recovering over $2.4 billion on the defaulted bonds.
  • Won dismissal with prejudice of a putative consumer class action against a major technology company, in the first motion the court heard.
  • In multiple separate cases, won affirmance of claim construction and summary judgment of non-infringement in the Federal Circuit.
  • Represented patent holder in Hatch-Waxman suit where accused infringers abandoned their defenses before trial, and the Federal Circuit affirmed the final judgment upholding the patent term extension.
  • Drafted several amicus briefs before the Supreme Court.
  • In a pro bono representation, obtained dismissal of a criminal citation issued against food truck owners, leading Arlington County, Virginia to amend its food truck regulations

Matt Gregory is a partner in the Washington D.C. office of Gibson Dunn. He practices in the firm’s Litigation Department and Appellate and Constitutional Law and Administrative Law Practice Groups.

Matt has been recognized in the 2023 and 2024 editions of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America for both Administrative / Regulatory Law and Appellate Practice and is a member of the Edward Coke Appellate Inn of Court.

Matt represents corporate clients in a wide range of appellate, administrative law, and litigation matters.

Representative matters include:

  • Represented large mortgage lender in successful challenge to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s attempt to impose more than $100 million in liability based on retroactive application of a flawed interpretation of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act.
  • Represented multiple companies in separation-of-powers challenges to the CFPB’s unconstitutional structure.
  • Represented major bank in litigation involving the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s retroactive application of a new interpretation of deposit-insurance regulations.
  • Represented cigar manufacturer in a constitutional and Administrative Procedure Act challenge to a 2016 rulemaking at the Food and Drug Administration that subjected virtually all tobacco products to the FDA’s regulatory authority.
  • Represented cryptocurrency exchange in litigation challenging the Securities & Exchange Commission’s overbroad interpretation of the securities laws, resulting in voluntary dismissal of the SEC’s claims.
  • Represents cryptocurrency exchange in private securities class action.
  • Represents banking industry in Administrative Procedure Act challenge to the Federal Reserve’s process for imposing bank capital requirements.
  • Assisted clients in other administrative law matters involving agencies including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, Department of Justice, Environmental Protection Agency, Executive Office for Immigration Review, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, National Mediation Board, Office of Foreign Assets Control, Surface Transportation Board, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
  • Represented major retailer in Fourth Circuit appeal defending against claims by the United States and Virginia under the False Claims Act and state law involving Medicaid reimbursements.
  • Represented major auto manufacturer in California state court appeals involving novel questions under the California Lemon Law.
  • Represented major auto manufacturer in successful Seventh Circuit appeal affirming in large part dismissal of putative class action alleging discriminatory hiring practices.
  • Represented a freight-hauling railroad, winning a Seventh Circuit appeal in a dispute with a commuter rail agency.
  • Represented a nationwide home-improvement retailer, securing dismissal of a putative FCRA class action.
  • Advised multiple clients on the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard on employee and supplier diversity programs.

Matt also has an active pro bono practice focused on civil litigation against federal and state agencies.

Representative pro bono matters include:

  • Represents public-interest organization in litigation challenging the government’s imposition of annual fees on asylum applicants.
  • Litigated successful constitutional challenge to Mississippi’s application of licensing requirements for cosmetologists to makeup artists.
  • Litigated successful challenge to Florida city’s attempt to recover attorney fees from plaintiff in federal civil-rights lawsuit.
  • Obtained transfer of Virginia prisoner in solitary confinement to more humane conditions at a new prison.
  • Represented immigrant in appeal challenging denial of asylum and withholding of removal.
  • Represented former prisoner in appeal of jury verdict in case involving allegations of abuse by a prison guard.
  • Represented public-interest organization in state-law open records case.
  • Filed amicus briefs in support of certiorari in the United States Supreme Court in cases involving qualified immunity, civil forfeiture, and religious liberty.

Before joining Gibson Dunn, Matt clerked for Justice Anthony M. Kennedy of the U.S. Supreme Court and Judge Raymond M. Kethledge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Matt graduated summa cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School in 2014. While there, he served as an editor on the Michigan Law Review. Before entering law school, he drove a forklift for a large retailer in Eugene, Oregon, and then owned and operated a small limousine and wine tour business in Portland, Oregon. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon in 2004.

Matt is admitted to practice law in Virginia and the District of Columbia. He lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and four children.

