Galya Savir is an associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Tax Practice Group.

She earned her doctoral degree from University of Virginia School of Law in 2020. Galya received a Tax LL.M. degree from University of Michigan Law School in 2017. She also holds an LL.B. degree and a B.A. degree in economics from University of Haifa, Israel.

Galya has been inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi honor society. She is the author of a treatise on regulation and tax law in outer space, which has been published by Wolters Kluwer.

She is admitted to practice in the New York and California.

Melody Karmana is a corporate associate in the Singapore office of Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher where she currently practices in the firm’s Finance Practice Group. Her practice includes representing private equity sponsors, public corporations and lenders in a variety of banking and other debt finance transactions, including acquisition financings, cash-flow based lending, distressed financings, workouts and restructurings, first and second lien facilities and high yield bonds and notes offerings.

Melody received her Juris Doctor in 2022 from New York University School of Law, where she served a dual role as an Executive Articles Editor and Inclusivity Editor for the Annual Survey of American Law. She is admitted to practice in the State of New York.

Melody is fluent in English, Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Melayu, and conversational in Mandarin Chinese.

Jocelyn Shih is a corporate associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Strategic Sourcing and Commercial Contracts and Technology Transactions Practice Groups. She has also practiced in the Hong Kong office of the firm, where she represented clients throughout the Asia-Pacific region on technology driven transformations, privacy and cybersecurity.

She specializes in a range of corporate matters, including technology transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and complex commercial agreements. She advises clients on outsourcing the following processes and functions: financial services, facilities management, information technology, application development, human resources, procurement, and finance and accounting. Her practice includes negotiating and drafting consulting and professional services agreements, transition service agreements, software and data licenses, and other strategic arrangements.

She maintains an active pro bono practice, including representing non-profit organizations on commercial and licensing matters and representing individuals in asylum and immigration matters.

Jocelyn earned her Juris Doctor in 2019 from New York University School of Law, where she served as Developments Editor on the Journal of International Law and Politics, participated in the Racial Justice Clinic, and completed an externship at a leading multinational strategy and management consulting firm. Jocelyn earned her undergraduate degree in 2016 from the University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated summa cum laude.

Jocelyn currently serves as the Vice Chair of the firm’s global Associates Committee. She is actively involved in diversity and mentorship programming, serving as the Co-Chair of the firm’s Asian American Affinity Group in New York.

Jocelyn is admitted to practice in the State of New York, and is fluent in English and Mandarin.

Andy Sears-Black is an associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn. He currently practices with the firm’s Projects and Infrastructure and Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Groups.

Andy has a broad practice advising corporations, government-owned entities, and financial institutions on a range of energy and infrastructure-related project development and financing transactions, with experience in renewables and energy transition, conventional power and water, and upstream, midstream and downstream sectors.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Andy trained and practised in the London office of a major international law firm. He received his undergraduate Physics degree from Imperial College London, postgraduate diploma in Economics from Queens’ College, Cambridge, and GDL and LPC MSc from The University of Law.

Andy is admitted to practice in England and Wales.

Selected experience*:

• Hydro REIN, a renewable energy solutions company in the Nordics and Brazil, on its acquisition of an 80% stake in a portfolio of 25 wind power projects in Sweden and Norway from IOWN Renewable Energy.
• NEOM Company, Saudi Arabia’s new city gigaproject development company, on a $6.5 billion green energy joint venture with ACWA Power and Air Products that will incorporate the region’s largest wind and solar renewables production projects (4 GW in total), more than 400 MW of battery storage and a ground-breaking green hydrogen /green ammonia export project. This was awarded Green Project of the Year at the Global Hydrogen Summit, 2021.
• PETRONAS on all aspects, including development and financing, of its approximately $28 billion RAPID (Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development) project and joint venture with Saudi Aramco in Malaysia.
• The lenders on the $12.5 billion joint venture for the Jazan IGCC / ASU project, that largest grey hydrogen project in the world, which closed in October 2021 and was awarded Global Deal of the Year at the PFI Awards, 2021 and MENA Hybrid Energy Deal of the Year at the IJGlobal Awards, 2021.
• The Dow Chemical Company on all aspects of the joint venture between Dow and Al Hejailan group to build a plant producing 12 KTA of polyacrylic acid dispersants and 28 KTA of emulsions in Saudi Arabia.
• Masdar and PJB on the development and financing of Southeast Asia’s largest floating solar power plant (145 MW) in the Cirata reservoir, West Java, Indonesia. Awarded Asia-Pacific Solar Deal of the Year by the PFI Awards, 2021, Renewable Energy Deal of the Year by The Asset Triple A Asia Infrastructure Awards, 2022.
• KfW-IPEX on the financing of the GNA I LNG-to-power project in Brazil.

*Includes matters prior to joining Gibson Dunn

Benjamin (“Ben”) Saul is an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn, where he is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department and Labor & Employment Practice Group. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, he worked as an associate at a large international law firm representing employers in a wide range of complex labor and employment disputes.

As a former public school teacher, Ben maintains an active pro bono practice focused on children’s advocacy, including child custody, housing conditions, immigration, and special education. 

Ben earned his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he served as Executive Editor of the Journal of Law & Politics and received the Earle K. Shawe Labor Relations Award for showing promise of becoming a successful practitioner in the field of labor relations. He also received the Eppa Hunton IV Memorial Book Award for demonstrating unusual aptitude in litigation courses and showing a keen awareness and understanding of the lawyer’s ethical and professional responsibility.

Prior to law school, Ben earned a master’s degree in education from Harvard University and graduated summa cum laude with an undergraduate degree in political science from Furman University, where he was selected as a Harry S. Truman Scholar.

Ben is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and before the federal district courts of the District of Columbia and New Mexico, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Celine Teo is an English-qualified associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Finance and Transportation and Space Practice Groups.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Celine completed her training contract at another major international law firm, during which she gained experience in global asset finance, focused on aircraft leasing and financing.

Celine is also a member of the Bar of England and Wales.

Sarah Scharf is an associate in the Los Angeles office of Gibson Dunn. She is a key member of the firm’s Technology Transactions and Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation Practice Groups, including as part of the firm’s State Privacy Law Task Force. Sarah has extensive experience advising companies on privacy, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), information technology (IT), and intellectual property (IP) issues, and focuses on complex transactional representations, strategic product counseling, regulatory compliance counseling, and privacy and AI program development. Sarah counsels clients across a range of industries, including technology, software, retail, luxury fashion, sports, media and entertainment, gig economy, real estate, finance, energy, and utility. 

Sarah regularly advises clients on privacy, cybersecurity, and AI considerations, with particular expertise in compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and other comprehensive state privacy laws, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

She also routinely counsels clients on the development, acquisition, licensing, and exploitation of intellectual property, as well as commercial transactions.

