Daniel Montoya is an associate attorney in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He is a member of the Real Estate Practice Group.

Daniel earned his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School and his Master in Urban Planning from the Harvard Graduate School of Design, both in 2024. Daniel received his Bachelor of Arts in Government from Harvard College in 2018.

Daniel is admitted to practice in the State of New York and the State of Florida.

Ryan Rott is of counsel in the New York office of Gibson Dunn. He represents clients on a variety of domestic and international tax matters. Ryan advises on the tax aspects of private and public mergers and acquisitions, spin-offs, joint ventures, restructurings and financing transactions. He also has experience advising on initial public offerings using unique structures and strategies.

Ryan earned his LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law in 2021 and his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, in 2016 from the University of Michigan Law School, where he was a Notes Editor of the Michigan Law Review. He received his Bachelor of Arts, in Political Science, from Oakland University in 2012.

Before joining Gibson Dunn, Ryan was a tax lawyer in the New York office of a global law firm. He is admitted to practice in the State of New York.

Graham Crocker is of counsel in the London office of Gibson Dunn and is a member of the Tax Practice Group.

Graham is an experienced tax adviser with a broad practice. He advises on a wide range of domestic and cross-border tax matters, including in relation to mergers and acquisitions, private equity, corporate reorganisations, real estate and corporate finance.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Graham worked in the London office of another major international law firm.

Lee R. Crain is a litigation partner in the New York office Gibson Dunn. His practice focuses on a broad range of high-stakes trial and appellate litigation in both federal and state courts. He represents clients in financial services, media and entertainment, technology, energy, and healthcare sectors in their most pressing commercial litigation, first amendment, labor and employment, cross-border, and appellate matters.

Lee has considerable experience with crisis counseling and fast-paced, emergency litigation and has led teams seeking or defending against temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions in multiple matters. He has represented clients in employment disputes, including lawsuits regarding restrictive covenants, trade secrets, confidentiality obligations, whistleblower retaliation, and employment discrimination. He has experience in a variety of other commercial disputes, including contract disputes, cross-border litigation, lawsuits to recover U.S. discovery to use in proceedings abroad, and judgment-confirmation proceedings. Lee has substantial experience in appellate matters in the federal and State appellate courts, including in New York’s high court.

A frequent thought leader and author, Lee’s articles on the First Amendment and defamation law have appeared in Bloomberg Law and Law360. The American Lawyer has recognized him in its “Litigators of the Week” feature. Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America recognized him for his Appellate Practice. Benchmark Litigation named Lee as a “Future Star” and included him in its “40 & Under” list, which identifies “the best and brightest litigators across the US.” Lee has been recognized by Lawdragon as a “Global Leader in Crisis Management” and was named among the “500 Leading Global Entertainment, Sports & Media Lawyers.” Lee was the recipient of the Federal Bar Council’s Thurgood Marshall Award for Exceptional Pro Bono Service in its Rising Star category. He is also the recipient of Gibson Dunn’s 2020 Frank Wheat Memorial Award, “given annually to individual lawyers and teams that have 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.”

First Amendment.

  • Represented CNN and White House correspondent Jim Acosta as well as Playboy’s White House Correspondent Brian J. Karem in multiple victories that prohibited members of the Trump administration from suspending Mr. Acosta’s and Mr. Karem’s press pass credentials.
  • Represented Deon Jones in historic six-figure jury trial verdict, including punitive damages, against an LAPD officer who shot Mr. Jones while he was peacefully protesting.
  • Represented executives of the U.S. Agency for Global Media and Voice of America in First Amendment litigation against members of the Trump Administration, culminating in the firm’s victory in Turner v. USAGM, which confirmed that government-employed journalists have First Amendment rights. Turner v. U.S. Agency for Global Media, 2021 WL 2201669 (D.D.C. May 17, 2021).

Defamation Defense.

  • Defeated defamation claims in Kogan v. Facebook as well as in O’Keefe v. Twitter, in which James O’Keefe of Project Veritas claimed Twitter had defamed him when it de-platformed him on the ground that he violated Twitter’s terms.
  • Represented journalists in cross-border defamation litigation, including through opposing potential judgment-enforcement proceedings under the federal “SPEECH Act” as well as by pursuing discovery in aid of foreign defamation defense in multiple actions brought under 28 U.S.C. § 1782.

Employment Litigation

  • Regularly represents companies in restrictive covenants and trade secrets/confidential information disputes involving departing employees, including representing clients in the financial services, modeling, manufacturing, technology (including artificial intelligence) and health care industries.
  • Regularly represents companies in employment discrimination and whistleblower retaliation lawsuits, including providing oral argument in an appeal before the New York Appellate Division that affirmed the dismissal of a whistleblower retaliation claims against the healthcare company and prevailing in compelling to arbitration employment claims against Uber.

Transnational Litigation.

  • Served as lead coordinating counsel successfully representing a former Prime Minister of Mongolia in litigation brought in seven countries seeking $250 million in damages and asset freezes of property around the world. Represented the former Prime Minister in multiple actions in federal court discovery actions resulting in the recovery of case-dispositive evidence.
  • Represented clients in multiple international arbitration confirmation proceedings, including successfully opposing a sham $18 billion arbitral award against Chevron. 

High-Stakes Commercial Litigation.

  • Represented AMC in eight-figure profit participation litigation in New York State court over the hit television series The Walking Dead, including prevailing in an appeal that led to the dismissal of key claims.
  • Represented Lynn Tilton and Patriarch Partners in a variety of matters, including during a two-week bench trial in the Delaware Court of Chancery, in multiple appeals before the Delaware Supreme Court and in New York State, and in a jury trial in New York State Supreme Court.