Nick Harper is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn, where he practices in the firm’s Litigation Department. A member of the Appellate and Constitutional Law and Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Groups, Nick has argued cases at every level of the federal judiciary, including the U.S. Supreme Court, which appointed him as amicus curiae in Erlinger v. United States to defend the judgment below.

Nick’s practice spans appellate, regulatory, and complex litigation. He also has expertise in the cryptocurrency and digital-asset space. He has represented clients in high-stakes litigation and advised on cutting-edge regulatory developments in the industry. He also has significant experience litigating against federal, state, and foreign governments.

Before joining Gibson Dunn, Nick clerked for Justice Anthony M. Kennedy and Justice Amy Coney Barrett on the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as for then-Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Representative litigation matters include:

  • Appointed by the U.S. Supreme Court to brief and argue the case as an amicus curiae in defense of the judgment below in Erlinger v. United States, No. 23-370, involving the constitutional right to a criminal jury trial.
  • Represented Coinbase in successfully challenging the SEC’s denial of Coinbase’s petition for a digital-asset-related rulemaking in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
  • Represented Coinbase and History Associates Incorporated in FOIA litigation that compelled the FDIC to disclose documents related to the debanking of crypto companies.
  • Represented bondholders in securing and enforcing judgments against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA).

Nick earned his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 2015 and received his B.A. in Economics and Classics from the University of Notre Dame in 2009.

Nick is a member of the bars of Maryland and the District of Columbia. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Third, Ninth, and D.C. Circuits, and the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Shannon Errico is of counsel in the New York office of Gibson Dunn and a member of Gibson Dunn’s Investment Funds Practice Group.

She counsels sponsors and limited partners on the organization and operation of private investment funds across a range of investment strategies. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Shannon was a Director at Brookfield Property Group, focused on the operation of Brookfield’s real estate funds, and an associate of a large international law firm, where she was a member of the fund formation practice group.

Most recently, Shannon has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America ® as “One to Watch” in the area of Banking and Finance Law for 2023.

She received her Juris Doctor in 2013 from the University of Michigan School of Law, where she was a member of the Michigan Journal Private Equity and Venture Capital Law. Shannon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Portuguese from Yale University, where she was awarded the Bildner Prize for excellence in Portuguese language and the Parker Huang fellowship to conduct original research in the Brazilian Amazon.

Shannon is admitted to practice in the State of New York and speaks fluent English, Spanish and Portuguese. She is the chairman of the Board of AIESEC at Yale University, a student-run exchange organization, the Vice President and Secretary of the Exeter Association of Greater New York, and a Trustee of the Yale Club of Northern New Jersey.

Publications:

  • “Regulation of Private Equity in Brazil: Policy Questions Presented and Critique,” Michigan Journal Private Equity and Venture Capital Law, 2013.
  • “Private Equity in Brazil: Industry Overview and Regulatory Environment,” Michigan Journal Private Equity and Venture Capital Law, 2012.

Tiaunia N. Henry is a partner in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Los Angeles office where she is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department with a diverse practice that focuses primarily on complex business litigation, including antitrust, breach of contract and transnational cases. As an experienced litigator and trial attorney, she has represented clients in various industries including the oil and gas, medical device, media and entertainment, semiconductor, paper manufacturing and information technology consulting industries. Tiaunia has extensive experience representing multinational corporations, both foreign and domestic, in disputes that involve litigation pending in multiple jurisdictions, including the development of legal strategies to avoid inconsistent rulings, preclusion of claims, and/or waiver of defenses in subsequent litigation.

Representative matters in which Tiaunia has been involved include:

  • Representation of a multinational engineering firm before a JAMS tripartite arbitration panel to resolve a contract dispute that arose in connection with a long-term joint venture, resulting in a favorable arbitral ruling that the terms of the joint venture agreement entitled her client to substantial present and future compensation.
  • Representation of San Diego Gas & Electric Company in its successful challenge of the City of Laguna Beach’s ordinance requiring the undergrounding of its utilities as violative of the Contracts Clauses of the United States and California Constitutions and California state law.
  • Defended a city in a lengthy bench trial alleging a violation of the California Voting Rights Act and Equal Protection Clause.
  • Representation of an automobile manufacturer in a putative class action alleging breach of implied warranty, breach of contract, fraudulent concealment and violations of various California consumer protection laws, including California’s Unfair Competition Law, resulting in an early dismissal of all claims with prejudice.
  • Defended Motorcar Parts of America in disputes pending in multiple jurisdictions arising out of the bankruptcy of its Canadian subsidiary and alleging negligent misrepresentation, tortious interference, conspiracy, conversion and unjust enrichment, resulting in the favorable settlement of all claims.
  • Representation of Chevron Corporation in defense against the recognition and enforcement of a fraudulently obtained multibillion dollar environmental judgment in Ecuador. Henry was a member of the trial team in Chevron’s RICO suit against the co-conspirators who participated in a conspiracy seeking to extort billions of dollars from Chevron. Chevron Corp. v. Donziger, 974 F.Supp.2d 362 (S.D.N.Y. 2014).
  • Representation of Vivendi S.A., a French multinational media company, and several affiliated directors in a civil shareholder class action and derivative litigation in Delaware’s Court of Chancery relating to a more than $8 billion stock repurchase transaction with Activision Blizzard, Inc., a California-based software and gaming company.
  • Representation of Intel Corporation in antitrust cases asserting violations of Section 2 of the Sherman Act and Section 5 of the FTC Act challenging various business practices resulting in settlement of all claims.
  • Representation of a multinational healthcare product manufacturer in an antitrust suit brought by a putative class of purchasers of pulse oximetry products resulting in victory on summary judgment.
  • Representation of Deloitte Consulting LLP in a breach of contract case alleging failure to properly perform under an information-technology agreement governing the design and configuration of a software system resulting in settlement of all claims.

In 2023, Tiaunia was recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal, which named her to their “Thriving in their 40s: LA’s Leaders of Influence” list. She was also recognized as a finalist for the Community Impact Award (Large Company) at the 2023 Los Angeles Business Journal Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Awards.

Tiaunia received her Juris Doctor degree and a Master of Laws in Comparative and International Law from Duke University School of Law. While earning her degrees, she was also a member of the Duke Journal of Comparative and International Law. In 2003, Tiaunia graduated magna cum laude from Pepperdine University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science.

Tiaunia is co-chair of the firm’s Los Angeles-Area Diversity Committee (2012 to present). In addition, she is a member of the firm’s Hiring Committee, Well-Being Committee and Los Angeles Community Affairs Committee, and previously served on the firm’s Associates Committee. Tiaunia currently serves on the Leadership Council of Public Counsel (2012 to present) and formerly served on the Law Alumni Association Board of Directors of Duke University School of Law (2014 to 2020). She is a member of the Board of Governors of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, the American Bar Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the John M. Langston Bar Association, and the Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles.

Jeff Gurley is a litigation associate in the Dallas office of Gibson Dunn.

Before joining the firm, Jeff served as a law clerk to the Honorable E. Grady Jolly of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and to the Honorable Sean D. Jordan of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. He also interned for the Honorable Joan L. Larsen of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Jeff received his Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School, where he served as president of the Federalist Society and as a research assistant to Professor Christopher J. Walker. He was awarded the Irving Stenn Jr. Award in recognition of his leadership and contributions to the Michigan Law community. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in political science from Washington University in St. Louis, where he was an all-conference linebacker on the football team.

Jeff is a member of the Texas and Missouri bars and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

Irene Polieri is an associate in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and a member of the firm’s International Trade and White Collar Defense and Investigations practice groups.  Irene is also a fellow in the War Studies Department at King’s College, London.

Irene advises on compliance with UK, EU and U.S. sanctions and export control regulations, trade policy, as well as other aspects of international trade at the intersection of foreign policy and national security.  Irene has substantive experience advising companies across different sectors including  energy, manufacturing, banking and financial institutions.  Irene’s acts on matters before His Majesty’s Treasury’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the Department for Business & Trade’s Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI), and the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and her practice ranges from regulatory and compliance advisory, advice in the context of transactions, to investigations and voluntary self-disclosures. 

Irene is recognized by The Legal 500 UK 2024 for Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime, and is recognized by The Legal 500 UK 2026 as the firm’s key contact for EU and UK sanctions and export controls.  

Irene is a qualified attorney in New York and England & Wales, and is registered on the Roll of Solicitors in the Republic of Ireland.