Additionally, Sarah advises public and private companies and financial sponsors on privacy, cybersecurity, AI, IT, and IP issues in connection with corporate transactions, including venture and private equity representations, mergers and acquisitions, carveouts, leveraged buyouts, and distressed lending. Her experience includes conducting due diligence; drafting and negotiating privacy, cybersecurity, AI, IT, and IP-related representations, warranties, covenants and indemnities, complex transition services agreements, and transitional trademark licensing arrangements; counseling regarding privacy, cybersecurity, AI, IT, and IP-related risks and mitigation strategies; and implementing post-acquisition privacy compliance programs.

Recent Representations – Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation 

• Provide day-to-day compliance counseling to clients across an array of industries, including technology, retail, luxury fashion, gig economy, energy and utility, to develop their global privacy programs and ensure compliance with applicable U.S. and foreign privacy laws.
• Provided regulatory compliance counseling and strategic product counseling to clients across an array of industries, including fintech, insurance and gambling companies, to ensure compliance with GLBA and applicable U.S. state privacy laws.
• Drafted privacy policies, just-in-time notices, consents and acknowledgements, risk assessments, consumer request procedures, and incident response plans.
• Negotiated data processing addenda, as well as data privacy, cybersecurity, and AI-related provisions in service agreements.
• Drafted AI, privacy and cybersecurity-related stock exchange disclosures for clients in various industries, including software, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals.

Recent Representations – Technology Transactions

• Daikin Industries, LLC (a global HVAC&R manufacturer): Advised on intellectual property matters in connection with Daikin’s transformative joint venture with Copeland, a global sustainable heating, cooling, cold chain and industrial solutions company, to bring Daikin’s inverter swing rotary compressor technology to the U.S. residential segment.
• Negotiated patent, know-how, copyright, trademark and trade name license agreements.
• Drafted confidentiality agreements and intellectual property assignment agreements, as well as related provisions in employee and independent contractor agreements.
• Negotiated service agreements, including for software-as-a-service and data analytics services.
• Drafted website terms of use, including for property management companies, as well as various pro bono clients.

Representative Transactions

• CACI: Advised on AI, privacy and cybersecurity matters in connection with its acquisition of Applied Insight, a Virginia cloud migration provider and portfolio company of specialist investment firm Acacia Group.
• Fortress Investment Group LLC: Advised on data privacy and cybersecurity matters in connection with the acquisition of VICE Media Group, together with Soros Fund Management and Monroe Capital.
• KKR: Advised on IP, IT, cybersecurity, privacy, and AI matters in connection with (1) its acquisition of a majority stake in Agiloft, a contract lifecycle management software company and (2) Next Generation Technology Growth Fund III’s investment in R365, Inc., an all-in-one restaurant enterprise management software.
• Nielsen: Advised on IP and transitional service matters in connection with the sale of NCSolutions, a joint venture between Nielsen and Catalina, and the Nielsen Market Mix Modeling (MMM) business to Circana.
• PAR Technology Corporation: Advised on IP and transitional service matters in connection with (1) the $95,000,000 sale of PAR Government Systems Corporation (PGSC) to Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. and (2) the $7,000,000 sale of the interests of Rome Research Corporation.
• Platinum Equity: Advised on privacy and cybersecurity matters in connection with (1) Platinum Equity’s portfolio company Solenis’ $4.6 billion acquisition of Diversey Holdings, a hygiene, infection prevention and cleaning solutions provider and (2) Platinum Equity’s and Butterfly Equity Partners’ acquisition of Rise Baking Company, a manufacturer and supplier of semi-finished and retail-ready baked goods.
• Publicis Groupe: Advised on privacy and cybersecurity matters in connection with the acquisition of Retargetly, a leading data and technology company, by Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing company that is part of Publicis Group.
• RNBW Ventures: Advised on privacy and cybersecurity matters in connection with its acquisition of fintech platforms Even and One by Hazel, a fintech partnership with Walmart and Ribbit Capital.
• Seawall Capital: Advised on privacy and cybersecurity matters in connection with its investment into Sports Endeavors, Inc., the team behind Soccer.com, the leading source for player and fan gear in the U.S.
• Standard International (the parent company of The Standard and Bunkhouse hotel brands): Advised on privacy and cybersecurity matters in connection with its $385,000,000 sale to Hyatt Hotels.
• Veritas Capital: Advised on IP matters in connection with (1) its acquisition of Verisk’s energy business, Wood Mackenzie, a globally recognized industry leader that provides quality data, analytics, and insights used to power the energy, renewables, and natural resources industry; (2) the acquisition by its portfolio company, Finalsite, a global leader in K-12 independent school website and digital communications software services of Anthology’s Blackboard K-12 Community Engagement division and (3) its acquisition of Sequa Corporation, parent company of Chromalloy, a global technology company and a leading solutions provider for aircraft engines and gas turbines.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Sarah clerked for Justice Daphne Barak-Erez of the Supreme Court of Israel. Sarah earned her Juris Doctor and a Master of Laws in Comparative and International Law from Duke University School of Law in 2019.  While earning her degrees, she served as an editor of the Duke Law Journal and was a member of the Moot Court Board. In 2016, Sarah graduated magna cum laude from Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Simultaneously, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Jewish Gender and Women’s Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary, graduating cum laude.

Sarah is admitted to practice in the State of California, and is a Certified Information Privacy Professional – United States and Europe (CIPP/US/E).

Jennifer Sabin is a partner in the New York office of Gibson Dunn. She represents clients in a broad range of domestic and international tax matters, including taxable and tax-free mergers and acquisitions (public and private), spin-offs, joint ventures, financings, and restructurings. Her practice also includes formation of, and transactions undertaken by, private equity, hedge funds, and asset managers. In addition, Jennifer advises on various aspects of information reporting, including matters relating to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.

Jennifer received her Juris Doctor, cum laude, in 2011 from The University of Pennsylvania Law School. She received her Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, in History from Yale University in 2006.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, she was an associate in the New York office of another international law firm.

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

Significant representations include:*

Mergers and Acquisitions

• Elliott Investment Management L.P. in its:
  • $16 billion acquisition of Nielsen Holdings plc
  • Joint $16.5 billion acquisition of Citrix Systems, Inc., a cloud computing and virtualization technology company, with Vista Equity Partners
  • Acquisition of Travelport Worldwide Limited, a travel technology company by affiliates of Siris Capital Group and Evergreen Coast Capital Group
• Pioneer Natural Resources in its $64.5 billion merger with ExxonMobil
• An affiliate of Aurora Capital Partners, in its acquisition of Sharps Compliance Corp
• Quad-C Management, Inc., in its of acquisition of Christie’s International Real Estate
• Aurora Capital Partners, in its acquisition of Parker Food Group
• Mondelez International, Inc., in its acquisition of energy bar maker, Clif Bar
• Phillips66, as special tax counsel on the realignment of its economic and governance interests in DCP Midstream, LP and Gray Oak Pipeline, LLC through the merger of existing joint ventures owned with Enbridge Inc.
• Platinum Equity, in an agreement to merge its portfolio company Sigura with Solenis
• The Kraft Heinz Company, in its joint venture with TheNotCompany, Inc., a leading food tech start-up focused on plant-based food products
• Stanley, Black & Decker, Inc. in its:
  • $1.5 billion acquisition of Consolidated Aerospace Manufacturing, LLC*
  • $440 million acquisition of Nelson Fastener Systems*
  • the sale of its automatic doors business, Access Technologies, to Allegion plc
• Zip Co. Limited, an Australian public company, in its acquisition of QuadPay*
• Pfizer, Inc. in its joint venture with GSK to combine their respective consumer healthcare businesses*
• The Middleby Corporation in its:
  • $1 billion acquisition of the Taylor Company from United Technologies*
  • $200 million acquisition of AGA Rangemaster Group plc*
• Joyson Safety Systems (f.k.a. Key Safety Systems) in its acquisition of the global assets of Takata Corporation*
• Janus Capital Group, Inc. in its merger-of-equals with Henderson Group plc to form a new company called Janus Henderson Global Investors plc*
• NFP Corp. in its acquisition of BWD Group LLC*