Appellate Litigation.

  • Won a landmark decision from New York’s highest court in Congel v. Malfitano, which, in a question of first impression, established standards for dissolution of partnerships under New York law.
  • Prevailed before the high court in UBS v. Kainer, which adopted new civil procedure law for New York State.
  • Achieved a unanimous victory dismissing a whistleblower retaliation suit in Frey v. Health Management Systems, Inc., 151 N.Y.S.3d 879 (1st Dept. 2021).

Lee has a vibrant pro bono practice focused most prominently on the First Amendment, gun safety litigation, and other civil rights and constitutional claims. Lee has argued pro bono cases in federal trial and appellate courts, including the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Lee has represented in particular the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence in multiple matters, including in California v. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives in which Giffords prevailed on summary judgment in litigation challenging the federal government’s failure to properly regulate AR-style “ghost guns.” Lee was also an integral member of the Gibson Dunn team the Giffords Law Center honored with its 2021 Odgers Pro Bono Partner Award. Lee also has significant experience representing journalists and protesters in civil rights litigation across the country.

Lee graduated first in his class from the University of Michigan Law School, summa cum laude, where he received the Henry M. Bates Memorial Scholarship Award—the law school’s highest honor. He also received the Daniel H. Grady Prize and the Class of 1908 Memorial Scholarship, for highest class standing at the end of the second and third years, respectively. Lee served as an editor on the Michigan Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif. Lee graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in history and a minor in Spanish.

Lee served as a law clerk to the Honorable Paul J. Watford of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Honorable Sidney H. Stein of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. He is admitted to practice in the State of New York as well as before the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the District of Columbia as well as the United States Courts of Appeals for the Second, Ninth, and District of Columbia Circuits. He is also admitted in the United States Supreme Court.

Select Recent Thought Leadership.

Co-Author, New York Times v. Sullivan Is Safe From Sarah Palin, Bloomberg Law (February 25, 2022).

Mike Martinez is an accomplished trial lawyer, and a leading national health care fraud practitioner and white collar criminal defense attorney. A partner in Gibson Dunn’s New York office, Mike represents individuals and corporations in a wide array of matters involving allegations of health care fraud, securities fraud, money laundering, cybercrime, public corruption, and tax offenses. He also conducts internal investigations and defends clients involved in such inquiries.

Mike previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey for over a decade, including three years as the Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney overseeing the office’s white collar programs, supervising attorneys in both criminal and civil cases, and coordinating with the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Division and other agencies in investigating and prosecuting white collar cases. Under his leadership, the office established its first stand-alone health care and government fraud unit, pioneering the integration of criminal and civil Assistant U.S. Attorneys within the same unit. Mike also successfully prosecuted numerous high-profile cases and argued dozens of cases before the U.S. courts of appeals.

Mike’s expertise has been widely recognized. Chambers USA has named him a leading lawyer in white-collar crime and government investigations in New York. Clients and sources describe him as “an excellent tactician on government investigations,” “very talented,” and “a fantastic lawyer with great strategic thinking.” He is also praised as “a smart, zealous advocate who is thoroughly prepared in his approach to court cases.” His skills before the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission have earned him accolades as “an incredible trial lawyer,” “a brilliant writer,” and “incredibly intelligent and creative.” Mike has been recognized as a Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation, honored by Lawdragon as one of their “500 Leading Litigators in America” and one of “500 Global Leaders in Crisis Management,” named one of Latino Leaders Magazine’s Top Latino Lawyers for 2022, and included in Crain’s New York list of Notable Hispanic Leaders and Executives for 2021.

Representative Matters*

  • Secured a trial victory for a former bond trader accused by the SEC of fraud, successfully demonstrating that the trader’s talk was routine market conduct and ultimately had no impact on the pricing of such securities.
  • Secured a trial victory for a major national bank arising from its role as a residential mortgage-back securitization trustee, defeating all claims for liability and more than $100 million in damages.
  • Secured a complete arbitration victory for an insurer concerning coverage for DOJ health care fraud criminal and civil resolutions.
  • Secured an arbitration award exceeding $150 million for a hedge fund following a five-day hearing, successfully demonstrating that the opposing party had fraudulently induced the client to relinquish its interest in a joint venture by concealing the pending sale of the venture’s chief asset.
  • Successfully defended a health care technology company in arbitration over its management of a clinical trial for a potential blockbuster drug.
  • Secured a non-jail sentence for a former CFO of a biotechnology company indicted for insider trading, following a guilty plea.
  • Represented the owner of a South American sports broadcasting and marketing company indicted for alleged involvement in a RICO conspiracy related to bribery for commercial rights to FIFA-sanctioned soccer tournaments.
  • Represented a health care technology company in a civil action challenging its biostatistical programming for a clinical trial.
  • Represented senior executives of a major pharmaceutical company in parallel criminal and civil investigations by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the U.S. Department of Justice for alleged off-label marketing and Anti-Kickback Statute violations.
  • Represented a pharmacy services provider in a settlement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Justice, and 28 states, resolving claims under the False Claims Act related to its prescription verification system.
  • Represented a former New Jersey government official in federal criminal proceedings and a state legislative investigation related to the alleged political motivations behind the George Washington Bridge lane realignments (“Bridgegate”).
  • Represented a senior executive of a pharmaceutical company in a criminal antitrust investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for alleged price-fixing in the generic pharmaceutical industry.
  • Represented the CFO of a health care company in parallel criminal and civil investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice for alleged fraudulent reimbursement claims.
  • Represented the CEO of an electronics manufacturing company in a criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for alleged trafficking in counterfeit military goods.
  • Conducted an internal investigation for a mineral supplier and manufacturer regarding potential OFAC violations.
  • Represented an executive of an automobile manufacturer in a criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for alleged Clean Air Act violations.
  • Represented a senior executive of a global commodities trading firm in a criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for alleged FCPA violations and cybercrimes.
  • Represented the general counsel of an investment fund in SEC and Commodity Futures Trading Commission investigations regarding alleged fraudulent derivative valuations.
  • Conducted an internal investigation for a corporation regarding potential Anti-Kickback Statute violations in the nursing home industry.
  • Represented an individual indicted in the Southern District of New York for making false statements to federally insured banks and related tax charges.
  • Represented a former contractor in a public corruption investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
  • Conducted internal investigations for a global luxury resort and gaming corporation regarding allegations of money laundering and insider trading.
  • Represented a global financial institution in responding to FIRREA subpoenas and witness interview requests from multiple U.S. Attorney’s offices in connection with RMBS investigations.
  • Represented an investment management company in responding to FIRREA subpoenas and witness interview requests from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York in connection with RMBS investigations.
  • Successfully persuaded the New York State Attorney General not to file charges against an online gaming company concerning an investigation into potential violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.
  • Defended a dietary supplement company in an investigation by the New York State Attorney General into alleged false labeling and potential product contamination of its products.
  • Represented a global technology leader in responding to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 17(c) subpoenas in connection with a federal indictment for economic espionage and theft of trade secrets.
  • Conducted an internal investigation for a multinational financial institution regarding allegations of an affiliate’s involvement in a government extortion and bribery scheme in a New Jersey municipality.