Representative Engagements 

  • Regularly advising a European oil and gas supermajor on compliance with EU, UK and U.S. sanctions, including on sensitive matters subject to executive committee review.
  • Led a team advising a French multinational manufacturing corporation in relation to a UK and U.S. export controls investigation due to a regulatory disclosure mandated by HMRC and successfully negotiating a 75% reduction in penalty.
  • Advised a global industrial manufacturing corporation with European operations on all aspects of its divestment from Russia, including obtaining licenses in various European Member States.
  • Regularly advise a bulge bracket investment bank on compliance with EU, UK and U.S. sanctions, including frequent engagement with government agencies in various jurisdictions, including OFAC and OFSI. 
  • Regularly advise a S&P 100 technology and media conglomerate on EU and UK sanctions and export controls. 
  • Advised a non-profit organization on the implications of U.S. sanctions on the International Criminal Court.
  • Conducting and internal investigation and responding to an OFAC subpoena related to compliance gaps for a U.S.-based financial institution.
  • Regularly advise a global healthcare manufacturer on compliance with EU, UK and U.S. trade sanctions and export controls, obtaining licenses in France and Luxembourg. 
  • Advised a S&P 100 financial services and payment processing corporation on an internal review of its UK export controls and customs compliance processes. 

Tyler Cohen is a Registered Foreign Lawyer (New York) and a partner of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. His practice focuses on general corporate, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and other Asia-based and cross-border transactions.

Tyler is recognized as a recommended lawyer for Private Equity by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, in which a client noted that Tyler “is an outstanding PE/M&A lawyer and a pleasure to work with.”

Tyler has acted for clients such as Tencent, Carlyle Group, Temasek Holdings, KKR, Apollo Global Management, DCP Investments and Morgan Stanley Private Equity. He has advised on several investments in technology and media companies and has experience with both buy-out deals as well as series financings.

Tyler earned his Bachelor of Arts at McGill University in 2011 and his Juris Doctor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law in 2015. He is fluent in English and proficient in Mandarin and is admitted to practice in New York.

Qi Yue is the Chief Representative and Partner in Charge of the Beijing office. He is a member of the firm’s Corporate, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Private Equity Practice Groups. Qi has extensive experience in China-related public and private M&A and Private Equity transactions, including complex cross-border mergers and acquisitions, business combinations and carve-outs, strategic and private equity buyouts, minority investments and venture capital transactions, offshore and onshore joint ventures and other strategic cooperation. He has also represented diverse participants in going private transactions involving Chinese companies listed in the United States, including special committees, buyer consortiums, founders, co-investors and other financing sources. Qi also advises top Chinese technology companies in cross-border compliance, regulatory, and investigation matters.

Qi is regularly recognized and listed as an expert in his field by publications such as Chambers Global, Chambers Greater China Region, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, China Business Law Journal, IFLR1000 and Asian Legal Business. In the Chambers Greater China Region guide, a client noted that Qi “has rock-solid M&A training and expertise. He is very practical and knows exactly how we think about risk. He is good at bridging the Chinese attitude with the Western.” He was also named by China Business Law Journal as a Rising Star in 2022, by IFLR1000 as a Rising Star Partner in 2022, and by Asian Legal Business in its 2021 China Top 15 Rising Lawyers list which showcases the most accomplished lawyers in China under the age of 40. He recently advised the Special Committee of Chindata, one of China’s largest data center providers, on its US$3.2 billion take-private transaction by a buyer consortium led by Bain Capital. His work in CPE’s sale of a majority stake in Acotec, a Chinese medical technology company publicly listed in Hong Kong, to Boston Scientific was nominated as a finalist in the M&A Deal of the Year at the ALB China Law Awards 2023, and at the IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards 2024. His work in the Chindata Take Private transaction has also been named Best Private Equity Deal of the Year at the 2023 FinanceAsia Achievement Awards, and is shortlisted for Private Equity Deal of the Year at the upcoming IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards 2024 and Asia Legal Awards 2024.

Qi’s strategic clients include Alibaba, Ant International, Bona Film, Bosch, Chindata, Danone, Guazi, Kuke Music, Montage Technology, Naura Technology, NetEase, Ningbo Joyson, Phoenix New Media, and Trina Solar, among others, where Qi advises these clients on cross-border M&A, joint venture, investment, financing, compliance, regulatory, and investigation matters.

His private equity, asset management and sovereign wealth funds clients include Advent International, Affinity Equity Partners, AGIC Capital, Anchor Equity, Apax Partners, Blackstone Real Estate Partners, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, CITIC Capital, CPE, CITIC Securities Investment, Davidson Kempner Asia, Goldman Sachs, Hillhouse Capital, I Squared Capital, JPMorgan Asset Management, KKR, Kuwait Investment Authority, Macquarie, Primavera Capital, and Silver Lake Partners, among others.