Financings

• Stanley, Black & Decker, Inc. in its:
  • $750 million aggregate principal amount of fixed-to-fixed reset rate junior subordinated debentures*
  • $675 million offering of equity units, consisting of cumulative perpetual convertible preferred stock and forward purchase contracts*
• KAR Auction Services, Inc. in its placement of $550 million in newly issued perpetual convertible preferred stock*
• Party City Holdco Inc. in its bond exchange and new money financing*
• Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley as joint bookrunners in the UP-C IPO of GreenSky, Inc.*
• BeiGene, Ltd. (China) in its initial public offering*

Fund Work

• Various domestic and international investment advisers and limited partners in connection with forming and investing in hedge funds, private equity funds, and managed accounts*

*Representations were made by Jennifer prior to her association with Gibson Dunn.

Peter M. Wade is a litigation Of Counsel in Gibson Dunn’s Washington, D.C. office. He is a member of the firm’s Securities Litigation and Law Firm Defense Practice Groups, and focuses on complex commercial and business litigation, including breach of contract actions, law firm defense matters, fraud claims, M&A litigation and fiduciary duty claims, and related shareholder class and derivative actions. Peter has had significant experience representing clients in a wide range of industries in state and federal courts and at both the trial and appellate levels, as well as arbitration. He also serves on Gibson Dunn’s New York Community Affairs and Hiring Committees, and is recognized in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America for Commercial Litigation.

Peter’s representative matters include:

• Securing a complete defense verdict, following a bench trial in the Southern District of New York, for global investment adviser Investcorp in a $250 million negligent misrepresentation suit brought by hedge fund Kortright Partners.
• Defeating a preliminary injunction sought by Bay Capital Finance against Barnes & Noble Education and its board, challenging BNED’s refusal to recognize a slate of director nominees for its 2019 annual shareholder meeting. Subsequently obtained summary judgment and a significant fee shifting award, which were affirmed on appeal by the Delaware Supreme Court.
• Obtaining a rare reversal of a denial of summary judgment from the New York Appellate Division, on behalf of Trust Company of the West, on grounds the plaintiff hedge fund failed to establish loss causation in a case where TCW was the collateral manager for a large portfolio of mortgage-backed securities that failed to perform in the wake of the global financial crisis. TCW successfully argued the financial crisis caused the loss, not TCW’s management.
• Obtaining dismissal of misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of confidentiality claims seeking over a billion dollars in damages against American General in the Southern District of New York.
• Obtaining dismissal of a purported nationwide multi-year RICO class action against several affiliates of an international insurer alleging misuse of brokerage fees with respect to structured settlements, as well as affirmance of the dismissal by the First Circuit Court of Appeals.
• Obtaining a trial verdict for Susquehanna Growth Equity, LLC, SIG Growth Equity Fund I, LLLP, and two senior executives on fraud-based claims relating to the sale of an e-commerce company to Great Hill Equity Partners.
• Obtaining dismissal of a putative class action challenging Carvana’s capital structure in the Delaware Court of Chancery.
• Representing major international law firm in dispute with former partner, obtaining orders compelling arbitration and confirming arbitration awards and affirmance of same by the New York Appellate Division.
• Representing a major computer software company in connection with a purported stockholder class action arising from a public company merger, as well as a related statutory appraisal trial in the Delaware Court of Chancery.
• Representing a leading pharmaceutical company and its Board in derivative action challenging company’s tax disclosures, securing dismissal at the pleading stage and an affirmance on appeal by New Jersey Appellate Division.
• Representing a major computer software company in connection with a purported stockholder class action arising from a public company merger.
• Representing board of major pharmaceutical company in connection with independent investigation in response to multiple shareholder demands.

Peter received his Juris Doctor in 2012 from Columbia Law School, where he was named both a James Kent Scholar and a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. He received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia in 2005.

Peter is admitted to practice law in the State of New York and the State of Virginia, as well as in the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

Jesse A. Cripps is a partner in Gibson Dunn’s Los Angeles office and a member of the firm’s Labor & Employment, Litigation and Class Action Practice Groups.

Jesse has handled the full range of labor and employment matters under both federal and state law, specializing in the defense of high-risk, complex and class action employment litigation. His successes include defeating class and collective action certification, securing the dismissal of class action claims on the pleadings, and securing a variety of merits-based victories at the trial court and appellate levels.

Jesse has a wide-range of courtroom experience, including state and federal jury trials. He has tried class action employment claims to resolution and has first-chair success in individual employment arbitrations and high-stakes administrative hearings. He has successfully argued several times before the California Court of Appeal and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, resulting in favorable published opinions for his clients.

His representative matters include the defense of statewide and nationwide employment class actions, the representation of employers in high-stakes non-compete and trade secret disputes, and the defense of discrimination, retaliation, and whistleblowing claims. Jesse also represents employers in matters involving reductions in force, family and medical leave, federal contract compliance, and occupational safety and health. In addition to his courtroom experience, Jesse also spends time counseling clients on preventative planning under state and federal laws.

Benchmark Litigation named Jesse as a 2024 “Labor & Employment Star” and he is routinely recognized as a leading employment lawyer by Chambers USA, Law360, Los Angeles and Law & Politics magazines. Most recently, Jesse was recognized for Labor & Employment (Litigation) in the Lawdragon 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers 2024-2026 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,” the third time he has been named since 2022. He was also recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for his work in Employment Law – Management from 2024 to 2026, and as one of the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2023 “Leaders of Influence – Labor & Employment Attorneys.” He has been named one of “California’s Top Labor & Employment Lawyers” by the Daily Journal, and his work has been featured among its list of “Top Verdicts” and “Top Appellate Reversals.”

He has served on the Executive Committee for the Los Angeles County Bar Association Counsel for Justice, as Board Chair for the Hillsides organization, and as a faculty member for Lawyers Without Borders in Kenya. Jesse speaks regularly on employment issues, including programs and presentations for the California Employment Law Council, Strafford, Bridgeport, Bloomberg BNA, and various Fortune 500 companies.

He graduated summa cum laude from Pepperdine Law School in 2002, where he served as Note and Comment Editor for the Pepperdine Law Review. He is also a contributor to the Gonzaga Law Review and Employment Discrimination Law (settlement chapter) (BNA), as well as California Lawyer magazine.