Mike obtained his J.D. from Yale Law School and graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the Brown University with a B.A. He clerked for the Honorable Samuel A. Alito, Jr., of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Mike was a Partner in the New York office of a major law firm. 

Mike is involved in several professional organizations, including the Defense Lawyers Advisory Committee to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey, the Hispanic National Bar Association, the Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey, and the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey.

*Matters handled prior to joining Gibson Dunn.

Robbie Sinclair is a partner in the London office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Labour and Employment and Dispute Resolution Practice Groups.

Robbie advises on the full spectrum of contentious and advisory employment matters, with a particular focus on complex litigation, crisis management, and investigations. His experience provides a platform in the UK for strategic employment litigation matters and addresses the critical needs of clients at board level. He also provides counsel on corporate transactions and outsourcing arrangements. Robbie’s practice focuses on the financial services and technology sectors. He advises clients on a broad spectrum of business protection issues, including safeguarding confidential information and trade secrets, assessing the enforceability of restrictive covenants, defending whistleblowing and discrimination claims, and navigating employment aspects of the U.K. regulatory framework.

In terms of employment litigation, Robbie has a proven track record before the Employment Tribunal, Employment Appeal Tribunal, High Court, and appellate courts.

Robbie is ranked as a leading lawyer for employment law by Chambers UK 2026. Clients describe him as “an outstanding lawyer” who “is dedicated to his clients and provides commercial advice in a timely manner.” They note that “he absolutely knows his cases inside out” and praise him as “an excellent adviser” who is “user-friendly, strategic and outcome-oriented.” One client shared, “Robbie is the epitome of trusted adviser. He’s done an excellent job with us. He’s always very calm and thoughtful, as well as responsive and accessible. We rate him very highly.” Another added, “Robbie is excellent. He is amazingly hard-working, committed, excellent in leading a team and excellent on strategy and the commercials. I have been really impressed with him.” Robbie is also recognised as a leading partner by Legal 500 UK 2026 for Employment.

He is also a member of the Employment Lawyers Association and the International Bar Association. He frequently speaks at conferences and seminars on employment law topics and contributes to publications such as PLC Magazine and Employment Law Journal.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, he was a partner at another international law firm.

Joseph Charney is an associate in the Los Angeles office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He is a member of the Litigation Practice Group.

Before joining the firm, Joseph served as a clerk to Judge Robert J. Shelby of the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah. 

Joseph received his Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School in 2024, where he was named a James Kent Scholar.  At Columbia, Joseph worked as a staff editor on the Columbia Journal of Transnational Law and served as a teaching assistant for legal writing and criminal appeals courses.

Joseph graduated from Northwestern University in 2020, earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism and psychology with honors.

Joseph is admitted to practice in the State of California.

Jessica L. Wagner is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn. She practices in the firm’s Litigation Department where she is a member of the Appellate and Constitutional Law, and Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Groups.

Jessica specializes in helping clients navigate complex, high-stakes litigation.  Much of Jessica ‘s work focuses on briefing and arguing cases in federal and state courts of appeals, but she has developed significant experience advising clients in the technology, telecommunications, and transportation industries at all stages of litigation—from potential claims to the U.S. Supreme Court.  Jessica has special expertise in cases involving preemption, Section 230, the First Amendment, sanctions, terrorism, judgment enforcement, and foreign sovereign immunity.  She also routinely advises clients on regulatory and administrative law matters, challenging agency action before agencies and in court.