Qi has worked on a number of landmark transactions. His recent and most significant experience includes advising:

  • The Special Committee of Chindata, one of China’s largest data center providers, on its US$3.2 billion take-private transaction by a buyer consortium led by Bain Capital
  • CPE in its sale of a majority stake in Acotec, a Chinese medical technology company publicly listed in Hong Kong, to Boston Scientific, through a US$520 million partial offer
  • CPE in the US$4.8 billion going private transaction of China Biologic Products Holdings
  • The Special Committee of Sina Corporation in the Company’s US$2.6 billion going private transaction
  • NetEase in the sale of its cross-border e-commerce platform Kaola to Alibaba for US$2 billion
  • Beijing NAURA Technology in the acquisition of Akrion Systems, a leading supplier of advanced wafer surface preparation solutions in the U.S.
  • Tsinghua Unigroup in the acquisition of a majority stake in Hewlett-Packard’s China-based server, storage and technology services businesses for US$2.5 billion and the related joint venture
  • Danone in the formation of chilled yogurt joint ventures with Mengniu and the strategic investment in Mengniu’s Hong Kong Listco for approximately US$420 million

Prior to joining Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in 2015, Qi worked at a large international law firm where he spent two years in their New York office and three years in their Beijing office. Qi received his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 2010, his Master of Science from the University of Washington in 2007, and his Bachelor of Science from Peking University in 2002. He is admitted to practice in the state of New York and is fluent in Mandarin and English.

Michael Collins is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn and the senior member of the Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Practice Group. His practice focuses on all aspects of employee benefits and executive compensation. His practice runs the full gamut of tax, ERISA, accounting, corporate, and securities law aspects of stock option, SAR, restricted stock, and employee stock purchase plans; tax-qualified retirement plans, nonqualified deferred compensation; SERPs; executive employment agreements, golden parachutes and other change in control arrangements; severance, confidentiality, and noncompete contracts; performance bonus and incentive plans; director’s pay; rabbi trusts; split dollar life insurance; excess benefit and top hat plans; and the like. He represents both executives and companies in drafting and negotiating employment arrangements.

For over ten consecutive years, Michael has been ranked by Chambers & Partners USA as a leading lawyer in the area of Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation in the District of Columbia. He is also recognized for Executive Compensation & Benefits in the Lawdragon 500: Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers 2023 and 2022 guides, which features “the nation’s top advisors to businesses, universities, nonprofits and other organizations dealing with the mind-bending matrix of today’s global workforce.” In addition, The Best Lawyers in America® lists Michael under the category of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law and has been recognized in this publication since 2012.

Michael graduated with high honors from the University of Notre Dame in 1991. On the May 1991 CPA examination, he received the highest score in Indiana and one of the top five scores in the United States. Prior to attending law school, Michael was an auditor with Ernst & Young.

In addition to his employee benefits practice, Michael has taught at different law schools including Conflicts of Law at Catholic University Law School and Tax Research and Qualified Plans at the University of Denver Law School. He has published numerous articles on employee benefits and executive compensation topics, including articles in the Labor Lawyer, the Virginia Tax Review, the Journal of Accountancy, New York University Tax Institute Proceedings, and the ABA Preview of Supreme Court Cases.

Michael graduated summa cum laude and second in his class from Notre Dame Law School in 1995. While at Notre Dame, he received six American Jurisprudence awards for best performance in a class, was editor of the Notre Dame Law Review, and received the Dean O’Meara Award for distinctive academic performance.

Colin B. Davis is a partner in the Orange County office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher where he practices in the firm’s Litigation Department. Colin’s practice focuses on complex business and commercial litigation, with an emphasis on merger and acquisition and securities litigation. Colin represents public and private companies and their officers and directors in stockholder class actions, stockholder derivative actions, and appraisal actions, as well as related litigation in state and federal courts throughout the country. Colin also represents clients in a wide variety of other types of business litigation, including merger and acquisition disputes involving earnout provisions, fraud, and other contractual breaches. Additionally, Colin has represented clients in connection with governmental investigations and enforcement actions brought by the SEC, the Department of Justice, and other regulatory and enforcement agencies.