Jesse is admitted to practice in the State of California.

Jessica Brown is a partner in the Denver office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group. Jessica has been ranked by Chambers USA for nineteen consecutive years as one of America’s Leading Lawyers for Labor and Employment. She was also recognized from 2020 to 2026 for Labor & Employment (Litigation) by the Lawdragon 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers guide, 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.” Jessica has been listed consistently in The Best Lawyers in America® in the practice areas of Employment Law – Management and Litigation – Labor & Employment. And she was named a 2025 and 2021 Lawyer of the Year in Employment Law – Management, Denver.

In addition, Benchmark Litigation US 2024 named Jessica a Labor & Employment Star. The Denver Business Journal named Jessica one of Denver’s “Forty Under 40.” Subsequently it awarded her the 2015 “Outstanding Women in Business Award” for the Law category. In 2017, the Ms. JD organization honored her in Chicago with its national “Sharing Her Passion” award for her work in relation to workplace investigations, gender equity, and mentoring.

Jessica advises corporate clients regarding DEI programming in the wake of the Supreme Court’s SFFA v. Harvard decision, COVID-19 workplace vaccination policies, hybrid work protocols, Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act Transparency Rules, anti-harassment policies, whistleblower complaints, reductions in force, and noncompete laws and agreements.

Jessica has conducted and overseen workplace investigations and some government investigations throughout her career as well. She also has defended nationwide and state-wide class and collective action lawsuits, alleging gender discrimination under Title VII, failure to permit facility access under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. She participated as a member of the trial team in Dukes v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., which redefined the legal standard for class certification as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court’s watershed decision.

Representative Matters

• Advising public companies and nonprofits regarding their DEI-related risks in light of the SFFA v. Harvard decision.
• Defending a private equity firm in connection with claims for alleged harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
• Assisting a home services company with a nationwide reduction in force.
• Helping numerous clients to comply with Colorado’s new laws impacting noncompete and customer non-solicitation covenants, wage and job opportunity transparency, paid leave, anti-discrimination, and workplace harassment.
• Represented a transportation provider in connection with claims for alleged harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
• Assisted an aerospace company with claims for discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
• Represented an international gold mining company in a dispute with its former Executive Vice President, Corporate Development.
• Defended a logistics services company in connection with claims for employee raiding and misappropriation of trade secrets.
• Represented a national healthcare company in an arbitration matter involving claims between the Board and its former Chief Executive Officer.
• Counseled an oil and gas company, a technology and data management company, and an international alternative investment manager regarding layoffs and furloughs.
• Represented a video game company in connection with a gender discrimination class action.
• Represented a hospital chain in connection with class claims asserted on a nation-wide basis under Title III of the ADA.

Recent Presentations and Publications

• “Fair Chance Hiring: A Legal Perspective,” Co-Presenter with Attorney General Phil Weiser, Gibson Dunn, Denver, September 5, 2024.
• “How the Harvard Admissions Ruling Reshapes DEI,” Co-Presenter, World 50 Group Chief Executive Summit, Classic Car Club, Pier 76, New York City, May 30, 2024.
• “Corporate Information Governance and IT Teams: The Bridge to eDiscovery Success,” Co-Presenter, Master’s Conference, Denver, June 2023.
• “EPEW Transparency Rules: Employee and Employer Perspectives,” Co-Presenter, Colorado Bar Association 2023 Employment Law Conference, April 27, 2023.
• “Changes in the Work Environment,” Co-Presenter, Investment Company Institute 2022 Tax and Accounting Conference, September 20, 2022.
• “COVID-19 Hot Topics for Employers in 2021,” Presenter, University of Colorado, February 19, 2021.
• “COVID-19 Vaccines: Employer Strategies and Considerations,” Presenter, Gibson Dunn Webcast, February 10, 2021.
• “An Employer Playbook for the COVID “Vaccine Wars”: Strategies and Considerations for Workplace Vaccination Policies,” PLI Article, Author with Lauren Elliot and Daniel Rauch, February 4, 2021.
• “Civility in the Practice of Employment Law,” Presenter, 2020 Colorado Bar Association Employment Law Conference, October 2020.
• “Returning to Work: Health, Employment and Privacy Considerations and Constraints as Businesses Resume Post-Quarantine Operations,” Presenter, ACEC, July 2020.
• “Preparing For A Surge In Whistleblower Claims: From Developing A Compliance Plan To Best Practices When Investigating And Litigating Claims” Gibson Dunn Webcast, June 2020.
• “Is #MeToo Becoming #NotHer?” Panelist, Women in E-Discovery national conference, Austin, Texas, May 2019.

Before joining Gibson Dunn in January 1995, Jessica clerked for the Honorable Jim R. Carrigan, United States District Court for the District of Colorado. Since joining the firm, Jessica has been a frequent author and lecturer on employment, investigation, privacy, gender, diversity, and leadership issues. Jessica is one of the managing editors and a contributing author for The Practitioner’s Guide to Colorado Employment Law. She is also a member of the firm’s Diversity Committee, Professional Development Committee, and Hiring Committee.

In addition, Jessica served as President of the Colorado Bar Association from July 2020 to July 2021. She has served as a Board member at Stanley British Primary School and Chair of the Joint Management Committee of the Colorado and Denver Bar Associations. She also chaired the Board of the Legal Aid Foundation from 2013-2015, was co-chair of the Denver Law Firm Campaign for Legal Aid in 2013, and served on the LAF Board for 11 years. She also co-chaired the Barristers Benefit Ball twice previously, helping to raise funds for Metro Volunteer Lawyers. In addition, Jessica has been very active with the Mile High United Way, as a member of the Tocqueville Society and a founding member of the Pinstripe PJ Club, helping to raise money for then-Mayor Hickenlooper’s homelessness initiative, Denver’s Road Home.

Jessica also has been very focused on issues relating to diversity and gender equity: She currently serves as a member of the Colorado Women’s Bar Association Foundation and is a past President of the Colorado Women’s Bar Association. She also served on the Board of the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations from 2016-2018. She was a member of the Colorado Bar Association’s Committee for Balanced Legal Careers and worked closely with the Center for Legal Inclusiveness on various initiatives, including serving as moderator and panelist for several CLI Summit programs. Jessica also served as Co-Chair of the Programs Subcommittee of the Planning Committee of the National Association of Women’s Lawyers for its 2019 spring conference in Denver.

Finally, Jessica is actively involved in pro bono work in the local community and nationally, and has given time to organizations including Management Leadership for Tomorrow, the Mary M. Dower Benevolent Corporation, the Calculus Project, the Last Mile, the National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders, Global Fund for Women, the Sonia and Celina Sotomayor Judicial Internship Program, the Global Impact Investing Network, the Center on Colfax, Tipping Point Community, Gold House, the U.S. Soccer Foundation, Know Your IX, the National Association of Counsel for Children, the National Women’s Law Center, Next Step Communications through Start Small Think Big, the Cornell Law School Global Gender Justice Clinic, Ten Thousand Villages, the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network, and Denver’s Open Door Youth Gang Alternatives Program. She also has worked with teams to represent immigrants seeking asylum. And she helped establish a long-term relationship between Gibson Dunn and the Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center, leading to individual and office awards.