Representative matters include:

  • Secured unanimous Supreme Court decision holding that social media companies are not liable under the Anti-Terrorism Act for providing routine, arms-length services.
  • Secured dismissal and affirmance before Fourth Circuit of claims against social media service arising out of offline, third-party shooting on Section 230 grounds.
  • Secured dismissal and Seventh Circuit affirmance of claims by municipality to impose local fees on major streaming service.
  • Defending a major airline from a putative class action challenging emissions from ordinary aircraft operations.
  • Secured Fifth Circuit victory for major railroad challenging agency denial of waiver to implement new track inspection technology.
  • Secured dismissal and Second Circuit affirmance of putative class action brought by consumers challenging beverage labeling.
  • Represented telecommunications industry group in “net neutrality” litigation before U.S. Supreme Court.
  • Representing victims of terrorism pursuing Iranian assets involved in the largest crypto heist in history.
  • Secured $5 billion judgment for victims of terrorism against the Taliban.
  • Secured D.C. Circuit victory for victims of terrorism pursuing blocked Iranian assets under the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act.

Jessica served as a law clerk to Justice Samuel A. Alito on the Supreme Court of the United States, Judge Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and Judge Jerry E. Smith on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.  Jessica earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law where she received the Thomas Marshall Miller Prize and served as a Notes Editor for the Virginia Law Review. She graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in government from Patrick Henry College, where she received the Trustees’ Academic Excellence Award for finishing first in her class.

Jessica is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, Montana, the United States Supreme Court, the United States Courts of Appeals for the Second, Fourth, Fifth, Seventh, Ninth, Eleventh, and D.C. Circuits, and the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

Jefferson E. Bell is a partner in the New York office of Gibson Dunn and is a member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. Jeff has extensive experience in a wide variety of complex business and commercial disputes in federal and state courts, with an emphasis on financial services litigation, securities litigation, class actions, commercial real estate disputes, and antitrust matters.

Representative public matters include:

  • UBS: Represented UBS in multiple matters including the following:
    • More than 30 federal class-action and individual lawsuits involving the alleged manipulation of LIBOR and other interest rate benchmarks. Multiple district courts have dismissed suits in their entirety and UBS alone defeated certification of the three principle class actions in the leading multi-district litigation. The complete summary judgment victory in the 2025 US Dollar LIBOR MDL earned Jeff and the UBS team recognition as “Litigator of the Week Runner-Up” by The American Lawyer and “Legal Lions of the Week” by Law360.
    • Antitrust class action litigation involving the alleged manipulation of the market for GSE Bonds by sixteen of the world’s largest financial institutions.
    • Antitrust class action litigation alleging the manipulation of ICE LIBOR by the banks that make up the submission panel earned global recognition as “Litigation of the Year — Cartel Defense” in the Global Competition Review Awards.
  • AIG: Represented an AIG affiliate in its lengthy high-profile civil RICO, fraud, and breach of contract trial in the Southern District of New York against an originator of life settlements, which resulted in a successful settlement and was recognized by Benchmark Litigation as its “Impact Case of the Year” in 2016.
  • BlackRock: Represented BlackRock in litigation alleging a purported criminal conspiracy with PIMCO to target MBS mortgage servicers.
  • TPG: Represented TPG in connection with commercial real estate litigation in multiple New York courts.
  • Chevron: Represented Chevron in the action that won a judgment of civil RICO liability against defendants for using corrupt means to obtain a $9 billion dollar judgment against Chevron in an environmental case brought in the courts of Ecuador.
  • Royal Bank of Scotland: Represented RBS in successful resolution of a lawsuit alleging fraud in the sales of $300 billion dollars of residential mortgage-backed certificates.
  • Guggenheim Securities: Represented Guggenheim Securities in connection with its litigation financial advisory practice in multiple matters.
  • JPMorgan Chase: Represented JPMorgan Chase in connection with False Claims Act and FIRREA claims brought by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York related to mortgage-related government insurance program, including conducting a significant internal investigation related to these issues. Successfully resolved investigation and related qui tam litigation.
  • Represented boards of various public companies in connection with lawsuits arising out of strategic transactions, including directors at Yahoo! and Diamond Resorts.
  • Represented multiple financial services firms, including Blackstone, Apollo, and KKR in connection with commercial real estate disputes.

Jeff received his Juris Doctor cum laude from Harvard Law School in 2006. At Harvard Law School, Jeff was an articles editor for the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review. Prior to law school, Jeff was a business strategy consultant for American Express in New York. He graduated from Harvard College in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering.

Jeff is admitted to practice before the Southern and Eastern District Courts of New York, the U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, as well as New York state courts.

Samantha Sewall is of counsel in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s International Trade Advisory and Enforcement Practice Group.

She advises clients on compliance with U.S. legal obligations at the intersection of global trade, foreign policy, and national security, focusing her practice on compliance with U.S. economic sanctions, export controls, anti-boycott laws, customs, and national security reviews of foreign direct investment (CFIUS). Samantha has experience advising companies across a wide range of sectors including aerospace, banking and financial institutions, defense, energy, medical devices and pharmaceuticals, shipping, retail, telecommunications, and travel. She regularly assists clients to assess risk, advocate before regulators, enhance compliance measures, and navigate the shifting international trade legal landscape.

Representative economic sanctions engagements include:

  • Obtaining a specific license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) to provide healthcare-related services to persons resident in comprehensively sanctioned countries for a global provider of business process and digital services.
  • Advising a non-U.S. manufacturer in negotiations with OFAC and the U.S. Department of Justice in connection with a sanctions enforcement action and settlement.
  • Responding to an OFAC subpoena related to screening gaps for a U.S.-based financial institution.
  • Providing a sanctions risk assessment to a digital payments platform provider covering sales in higher risk jurisdictions.
  • Drafting and revising sanctions compliance policies and procedures for clients across industry sectors.
  • Advising on the design of sanctions compliance programs.
  • Providing sanctions-related due diligence for M&A transactions.