Colin’s outstanding contributions led to his recognition as one of Law360‘s Rising Stars of 2024 in Securities. The Legal 500 US 2025 guide has distinguished Colin as a “Recommended Lawyer” in Securities Litigation: Defense. He has also been honored on Benchmark Litigation’s 40 & Under list, showcasing the top emerging talent in litigation. And his exceptional work in Mergers and Acquisitions Law has earned him recognition in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America™.

Colin’s representative matters include:

  • Lead trial counsel to The Nielsen Company in three expedited litigations before the Delaware Court of Chancery related to Nielsen’s divestiture of two businesses. Secured permanent injunction prohibiting data provider from terminating services to acquirer following the transactions’ closing.
  • Successfully represented Star America Rail Holdco in an expedited trial before the Delaware Court of Chancery seeking a declaration that Star America had validly terminated its portfolio company’s CEO. In addition to granting judgment in Star America’s favor, the court awarded fee shifting for the CEO’s bad faith.
  • Represented four members of the board of directors of Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings in an expedited trial before the Delaware Court of Chancery arising from a proxy contest initiated by the company’s executive chairman. Gibson Dunn’s clients prevailed in the proxy contest after the court issued its post-trial opinion.
  • Successfully represented China Housing and Land Development in a dissenters’ rights trial before the Eighth Judicial District Court for Clark County, Nevada, resulting in a favorable judgment that the company’s fair value was less than 10% of the amount sought by the dissenting stockholder.
  • Represented Pivotal Software in a statutory appraisal trial and related stockholder litigation before the Delaware Court of Chancery.
  • Defending Energy Transfer, a Fortune 100 owner-operator of diversified energy assets, in multiple securities class actions arising from pipeline projects in Pennsylvania and Ohio.  Secured summary judgment ruling substantially narrowing the claims that could be litigated in one action and reducing potential damages exposure by over 90%, resulting in a highly favorable settlement.
  • Won summary judgment on behalf of the members of the board of directors of Newport Corporation in a stockholder class action alleging breach of fiduciary duty claims arising from the company’s merger with MKS Instruments. The Nevada Supreme Court fully affirmed the trial court’s rulings on appeal.
  • Won dismissal of a stockholder derivative action arising from a financial technology company’s acquisition of a popular music streaming platform. The Delaware Supreme Court fully affirmed the Court of Chancery’s decision on appeal.
  • Won dismissal of a Delaware Court of Chancery action challenging enhanced voting rights provisions in Carvana’s certificate of incorporation.
  • Secured dismissal of a securities class action alleging that a major title insurance provider made false and misleading statements about its cybersecurity practices, resulting in voluntary dismissal of parallel stockholder derivative litigation.
  • Successfully opposed a preliminary injunction motion that sought to enjoin a merger of two public gaming companies, resulting in voluntary dismissal of all claims.

Colin also is an editor of Lexology Panoramic: M&A Litigation, a comparison tool that provides local insights into the legal and regulatory frameworks governing M&A litigation across multiple jurisdictions.

Prior to joining the firm, Colin served as a law clerk to The Honorable Janis L. Sammartino of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. Colin earned his Juris Doctor degree magna cum laude in 2010 from the University of San Diego School of Law, where he served as a Lead Articles Editor and Symposium Coordinator of the San Diego Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif. In 2006, Colin received a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Santa Clara University.

Colin is a member of the California bar, and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Courts for the Central, Northern, and Southern Districts of California.

Katherine V.A. Smith is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. Katherine serves as co-chair of the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group. Katherine represents employers in high stakes employment lawsuits and government investigations and advises employers on all aspects of employment law.

In 2024, the Los Angeles Business Journal named Katherine to its annual list of the “Top 100 Lawyers,” which recognizes the “top law professionals in the Los Angeles region for their ongoing efforts as outstanding legal stewards.” She is recognized by Chambers USA as a top Labor & Employment lawyer in California, by Legal 500 US as a “Leading Partner” for Labor and Employment Disputes nationwide, by Lawdragon as one of the “500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers” (2024-2026), and by Benchmark Litigation as a Labor & Employment Star (2023-2024). She is also recognized as a “Top Labor and Employment Lawyer” by the Daily Journal (2023-2025), by The Los Angeles Business Journal as a “Leader of Influence” for Labor & Employment (2022-2024), and was noted on its “Thriving in Their 40’s: LA’s Leaders of Influence” list (2022).