Jessica received her law degree in 1993 from the University of Texas School of Law, where she served as Executive Editor for the Texas Law Review, was Clerk of the Chancellors, a member of the Order of the Coif, and graduated with High Honors (top 2%). Jessica received a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she graduated with honors as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Matt is a nationally recognized crisis management and white-collar defense lawyer with deep criminal, national security, and export enforcement experience. His practice focuses on internal investigations, white-collar criminal defense, and crisis management for U.S. and multinational companies, their boards, and their senior executives. Matt co-chairs Gibson Dunn’s Sanctions and Export Enforcement practice, where he works closely with clients to conduct internal investigations, evaluate compliance programs, advise on voluntary self-disclosures, and defend against government-facing investigations.

Matt is the only person to have previously served as both Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice — a role described in the New York Times “as the most demanding job in all of DOJ” – and Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). His over 25 years of government enforcement, white-collar defense, and crisis management experience are why clients consistently rely on Matt to help them navigate their most sensitive and complex matters. Lawdragon recently named Matt as one of the 500 Global Leaders in Crisis Management.

Immediately before joining Gibson Dunn, Matt served as the Senate-confirmed Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement at BIS, where he led the team responsible for enforcing the country’s export control and antiboycott laws. During Matt’s tenure, BIS brought a record number of criminal and administrative enforcement actions, including the highest standalone administrative penalty in the agency’s history.  Matt revamped the agency’s export enforcement policies (including those on voluntary self-disclosures), issued numerous compliance guidance memos for industry, launched the boycott requester list, and was an architect of the Disruptive Technology Strike Force. Prior to his confirmation, Matt served as Special Counsel in the White House Counsel’s Office, where he advised on national security and domestic issues.

Matt also spent over thirteen years at the Department of Justice, including serving twice as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General. Alongside the Deputy Attorney General, Matt oversaw DOJ’s entire workforce, including the prosecutors and agents in the U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the Criminal Division, the National Security Division, and the FBI. Matt also provided oversight of all significant corporate enforcement resolutions, managed countless crises, and engaged with Congress and the White House on DOJ’s behalf. Matt initially joined DOJ in 2003 as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of Florida, where he conducted nineteen felony jury trials and prosecuted some of the office’s most high-profile cases, including the conviction of two founders of the Cali Cartel.

Matt previously led the Global Business Crime & Investigations practice at another major international law firm, where he conducted internal investigations and represented entities and individuals under investigation by DOJ, SEC, and other agencies.

Matt is a sought-after speaker at conferences and industry events around the world and has been frequently quoted in publications like the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Reuters, and the Financial Times.

Matt graduated from Amherst College and Yale Law School, where he served as Notes Editor of the Yale Law Journal. Following law school, he clerked for the Honorable Ralph K. Winter, Jr. on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and for the Honorable Janet C. Hall on the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut.

Joseph R. Rose is a partner in the San Francisco office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He is a member of the firm’s Labor and Employment, Class Actions, and Litigation Practice Groups.

Joe’s practice focuses on high-stakes employment disputes, class actions, and commercial litigation. He has represented employers in class actions, representative actions under the California Private Attorneys General Act, and individual actions in state and federal courts throughout the country, including cases alleging wrongful termination, retaliation, wage and hour violations, and various forms of discrimination claims. Joe regularly counsels clients regarding employment policies, termination, promotion, and other personnel actions, and compliance with state and federal employment laws. Joe also has significant experience litigating complex business disputes (including matters involving breach of contract, civil RICO, and business torts), defending law firms against claims for legal malpractice and other forms of tortious conduct, and representing clients in various industries in cases involving antitrust and consumer protection claims.

Joe has been selected as a Northern California “Rising Star” in General Litigation by Super Lawyers Magazine in 2019 through 2023. Most recently, he was recognized by Lawdragon 500 as a “Leading Corporate Employment Lawyer” from 2024-2026.

Representative matters include:

• Winning a full defense verdict for leading online retailer in a bench trial of employee misclassification claims in federal court.
• Defending multiple employers in lawsuits alleging workplace-safety and other employment claims related to COVID-19, including obtaining key dismissals with prejudice.
• Defeating class certification on behalf of a national restaurant franchisor in a closely followed “no poach” antitrust and employment class action.
• Defending a national trucking company in a wage-and-hour class action, including securing decertification of a class of more than 11,000 drivers on the eve of trial.
• Defending a global software consulting firm through jury trial in a multi-million dollar dispute involving breach of contract, fraud, trade secret, computer hacking, and related claims. Joe led motion practice and conducted witness examinations that helped to secure wins on key claims, including forcing the plaintiff to abandon its theft of trade secrets claim mid-trial.
• Securing a complete victory after bench trial and appeal on behalf of a technology firm in a breach of contract dispute related to an earn-out provision.
• Winning dismissal of a variety of antitrust and consumer class actions, including lawsuits relating to printer cartridges, tax-preparation software, and fireworks shipping.

Joe also has experience guiding clients through internal investigations, and has achieved favorable resolution of state and federal government and regulatory inquiries on behalf of technology companies, financial institutions, healthcare organizations, and manufacturers.

Joe received his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 2011, where he was Production Editor of the Berkeley Technology Law Journal, co-director of Berkeley Law’s McBaine Moot Court Competition, and a member of the Board of Advocates (moot court). Prior to law school, Joe worked as a Paralegal Specialist at the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, assisting in grand jury investigations, trials, and civil merger reviews. He earned his B.A. in Law, Letters and Society, with special honors, from the University of Chicago in 2005.

Joe is a member of the California state bar and is admitted to practice in a number of federal district courts, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

“When CEOs get pulled before Congress, [Washington whisperer] Michael Bopp is their top lawyer.”
– Bloomberg, September 3, 2025

 

Michael Bopp is a seasoned investigations and crisis management lawyer who brings his extensive government and private-sector experience to bear on behalf of his clients to help them navigate their most difficult crises, often involving investigations as well as media challenges.

Michael chairs Gibson Dunn’s Congressional Investigations Practice Group and co-chairs the firm’s Public Policy Practice Group. His practice focuses on congressional and executive branch investigations, corporate internal investigations, and other government investigations. He also advises clients on public policy and regulatory consulting in a variety of fields, and on managing and responding to major crises involving multiple government agencies and branches.

Described as “one of the top Congressional investigations lawyers in Washington,” Michael is one of only a handful of attorneys in the country listed in Band 1 for Congressional Investigations by Chambers USA – its highest rating. Clients note his “deep expertise and relationships on the Hill” and say that he “provides exactly the guidance you want, walking you through all the eventualities to help navigate the best course of action.” He also has been included in The Best Lawyers in America® and was named to the inaugural Lawdragon 500 Global Leaders in Crisis Management list. Michael’s practice has been featured in a Bloomberg profile entitled “Meet the Lawyer CEOs Call When They’re Summoned to Capital Hill.”