Representative export control and antiboycott engagements include:

  • Conducting an internal investigation and submitting a voluntary self-disclosure of export control compliance exceptions for a global oil & gas industry company and obtaining a resolution without penalty.
  • Assessing export control classification and licensing compliance policies and procedures.
  • Providing advice regarding compliance with U.S. antiboycott laws, including reporting requirements and compliance policy development.

Representative CFIUS engagements include:

  • Obtaining CFIUS clearance for the acquisition of an aerospace and defense tooling manufacturer by a U.K.- and Cyprus-owned private fund.
  • Providing CFIUS analysis for private equity transactions, including assessment of target companies’ critical technologies.

In-house counsel experiences include:

  • Eight-month secondment to the in-house global trade legal team of a global e-commerce and technology company.
  • Six-month secondment as the in-house global trade counsel to a top-10 global manufacturer of medical devices.*

On a pro bono basis, Samantha has assisted clients with understanding U.S. trade controls and immigration issues, and she has worked with an international rule of law NGO to support law enforcement training efforts to combat transnational human trafficking and forced labor.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, she served as a Political-Economic Program Assistant supporting the U.S. Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire. Samantha was previously an associate with a large international law firm where she was a member of the international trade and investment practice group.

Samantha graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 2012, where she was elected to the Order of the Coif and was a member of the Georgetown Law Journal. She is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Court of International Trade.

*Representation occurred prior to Samantha’s association with Gibson Dunn.

Speaking Engagements

  • Panelist, Georgetown Law Institute of International Economic Law, Global Trade Academy, “Economic Sanctions and Export Controls in an Age of Geopolitical Rivalries,” November 6, 2025
  • Moderator, “Legal Developments in Russia-Related Sanctions,” The George Washington University Law School, Business and Finance Law Review Symposium, April 13, 2024
  • Lecturer, Foreign Service Institute, “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about U.S. Sanctions…But Were Afraid to Ask,” March 27, 2023
  • Moderator, ABA International Law Section, “Fireside Chat on Export Control Enforcement with Assistant Secretary Matthew S. Axelrod,” December 15, 2022
  • Panelist, Gibson Dunn webcast, “CFIUS Enforcement Guidelines: First-Ever Guidance on Enforcement and Penalties in U.S. National Security Reviews of FDI,” December 13, 2022
  • Speaker, Gibson Dunn webcast, “2020 Sanctions and Export Controls Update,” October 15, 2020
  • Featured Speaker, The Knowledge Group “OFAC’s Heightened Enforcement Trends: Practical Compliance Tips and Strategies,” June 30, 2020
 

Kamia is an associate in the Los Angeles office. She practices in the firm’s litigation and white collar investigations departments.

Kamia earned her J.D. from Duke University School of Law, where she served as a legal extern with Duke University’s Office of Counsel. She received her B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business.

She is admitted to practice in the State of California.

Caeli A. Higney is a partner in the San Francisco office of Gibson Dunn. She currently practices in the firm’s Litigation Department and is a member of the firm’s Antitrust and Competition Practice Group. She was recognized by Euromoney as a 2022 Rising Star in the Americas for Antitrust.

Caeli has experience handling a wide variety of antitrust matters in a broad range of industries, such as semiconductors, consumer electronics, retail food, consumer products, automotive parts, and financial services. She has represented companies before appellate and trial courts in matters alleging a range of antitrust-based claims, including allegations of price fixing, monopolization and attempted monopolization, tying, bundling, exclusive dealing, and refusal to deal. For example, Caeli was part of a team that defended a major consumer electronics company in a multi-week antitrust trial against conspiracy claims brought by the U.S. Department of Justice. More recently, Caeli successfully obtained dismissal of conspiracy to monopolize and attempted monopolization claims against a major retailer. She represented and helped negotiate a favorable settlement of price-fixing claims in a large indirect purchaser class action.

Caeli’s antitrust experience also includes representing clients before the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice, and other international antitrust agencies in connection with merger and acquisition matters. She was part of a team that secured worldwide antitrust clearance for a $16 billion transaction in the semiconductor industry.

Caeli has represented clients in connection with investigations by international antitrust agencies, including the European Commission, Korean Fair Trade Commission, Taiwan Fair Trade Commission, and Japan Fair Trade Commission.

Caeli has also represented clients in appellate courts, trial courts, and arbitrations in cases involving class action, consumer protection, breach of contract, and environmental claims. She recently successfully defended a technology company against breach of contract and defamation claims in a multi-day arbitration.

She has authored publications on a range of antitrust-related topics. Concurrences Review recognized Caeli at its 2017 Antitrust Writing Awards for her article “Practical Advice for Avoiding Hub-and-Spoke Liability,” which was selected as the winner in the Business category, Concerted Practices section. The article originally appeared in the October 2016 issue of The Antitrust Source. Caeli served as an Associate Editor of the Antitrust Report, the U.S. law periodical published by Matthew Bender and LexisNexis, and has served as a contributor to the Antitrust Law Developments handbook published by the American Bar Association and the International Comparative Legal Guides to Competition Litigation.

Caeli received her law degree from Stanford Law School, where she served as Vice President of the Stanford Public Interest Law Foundation. Prior to attending law school, she graduated summa cum laude from Washington University in St. Louis, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Caeli is a member of the California Bar. She also serves on the firm’s Pro Bono Committee.

Juliette Michaud is an associate in the Paris office of Gibson Dunn and member of the firm’s Litigation, International Arbitration, and Business Restructuring Practice Groups.