The American Lawyer named the practice group Katherine co-leads as the Labor & Employment Litigation Department of the Year in its most recent competition. The American Lawyer noted, “with novel labor and employment issues swirling, Gibson Dunn’s litigators set standards and settle the law,” and that a case “typical for Gibson Dunn’s labor and employment team” is “high-profile,” “cutting-edge,” and “a victory.” The group was also recently recognized for the thirteenth time, more times than any other firm, as a Law360 Employment Practice Group of the Year, and has won The National Law Journal’s D.C. Labor & Employment Litigation Department of the Year competition for the last nine years in a row. Gibson Dunn’s Labor & Employment Group is ranked Tier 1 in Labor and Employment Disputes: Defense by US Legal 500, noting that “Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP‘s practice is regularly called upon by boards of directors and CEOs of major corporations in the retail, tech, and financial services segments for its employment litigation prowess.” 

Katherine has extensive experience representing employers in individual, representative and class action litigation at both the trial court and appellate level. Katherine’s representative litigation matters include:

  • Defeated certification in a putative wage and hour class action in California state court. Following two days of argument by Katherine, the court switched its tentative ruling and agreed that current and former remote employees could not maintain a class action. 
  • Secured denial of the largest two classes Plaintiffs sought to certify in a sprawling reverse race discrimination case for a multinational information technology services and consulting company.
  • Obtained summary judgment in full on behalf of GRAIL, Inc., a cancer screening biotechnology company, as to its former employee’s claims of race-based discrimination, harassment, and retaliation brought in California state court, following a two-day hearing argued by Katherine.
  • Obtained multiple judgments in her clients’ favor in private arbitration, including complete victories on sexual harassment and discrimination claims in two separate week-long evidentiary hearings, a full defense judgment in a breach of employment agreement suit following a two-week evidentiary hearing, and a win on summary judgment in a defamation case.  
  • Successfully convinced a Los Angeles Superior Court judge to sustain a demurrer as to causes of action for harassment and intentional infliction of emotional distress against a Netflix Vice President.

In addition to litigation, Katherine also dedicates a significant portion of her practice to advice and counseling, as well as internal investigations. Katherine’s representative counseling and investigation matters include:

  • Led high-profile workplace investigations for a Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Wynn Resorts and the Los Angeles Opera.
  • Advised numerous companies on DEI initiatives following the Supreme Court decision in the Harvard admissions case, and is a leader of the Firm’s DEI Task Force.
  • Counseled multiple companies through largescale reductions in force, including WARN compliance, development of severance programs, and communications and messaging.
  • Advised numerous companies on the exit of C-suite level executives, including drafting severance packages, enforcing “for cause” and noncompete provisions, and directly negotiating mutually agreeable departures.   
  • Counseled numerous employers on how to respond to high-profile and high-risk allegations of sexual harassment, assault, discrimination, and whistleblowing, including strategies for investigation and disciplinary action, advising Boards and senior stakeholders on legal risk, negotiating prelitigation resolutions, preparing for potential litigation, and consulting with media teams on press strategies.
  • Successfully defended multiple companies before federal and state agencies in connection with systemic and individual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation charges and investigations.

Katherine earned her law degree in 2006 from the University of Virginia, where she was a member of the editorial board for the Virginia Law Review. She graduated cum laude from Duke University in 2003, with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.

Katherine also serves on the Firm’s Pro Bono, Community Affairs, Global Diversity, Partnership Evaluation, and Associate Compensation Committees. Katherine is admitted to practice law in the State of California and the State of Michigan.

Jason C. Schwartz is a litigation partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group, General Counsel of the law firm and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. Jason was recognized as an MVP in employment law seven times, awarded by Law360 to “attorneys whose achievements in major litigation or transactions have set a new standard for accomplishment in corporate law.” Law360 referred to Jason as “an expert dismantler of worker class actions.”

Jason is ranked in Band 1 in Labor & Employment by Chambers USA, which stated, “He is a whip-smart, results-oriented and zealous advocate who is really committed to the client. His judgment is impeccable.” According to Chambers USA, “[c]lients note: He’s an excellent litigator with a good sense of the client’s needs in a business environment. He’s just a pleasure to work with. He’s disciplined, a great writer and gets great results.” Forbes named Jason to its inaugural America’s Top 200 Lawyers 2024 list. He is recognized as a Top 50 Labor & Employment Litigator in the U.S. by Benchmark Litigation; on the Top 100 list of the Nation’s Most Powerful Employment Attorneys by Human Resource Executive magazine; as a Top Lawyer in Employment Defense by Washingtonian Magazine; as a Leading Partner in Labor & Employment Disputes by The Legal 500 US; by Lawdragon 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers for Labor & Employment (Litigation); in The Best Lawyers in America in the Employment Law-Management category; as a Super Lawyer by Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers; and as an Am Law Litigation Daily “Litigator of the Week” for his win in an independent contractor misclassification/wage-and-hour class action. He is a Fellow of the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers.