During his more than a decade on Capitol Hill, Michael led or played a key role in major investigations in both the Senate and House of Representatives, including four special investigations. In these capacities, he developed the strategy, set the agenda and managed the discovery efforts for numerous investigations and orchestrated more than 100 committee hearings. Owing to this experience, he has extensive knowledge of both legislative and regulatory processes, as well as of the powers and authorities of Congressional committees, and he has testified as an expert on Congressional investigations before Congress. He currently chairs the ABA’s Committee on Legislative Process and Congressional Investigations. His contacts are extensive and strong in both Republican and Democratic circles.

Michael regularly defends clients in congressional and other investigations. A particular specialty is preparing individuals to testify at congressional hearings and for other high-profile, public, often contentious events. Michael has guided CEOs and other top executives and high-ranking public officials through dozens of congressional hearings. Michael also served as the debate coach for Senator Susan Collins in the 2020 election cycle. About the race, Politico noted that Senator Collins “staged one of the most remarkable Senate comebacks of the past decade.”

Congressional Investigations, Internal Investigations, and Other Investigations Experience

Michael’s engagements include representing companies, associations, other entities and individuals in the following investigations:

Congressional Investigations

• Counsel for multiple companies under investigation by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis in connection with CARES Act and other programs;
• Counsel for social media platform with respect to Senate Commerce and Judiciary Committee hearings on alleged bias and CDA Section 230 protections;
• Counsel for electronic cigarette manufacturer in investigations into marketing practices and interactions with FDA;
• Counsel for bank investigated for alleged sales practices and other possible violations by House Financial Services and Senate Banking Committees;
• Counsel for a number of technology companies in investigations and oversight into privacy, law enforcement, and security-related issues;
• Counsel for pharmaceutical manufacturer in House Oversight and Government Reform investigation of drug pricing and efforts to extend patents;
• Counsel for Pharmacy Benefit Manager in Senate Finance Committee investigation of drug pricing;
• Counsel for health insurance company, multiple government contractors, and a non-profit entity in House and Senate investigations relating to the Affordable Care Act;
• Counsel for Big 4 accounting firm in an investigation by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations into alleged offshore tax evasion. This investigation culminated in a hearing at which our client successfully defended its actions resulting in no follow-up by the Subcommittee and avoiding negative press coverage and reputational damage;
• Counsel for private equity firm in Senate Aging Committee investigation of drug pricing;
• Counsel for automaker in connection with potential congressional and executive branch investigations relating to emissions controls;
• Counsel for Wall Street firm in investigations by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations into causes of the financial markets crisis and into the commodities activities of financial holding companies;
• Counsel for automaker in Senate Commerce Committee investigation of Takata airbag malfunctions;
• Counsel for Member of Congress in Office of Congressional Ethics’ and House Ethics Committee’s inquiries into alleged insider trading. The Office of Congressional Ethics recommended that the allegations concerning the Member of Congress be dismissed;
• Counsel for health care company in the House Energy and Commerce and Senate Commerce Committees’ investigations of the health insurance industry;
• Counsel for telecommunications company in multiple congressional investigations relating to the company’s interactions with the Federal Communications Commission;
• Counsel for hedge fund in Senator Grassley’s investigation of information allegedly leaked relating to Medicare reimbursement rates; Counsel for a Big 4 accounting firm in the Senate Banking Committee’s inquiry into mortgage lending and servicing practices;
• Counsel for automaker in House Oversight and Government Reform Committee investigation of the agreement on Greenhouse Gas and CAFE standards;
• Counsel for loan recipient in House Oversight and Government Reform Committee investigation of Department of Energy “green energy” programs;
• Counsel for health insurance company in investigation by Chairman Baucus and Senator Grassley into health insurance company agreements with lab services providers;
• Counsel for companies in connection with Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission’s investigation of causes of the financial markets crisis;
• Counsel for several companies in investigation by Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee of career colleges;
• Counsel for healthcare information technology company in connection with Senate Finance Committee investigation;
• Counsel for company in connection with Senate Finance Committee’s investigation of a high-profile Executive Branch nominee;
• Counsel for elder care company in connection with Senate Special Committee on Aging’s investigation of continuing care retirement communities.
• Counsel for satellite company executive in investigation by House Science and Technology Committee’s into satellite procurement issues;
• Counsel for employee of security company in investigation by Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan into services contracts; and
• Counsel for various parties in multiple investigations by House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct and Office of Congressional Ethics.

Internal Investigations

• Conducted internal investigation of company’s compliance with FDA and FTC requirements and to gauge possible exposure to Justice Department inquiries.
• Conducted internal investigation of company’s compliance with government contracting requirements relating to vendor compensation;
• Conducted internal investigation of misconduct by attorney at major law firm leading to misrepresentations to clients and government agencies;
• Conducted internal investigation of company’s compliance with H-1B program requirements;
• Conducted internal investigation of high-ranking corporate official at major pharmaceutical company and uncovered misappropriation and misuse of corporate funds. Recovered more than $10 million for corporation; and
• Conducted internal investigation for portfolio company relating to potential False Claims Act lawsuit relating to alleged product defect. Convinced Department of Justice not to intervene.

Other Investigations

• Represented government official removed from office for allegedly covering up misconduct in a field office. Convinced Department of Justice Public Integrity Division to drop criminal investigation of client and secured reinstatement of client; and
• Counsel for 501(c)(4) organization in investigation by State of California into alleged violations of state election laws. Investigation ended with no prosecution.

Policy Experience

Michael engages in high-level, strategic policy and related regulatory work on a variety of issues. His clients have included General Electric Company, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable, Ticketmaster, Farmers Insurance, Microsoft, Fairfax Financial, Goldman Sachs, General Dynamics, University of Maine, MetLife, Perry Capital, International Swaps and Derivatives Association and Ligado.

Michael has handled a variety of financial regulatory reform issues. He has helped numerous clients work with Congress and the Administration on regulatory reform legislation, and shape, prepare for, and sometimes challenge new regulatory requirements promulgated as a result of the Dodd-Frank Act.

Among his many successes is helping to create and run the Coalition for Derivatives End-Users, which has roughly 300 active company and trade association members. The Coalition works on both legislative and regulatory fronts to help protect interests of end-user companies in the debate over appropriate regulation of derivatives and has been a highly-successful participant in these processes. The Coalition’s top two priorities – establishing a statutory margin exemption for end-users and a clearing exemption for end-users that hedge through centralized treasury units –are two of the only substantive amendments to the Dodd-Frank Act that have become law.

As a result of this work, Michael has been named one of the 100 most influential people in finance by Treasury and Risk magazine and has been asked to testify before Congress.