She represents a diverse range of clients — companies, debtors, and creditors — in connection with pre-insolvency mechanisms such as ad hoc mandates and conciliation proceedings, as well as formal insolvency procedures including safeguard, accelerated safeguard, reorganization, and liquidation. Her practice also includes insolvency-related litigation, including disputes among classes of affected parties, grace period petitions, and claims admission disputes.

Juliette also advises clients in civil and commercial litigation matters.

Admitted to the Paris Bar in 2026, she holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Liquidation of Distressed Companies (ALED) from the University Paris I – Panthéon Sorbonne, obtained in 2023. During her academic training, she spent one year working alongside court-appointed insolvency practitioners, gaining hands-on experience in distressed company situations and restructuring processes.

She is fluent in French and English.

Elizabeth Papez is a former Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice and partner in Gibson Dunn’s litigation, appellate, and regulatory groups. Elizabeth has expertise litigating high-stakes complex commercial and class actions, appeals, and parallel government enforcement matters. She has successfully led both the defense and prosecution of several high-exposure matters, and has extensive experience working with economic experts and business personnel to craft powerful legal and factual narratives that resonate with courts and regulators.

Chambers USA has repeatedly recognized Elizabeth as a leading attorney in the area of General Commercial Litigation based on client feedback that she “is phenomenal.”  Elizabeth is also recognized as one of Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Litigators in America,” is recognized in The Legal 500 for her antitrust and appellate work, has been named among The Best Lawyers in America since 2019 for her appellate practice, and has most recently been recognized in the Legal 500 US 2025 guide as a “Recommended Lawyer” in Securities Litigation: Defense.  Benchmark USA has also recognized Elizabeth as a “Litigation Star” and named her a “client favorite” who is “extremely smart and practical and very charismatic.” She is praised by peers as a “fierce, dynamic, bright, powerhouse of a litigator.” Elizabeth has also consistently been named to Benchmark’s “Top 250 Women” list, which is based on “individual litigators’ professional activities as well as client feedback surveys.” 

In addition to her expertise defending competition and securities matters, Elizabeth is one of the few lawyers in the country who has successfully litigated constitutional challenges to high stakes public-private partnerships.  These matters involve the intersection of First Amendment speech and due process rights with education, employment, and commercial ventures involving government partnerships with private enterprise and Universities.    

As a complement to her litigation work Elizabeth also routinely handles enforcement matters with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Small Business Administration (SBA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Health & Human Services, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

Elizabeth has testified before Congress on anti-discrimination, federal contracting, and regulation of multiple industries, and served since 2020 as a public member of the Administrative Council of the United States (ACUS).  She is also a Trustee of the U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society, a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Committee on Administrative Law & Regulation, a Master of the Edward Coke Appellate Inn of Court, and received an award from the Innocence Project for her pro bono work. 

Elizabeth clerked for the United States Supreme Court and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and received her law degree from Harvard Law School, where she was the Supreme Court Chair and Editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Elizabeth’s representative engagements include:

  • Ploss Kraft et al. (NDIL) – lead counsel for multi-national defendant in nationwide class action alleging violations of Commodity Exchange Act and federal antitrust laws
  • Linet v. Hillrom et al. (NDIL, WDMI, 6th Cir.) – lead counsel for multi-national defendant in nationwide antitrust action filed after a $12 billion healthcare merger
  • Johnson v. Georgetown University et al. (DDC) – lead counsel for individual defendant in First Amendment speech and employment discrimination action 
  • Palladino et al. v. Bank of America et al. (SDNY, 2d Cir.) – lead counsel for bank defendant in putative class action alleging federal and state antitrust claims concerning credit and debit card fees
  • Energy Transfer Partners LP v. New Generation Gas Gathering (La. 2d. Cir.) – lead appellate counsel for energy client in antitrust dispute raising First Amendment and state anti-SLAPP claims
  • Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB) v. Citizens Bank N.A. (DRI) – lead counsel for bank client in regulatory enforcement challenge to consumer credit practices
  • PMCC v. Amtrak (SDNY) – lead counsel for capital corporation in leveraged finance dispute
  • CFPB/FTC Investigations (Confidential) – counsel for financial technology companies in various regulatory inquiries and enforcement proceedings involving alleged unfair and deceptive consumer practices
  • U.S. Trust vs. Bank of America N.A. (SDNY, 2d Cir.) – lead district and appellate counsel for national bank association in commercial CMBS dispute
  • In re LIBOR Antitrust Litigation (SDNY) – lead counsel for foreign financial institution and U.S. affiliates in settlement related discovery disputes
  • Washington County Hosp., et al. v. Baxter International, et al. (NDIL) – lead counsel for Baxter in dismissing nationwide class actions alleging antitrust violations in IV saline markets
  • In re Containerboard Antitrust Litigation (7th Cir.) – lead appellate counsel in successful defense of $11 billion MDL of several nationwide antitrust class actions
  • B&R Supermarket et al. v. Visa, Inc. et al. (NDCA/EDNY) – lead counsel for credit card network in nationwide class action alleging antitrust violations in chip card rollout
  • In re Treasury Securities Auction Antitrust Litigation (SDNY) – counsel for global primary dealer in MDL of scores of nationwide class actions and parallel federal investigations concerning potential collusion in the $12T annual market for U.S. Treasury securities
  • In re Interest Rates Swaps Antitrust Litigation (SDNY) – counsel for global financial institution in MDL of nationwide antitrust class actions involving US IR swaps markets
  • Municipal Board Qui Tam Litigation (NDIL) – counsel for global financial institution in multiple qui tam actions alleging fraud on issuers by municipal bond underwriting syndicates
  • United States v. American Express Co., et al. (2nd Cir.) – lead counsel for credit card network in support of U.S. Department of Justice enforcement action
  • Ross et al. v. Bank of America et al. (SDNY;  2d Cir.) – counsel for card network in successful five-week trial and appeal of MDL challenging class waivers in arbitration clauses
  • Tera Exchange et al. v. Bank of America et al. (SDNY) – counsel for global financial institution in antitrust action alleging collusion in market for CFTC-regulated CDS trading
  • In re Credit Default Swaps Antitrust Litigation (SDNY) – counsel for global financial institution in multi-billion dollar MDL alleging antitrust violations in the global CDS market