The American Lawyer named the practice group Jason co-leads as the Labor & Employment Litigation Department of the Year in its most recent competition. The American Lawyer noted, “with novel labor and employment issues swirling, Gibson Dunn’s litigators set standards and settle the law,” and that a case “typical for Gibson Dunn’s labor and employment team” is “high-profile,” “cutting-edge,” and “a victory.” The group was also recently recognized for the thirteenth time, more times than any other firm, as a Law360 Employment Practice Group of the Year and won The National Law Journal’s D.C. Labor & Employment Litigation Department of the Year competition for the last nine years in a row.

Jason’s practice includes sensitive workplace investigations, high-profile trade secret and non-compete matters, wage-hour and discrimination class actions, Sarbanes-Oxley and other whistleblower protection claims, executive and other significant employment disputes, labor union controversies, and workplace safety litigation.

Recent representative matters include:

  • Won precedent-setting arbitration appeal relating to Amazon Flex drivers (Harper v. Amazon (3rd Cir. 2021));
  • Won decertification of nationwide FLSA collective action (Bah v. Enterprise Rent-A-Car (D. Mass. 2023));
  • Won motion to dismiss and prevailed on appeal in nationwide wage-and-hour class action regarding tax reform bonuses and paid volunteer time (McPhee v. Lowe’s (4th Cir. 2021));
  • Won appeal of closely-watched COVID-safety and whistleblower retaliation action brought by New York Attorney General (People v. Amazon (First Appellate Department 2022));
  • Won dismissal of Fair Credit Reporting Act class action (Downing v. Lowe’s (D. Az. 2023));
  • Won dismissal and prevailed on appeal in highly-publicized COVID-safety and race discrimination class action (Smalls v. Amazon (2nd Cir. 2022));
  • Led high-profile workplace investigations for a Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Wynn Resorts and for Vox Media; and
  • Prevailed at trial in manager exemption PAGA action (Ortiz v. Amazon (N.D. Cal. 2022)).

Jason has also successfully tried several sensitive whistleblower matters for major national employers, and he prevailed in a precedent-setting Labor Department appeal of one of the first Sarbanes-Oxley whistleblower cases to proceed to trial. He prevailed for Enterprise Rent-A-Car in a case of first impression in which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit created a new joint employer test (the Enterprise test) and affirmed summary judgment for a parent corporation in a series of wage-hour class actions, defeating the plaintiffs’ effort to form a nationwide class (In re Enterprise Rent-A-Car Wage & Hour Employment Practices Litig. (3rd Cir. 2012)). In another case of first impression, he successfully argued in the Utah Supreme Court against the recognition of a tort for spoliation of evidence. In addition, he served as lead trial counsel for a retailer in a highly-publicized OSHA enforcement action relating to crowd control at a day-after-Thanksgiving sale.

Jason also has significant experience in administrative law and rulemakings. He served as counsel to the Fair Labor Standards Reform Coalition, and he played a leading role in preparing comments on behalf of the business community relating to the U.S. Department of Labor’s overtime exemption regulations.

Jason served for many years as the Secretary of the Retail Litigation Center, and he testified before Congress regarding OSHA enforcement programs on behalf of the U.S. Chamber. He frequently speaks and writes on employment law and trade secret related topics. He is the co-author of the treatise Whistleblower Law: A Practitioner’s Guide, published by American Lawyer Media/Law Journal Press, and he previously authored the annual “Trade Secrets Litigation Round-Up” published by Bloomberg BNA.

Jason earned his law degree magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif and received the George Brent Mickum III Prize and the Charles A. Keigwin Award for the best academic record in first year courses. From 1995 to 1996, he worked as a Legislative Assistant to Congressman Jon D. Fox. Jason received a B.A. degree in international affairs cum laude in 1994 from The George Washington University.

Jason is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, Virginia and Maryland, as well as in numerous federal courts. He served for many years as an officer and board member of the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, currently serves as a member of the Washington Lawyers Committee of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and provides pro bono employment counsel to numerous community organizations.