Michael also has assisted clients in numerous other policy areas, including budget, appropriations, housing, telecommunications, judiciary, patent, antitrust, transportation, homeland security, tax and bankruptcy. He has particular expertise with respect to issues involving the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

From 2006-2008, Michael served as Associate Director of OMB and was responsible for overseeing budgets and coordinating regulatory, legislative, and other policy for approximately $150 billion worth of spending for various government agencies, including the Departments of Treasury, Homeland Security, Transportation, Justice, Housing and Urban Development, and Commerce, the General Services Administration, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

From 2003 to 2006, he served as Staff Director and Chief Counsel of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, one of the Senate’s largest committees and most expansive in terms of jurisdiction. He oversaw more than 100 hearings, led numerous investigations and was a primary drafter of key legislation, including the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, the most significant reform of the intelligence community in more than 50 years, and 2006 legislation strengthening port security and overhauling the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He also directed a 50-person investigation of the failure of preparations and response to Hurricane Katrina. The investigation included 22 hearings, 325 witnesses, more than 800,000 pages of documents and an 800 page report.

Michael served as Legislative Director and General Counsel to Senator Susan Collins of Maine from 1999 to 2003. He was Chief Counsel to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Education and the Workforce in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1998 to 1999, where he investigated alleged improper activities undertaken by Teamsters’ officials. Before that, he worked on the Congressional investigation of campaign finance abuses as senior investigative counsel to the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight and as counsel for the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs. He also previously served as counsel on the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Michael served as outside general counsel to the campaign to re-elect Senator Susan Collins.

Michael received his law degree cum laude from Harvard Law School where he was Articles Editor on the Journal of Law and Public Policy. He graduated magna cum laude, with honors, in public policy from Brown University.

Publications

Law Review Articles

• Bopp, Michael D., Hungar, Thomas; Schropp, Chantalle Carles, “How President Trump’s Tangles With Committees Have Weakened Congress’s Investigative Powers,” University of Virginia Journal of Law & Politics, Vol. 37, No. 1, 2021
• Bopp, Michael D., Eyler, Gustav W., Richardson, Scott M., “Trouble Ahead, Trouble Behind: Executive Branch Enforcement of Congressional Investigations,” Cornell Journal of Law & Public Policy, 2015
• Bopp, Michael D., Lay, DeLisa, “The Availability of Common Law Privileges for Witnesses in Congressional Investigations,” Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, Summer 2012

Other Publications

• Bopp, Michael D., Hungar, Thomas, Jones, Roscoe Jr., “The Power to Investigate: Table of Authorities of House and Senate Committees for the 117th Congress,” September 2021
• Bopp, Michael D., Hungar, Thomas, Jones, Roscoe Jr., “Congressional Investigations in the 117th Congress: Choppy Waters Ahead for the Private Sector?,” January 2021

Lauren Goldman is a litigation partner in the New York office of Gibson Dunn. She is Co-Chair of the Product Liability Practice Group and of the Technology Litigation Practice Group. Lauren’s practice focuses on high-stakes class- and mass-action disputes, particularly in the areas of product liability and data privacy.

Lauren serves as national counsel for several consumer-products companies facing mass litigation dockets across the United States. For more than two decades, she has developed and executed comprehensive legal strategies for companies facing sprawling multi-forum litigation. Lauren has also briefed and argued legal issues in connection with numerous high-stakes jury and bench trials, and has handled many successful appeals from large verdicts. She has a particular expertise with punitive damages litigation and has successfully challenged numerous excessive awards at trial and on appeal. 

Lauren also serves as lead counsel for major technology and social media companies in putative class actions alleging privacy violations under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, the Wiretap Act, the Stored Communications Act, the California Invasion of Privacy Act, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and various common-law privacy doctrines. 

Lauren is ranked by Chambers USA in both Litigation: General Commercial – New York and Product Liability & Mass Torts – USA – Nationwide, reflecting her exceptional command of complex, high-stakes litigation. Clients consistently describe her as “an extraordinary legal strategist and communicator” with “superb instincts” and “a rare ability to simplify the complex and make it compelling.” She is hailed as “one of the best brief writers” and “a brilliant thinker on her feet,” with a reputation for “leading companies through the most challenging litigation with clarity and confidence.” Clients also emphasize her “outstanding client service,” “clear and organized advocacy,” and “unmatched ability to turn intricate fact patterns into persuasive, judge-ready arguments.” One summed it up: “Lauren is really talented—she just gets it.”    

Legal 500 has repeatedly recognized Lauren in its Appellate: Court of Appeals, Appellate: Supreme Courts (States and Federal) and Cyber Law (Including Data Privacy And Data Protection) guides. Legal 500 says that she is “noted for her impressive record in class actions, with an emphasis on data privacy and product liability-related cases.” It quotes clients who say she is “a superb relationship partner who drafts excellent briefs and provides great judgment on all legal issues.” She is “super client-focused, extremely responsive, an excellent writer, and a poised and prepared oral advocate,” whose work is “well-reasoned, concise, well-organized, and business-focused.” Clients describe her as “smart, hardworking, and very analytical,” with an “unmatched ability to work well with other lawyers.”

Lawdragon has featured Lauren multiple times in their leading practitioner guides, including the 500 Leading Litigators in America (2024-2026), 100 Leading AI & Legal Tech Advisors (2024-2025), 500 Leading Global Cyber Lawyers (2024-2025), and Leading Global Litigations (2023) guides. These editions showcase “lawyers who connect it all – data and security, innovation and inspiration, litigation and exploration” and “capture the state of artificial intelligence in the law today, with a side of interesting legal tech.

Benchmark Litigation recognized Lauren as a New York Litigation Star in its 2023 and 2024 rankings. A reference described her as “the go-to expert for legal issues at Gibson” and added, “I would hire her to write a brief in a heartbeat – she’s excellent.”

The American Lawyer included Lauren in its “Litigators of the Week” series (October 22, 2021) for her work serving as defense counsel to Meta at a trial in the Northern District of California. Lauren has been interviewed regarding Supreme Court developments by Bloomberg Law Radio, CNBC’s “Closing Bell,” the WSJ Law Blog, The American Lawyer, Newsweek, and The National Law Journal. She has also been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes, Fortune and CNNMoney, among other publications.

Lauren received her J.D. from New York University School of Law, where she graduated magna cum laude and was a member of the New York University Law Review and of the Order of the Coif. Following graduation, she served as a law clerk to Judge Dennis Jacobs of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Muireann Browne is a dual-qualified Associate (Ireland and England & Wales) in the London office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Transportation and Space and Finance Practice Groups.

Muireann’s experience encompasses working with several of the world’s foremost aircraft lessors and lessees, providing legal counsel on a broad range of transactions, including aircraft sale, purchase, leasing, financing, and restructuring.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Muireann was an associate in a leading Irish law firm’s aviation practice group, where she also trained.

Saul Mezei is a partner in Gibson Dunn’s Washington D.C. office and a member of the firm’s Global Tax Controversy and Litigation Practice Group. His practice spans the federal tax controversy area and focuses on international tax and transfer pricing. He has substantial experience advising clients at all stages of federal tax controversy, from audit and administrative appeals to trial and judicial appeals.

Saul’s clients turn to him for counsel on a wide range of tax controversy matters, including international transfer pricing, foreign tax credits, research credits, employment taxes, and civil penalties. He also advises on a variety of other complex domestic and international issues.