Taylor Hathaway-Zepeda is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Gibson Dunn. Her practice focuses on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, equity investments, restructuring transactions, and general corporate governance. She works with companies in a broad array of industries, and has extensive experience working with media, entertainment and technology companies and private equity sponsors.

Taylor was named a Leading Global Entertainment, Sports & Media Lawyer by Lawdragon in 2025 and 2026, and recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers. In 2025, Taylor was also selected by the LA Times Studios as part of the Inspirational Women Forum & Leadership Awards, as well as featured in Variety’s Women’s Impact Report. In 2024, the Los Angeles Times recognized Taylor on its list of “Entertainment Business Visionaries,” which honors “uniquely talented visionaries” whose “expertise fuels the engines that drive the industry forward.” She was also named a leader in mergers and acquisitions, as well as corporate governance, in the 2024 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation, which highlights “the future leaders of the law.” Additionally, Taylor was recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal in its 2024 “Women of Influence: Attorneys” feature, which spotlights the region’s noteworthy women legal professionals.

Taylor currently serves on the Board of Directors of the California Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, where she is also Chair of the Governance Committee. She also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Children’s Center at Caltech, where she is a member of the Executive Committee. Additionally, she is a member of Gibson Dunn’s Hiring Committee. She has also served on the Corporations Committee of the California Lawyers Association, and on the Board of Directors of the Harvard Law School Association of Los Angeles.

Taylor is admitted to practice in the State of California and the State of New York.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Taylor served as managing law clerk to Chief Judge Sandra Lynch of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. She received her law degree from Harvard Law School, where she was an editor of the Harvard Law Review and a finalist in the 100th Ames Moot Court Competition. Prior to law school, she earned a master’s degree with a focus on international economics from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom as a recipient of the Frank Knox Memorial Fellowship. Taylor received her undergraduate degree magna cum laude in Economics from Harvard University, where she was also elected to Phi Beta Kappa and served as Editor-in-Chief of the Harvard International Review.

Selected Transactions

  • The North Road Company, a global, multi-genre studio, in its formation and various transactions including:
    • the investment of up to $500 million by Providence Equity Partners
    • the acquisition of Words + Pictures
    • the investment of $150 million by Qatar Investment Authority
  • Universal Pictures in its investments and partnerships with:
    • Amblin Partners
    • Blumhouse Productions
  • Block, Inc. (formerly Square, Inc.) in its acquisition of a majority stake in Tidal, the streaming and entertainment platform founded by Jay-Z
  • Chernin Entertainment in its formation of content studio Words + Pictures with former ESPN executive Connor Schell
  • SpringHill Entertainment, a production company founded by LeBron James, in a capital raise from investors including Guggenheim Partners and Sister, the production company founded by Elisabeth Murdoch, Stacey Snider and Jane Featherstone
  • Epygenix Therapeutics in its sale to Harmony Biosciences
  • Ahern Rentals in its acquisition by United Rentals
  • WndrCo in its formation of Quibi, a short-form premium content distribution platform, including the raising of $1 billion of capital commitments
  • The Chernin Group in various investments and transactions, including:
    • the sale of its controlling interest in Otter Media, an internet video joint venture between The Chernin Group and AT&T
    • the sale of The Action Network to Better Collective
    • its partnership with Providence Equity Partners, Qatar Holding, and other investors
  • Oak View Group in its redevelopment of the Seattle Key Arena and bringing an NHL team to Seattle
  • Azoff MSG Entertainment in the formation of LaneOne, a joint venture with Live Nation Entertainment
  • Platinum Equity Advisors in its acquisition of:
    • Cision Ltd., a global provider of software and services to public relations and marketing communications professionals
    • The water care business of Lonza Group AG
    • Highway Toll Administration, an electronic toll collection and technology company
  • F45 Training in its acquisition agreement with Crescent Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company
  • La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company in its acquisition of Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals
  • AmaWaterways, a luxury river cruising company, in its partnership with travel and hospitality investor group Certares LP
  • Array Technologies in its sale to Oaktree Capital’s GFI Energy Group
  • Otter Media, an internet video joint venture between The Chernin Group and AT&T, in its acquisition of a majority stake of Fullscreen, a multichannel network
  • Aurora Capital Partners in its acquisition of:
    • Petroleum Service Corporation, a product handling and site logistic services provider
    • Zywave, a provider of insurance brokerage software solutions
    • National Technical Systems, a provider of environmental simulation testing, inspection, and certification solutions
  • Technicolor in:
    • the sale of the transactional streaming service M-Go to online ticketing service Fandango
    • the acquisition by TiVo of Digitalsmiths, a provider of TV and movie content discovery recommendation services
  • Group Health Cooperative in its acquisition by Kaiser Permanente
  • The Sports Authority in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy, including the sale of its IP portfolio and e-commerce platform to Dick’s Sporting Goods
  • CVC Capital Partners and Leonard Green & Partners in the sale of Leslie’s Holdings, Inc. to a group led by L Catterton
  • The Artémis Group, parent company of Château Latour and Christie’s Auction House, in its acquisition of Araujo Estate Wines
  • GI Partners in the sale of Duckhorn Wine Company to TSG Consumer Partners
  • The Rubicon Project in its acquisition of iSocket, Inc., a provider of automated online advertising solutions
  • Motorsport Aftermarket Group in its merger with Tucker Rocky/Biker’s Choice, a motorsport distribution company
  • Leslie’s Poolmart in e-commerce and retail acquisitions including:
    • Nationwide Group Service, Inc. and NPS Pool Supply, LLC, online retailers of pool and spa products
    • Pool Supply World, Inc., an online pool and spa retailer
    • Warehouse Pools, Inc., a pool and spa retailer
  • March Capital in its investment in Morty
  • Eminence Capital in its investments in:
    • xAD d/b/a GroundTruth, a location-based marketing and advertising platform
    • Quartzy, a laboratory management platform
    • Comprehend Systems, a clinical intelligence and cloud software company
  • Alpha Edison in its investments in:
    • The Baby Box Company, a provider of newborn starter kits and parent education programs
    • Emagispace, a modular construction company
  • Acumen Fund in its investment in:
    • Sanergy, a provider of waste management services in East Africa

Harriet is an associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn and is a member of the Private Equity and Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Groups. She is currently on secondment.

Harriet’s practice focuses on private equity M&A and cross-border M&A transactions.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Harriet worked in the London office of another major global law firm.

Dominic Solari is an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn. He practices in the firm’s Litigation Department.

Dominic earned his Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 2023. At Harvard Law School, Dominic was a senior editor for the National Security Journal. He also interned for several offices in the U.S. Government, including the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Department of the Interior. He has also written for the national security publication Lawfare.

Dominic graduated summa cum laude from Georgetown University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in government and history and a minor in economics.

Dominic clerked for the Hon. Jerome Holmes, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Dominic is a member of the Bar of the District of Columbia and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Cléo Batista is an associate in the Paris office of Gibson Dunn and member of the firm’s Litigation, International Arbitration, and Business Restructuring Practice Groups

Cléo specializes in dispute resolution and restructuring.

She has developed significant experience in a wide range of disputes, from civil and commercial litigation to both commercial and investment arbitration. She regularly assists clients in complex proceedings before French courts as well as in international arbitration cases conducted under major institutional rules.

She also acts on debt restructuring, where she advises clients in connection with pre-insolvency and insolvency proceedings.

Prior to her admission to the Paris Bar in 2026, she graduated in 2023 with both a Master in Private International Law and International Trade Law and a University Degree of the Collège de droit and Ecole de droit, from the University Paris II – Panthéon Assas. Cléo also graduated with a Master of Laws (LL.M) in International Commercial Law and Dispute Resolution from Bond University (Australia) in 2024.

She speaks French and English fluently, with working knowledge of Spanish.

Arjun Rangarajan is an associate in Gibson Dunn’s Palo Alto office.

Arjun advises clients on artificial intelligence, complex technology transactions, privacy compliance and agreements, intellectual property strategy and licensing, open source software, and software technology products.

With experience in both private practice and in-house roles at major technology companies, Arjun understands the need to operate at high velocity while managing sophisticated legal risk. He provides pragmatic and contextual advice that aligns legal strategy with business execution. He has counseled closely on the development and deployment of cutting-edge AI technologies and has worked on industry-shaping transactions in this space. Arjun counsels on AI model development and deployment, data licensing and training arrangements, privacy agreements, cloud and infrastructure partnerships, enterprise SaaS and platform agreements and strategic technology collaborations. His work frequently sits at the intersection of engineering, product, and executive leadership, helping clients translate technical innovation into scalable and defensible commercial structures.

His international experience includes leading IP licensing initiatives for a global consumer electronics company in Bangalore, India. Prior to law school, Arjun worked as a semiconductor engineer for multinational technology companies in Silicon Valley and San Diego, giving him a technical foundation that informs his legal practice.

Arjun is admitted to practice in the State of California.

Ksenija Radonjić is a Senior Associate in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and a member of the Dispute Resolution Group.

Ksenija’s practice covers a wide range of disputes, including transnational litigation, class actions, contentious antitrust matters, and regulatory investigations.

She focuses particularly on advising global technology clients on complex contentious matters and regulatory engagement. This includes coordinating multi-jurisdictional strategies at multiple levels of appeal, proceedings before the European Court of Justice, certification challenges, jurisdictional and applicable law challenges and motions to dismiss.

In addition, Ksenija has a strong background in international trade as well as financial crime matters. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, she worked for international law firms in the UK and Europe, and at the European Commission in Brussels, gaining significant experience in commercial cross-border disputes tried before the European Court of Justice, corporate crime, international sanctions and trade.

Most recently, she was an associate at a large global law firm in the Trade, Regulatory and Disputes team in London. Her experience there focused on a broad spectrum of compliance issues, including financial and trade sanctions, anti-corruption and anti-money laundering regulation. She has also been on client secondment to a major investment bank.

Beyond her client work, her pro bono practice focuses on human rights matters, and her pro bono clients include Clooney Foundation for Justice, Human Dignity Trust, Domestic Abuse Response Alliance and Legal Services New York City. Ksenija also acted for a number of pro bono clients providing comprehensive sanctions advice, from engaging with regulators and making licence applications to investigations and contentious advice.

Ksenija is fluent in English, Serbian, German and Portuguese, and has worked on matters in all four languages.