Saul is ranked by Chambers USA in Tax: Controversy (Nationwide). The Legal 500 named Saul a “Leading Partner” in the Tax category. Saul has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for his work in Tax Law. Saul was also recognized as a Rising Star by Law360.

Representative matters include:*

• Movate, Inc. v. United States, Docket No. 24-1621 (Court of Federal Claims) (issues relating to implementation of a U.S.-India mutual agreement procedure resolution) (resolved with government concession)
• 3M Company & Subsidiaries v. Commissioner, No. 23-3772 (Eighth Circuit) (transfer pricing; validity of regulation) (pending)
• Maxim Healthcare Services, Inc. v. United States, Docket No. 23-950 (Court of Federal Claims) (interest issues relating to employment taxes) (resolved with full government concession)
• KPC Global Medical Centers, Inc. v. Commissioner, T.C. Docket No. 18551-22 (accounting-method issues)
• Western Digital Corporation & Subsidiaries v. Commissioner, T.C. Docket Nos. 18984-18 and 4818-19 (transfer pricing and section 956) (settled shortly before trial)
• The Coca-Cola Company & Subsidiaries v. Commissioner, 155 T.C. __ (2020) (transfer pricing and foreign tax credits; 10-week trial)
• Reflectxion Resources, Inc. v. Commissioner, T.C. Docket No. 12017-16, T.C. Memo. 2020-114 (section 3401(d) and section 530 of the Revenue Act of 1978)
• Amazon.com, Inc. & Subsidiaries v. Commissioner, 148 T.C. 108 (2017) (transfer pricing (cost-sharing) issues); >5-week trial, aff’d 934 F.3d 976 (9th Cir. 2019)
• Thomas & Betts Corporation & Subsidiaries v. Commissioner, T.C. Docket No. 4120-17 (transfer pricing) (settled before trial)
• kgb and Subsidiaries v. Commissioner, Tax Court Docket No. 4667-13 (transfer pricing) (settled before trial)
• Baldwin v. United States, Docket 3:12-cv-59 (D. Nev.) (section 165 loss) (settled before trial)

*Includes matters handled prior to joining Gibson Dunn

Saul is an adjunct professor in the Graduate Tax Program of Georgetown University Law Center, where he currently teaches Transfer Pricing. He also taught a transfer-pricing course in Georgetown University Law Center’s inaugural Saudi Tax Leaders Program, an intensive program designed specifically for leaders in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s tax and customs authority. He previously taught a class on administrative and litigation procedure. He is a co-author of “Transfer Pricing: Litigation Strategy and Tactics,” Bloomberg Tax, Transfer Pricing Portfolio 6932.

Saul received his law degree cum laude from the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law in 2002, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif. He received an Master of Laws in Taxation with distinction from the Georgetown University Law Center in 2009. He served as attorney-advisor to Judge Robert A. Wherry, Jr. of the U.S. Tax Court and senior law clerk to Judge Lawrence B. Hagel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree magna cum laude from University of Baltimore.

Saul is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the Court of Federal Claims, and the United States Tax Court.

Maria Paula Baraya is an associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Projects and Infrastructure, Latin America, Finance, and Power and Renewables Practice Groups.

Her practice is focused on infrastructure and energy projects both in the United States and in Latin America. She has extensive experience successfully representing public and private companies in complex syndicated loans, infrastructure development, and project finance.

She received her Master of Laws from UCLA. She also received a Bachelor of Laws from Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia.

Maria Paula is admitted to practice in the State of New York and in Colombia.

Representative Transactions:

Roads

• Representation of Abertis Infraestructuras, S.A. in connection with a $3.3 billion investment to upgrade, operate and maintain a portfolio of four toll roads in Puerto Rico.

Ports

• Representation of MAM on the sale of Ceres Terminals, a leading provider of stevedoring and terminal operation services in North America, to Carrix, a portfolio company of Blackstone Infrastructure Partners.

Digital Infrastructure

• Advised AT&T and BlackRock Alternatives, through a fund managed by its Diversified Infrastructure business, in their joint venture to form Gigapower, LLC, a provider of state-of-the-art fiber networks to homes and businesses across the US. Awarded 2023 Americas Digital Deal of the Year by Project Finance International (PFI) and 2023 North America Digital Infrastructure Deal of the Year – Fiber by IJ Global.

Ruben Almaraz Bautista is of counsel in the New York office of Gibson Dunn and member of the firm’s Projects and Infrastructure, Latin America, Finance, and Power and Renewables Practice Groups.

His practice focuses on infrastructure and energy projects both in the United States and in Latin America. Ruben has substantial experience in infrastructure development and strategic transactions, including public-private partnerships, public procurement, construction contracts, project bonds, project finance, and TIFIA loan financings. He also has experience in financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, spinoffs, divestitures, and joint ventures for infrastructure assets in the United States and in Latin America.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Ruben was an associate at an international corporate law firm in New York, and an international law firm in in Mexico City.

He received his Master of Laws on International Business Transactions from New York University School of Law in 2014. He also received an Bachelor of Laws from ITESM Campus Ciudad de Mexico in 2005.

Ruben is admitted to practice in the State of New York and in Mexico.

Recent Transactions:

• Representation of Olivia Holdings, LLC, a subsidiary of Macquarie Infrastructure Partners IV, L.P., in $625 million financing for the acquisition of LBCT LLC, from OOCL LLC and Long Beach Container Terminal, Inc., subsidiaries of Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd. (OOCL), for a purchase price of $1.78 billion. LBCT LLC is the operator of the Long Beach Container Terminal in Long Beach, California, the only fully-automated shipping terminal facility in North America.
• Representation of Prumo Participações e Investimentos S.A. a wholly-owned subsidiary of Prumo Logistica, in its issuance of U.S.$57,000,000 Senior Secured Series 4 Notes due September 30, 2022.
• Representation of RFM Conrac Investor, LLC, an investment vehicle of Related Fund Management, in its equity investment in Conrac Solutions for the construction, financing, development, operation and maintenance of a Consolidated Rent-A-Car facility for Newark Liberty International Airport. Conrac Solutions closed $500 million worth of financing for a new 2.7 million-square-foot facility with 2,925 public parking spaces and 3,380 rental car spaces to support 10 rent-a-car brands.
• Representation of SB Energy Global, an arm of SoftBank Group, in a $300 million financing for the development of solar projects totaling 1.7 gigawatts in capacity.
• Representation of Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets in the acquisition of Maher Terminals USA, a 454-acre multi-user container terminal in Port Elizabeth, New Jersey from Deutsche Bank, and in related senior credit facilities to finance, in part, the acquisition.
• Representation of Autopistas Metropolitanas de Puerto Rico LLC, operator of the PR-22 toll road project in Puerto Rico, in the refinancing of its existing term loan facility with two separate private placements of senior secured notes, various amendments to its letter of credit facility, a class action litigation defense in relation to tolling practices, and various other matters.
• Representation of Cintra Global and Meridiam Infrastructure as equity sponsors of I-66 Express Mobility Partners LLC in respect of the winning proposal to develop the Transform 66 P3 Project in Virginia and financing transactions (private activity bonds and a TIFIA loan) in connection with achieving financial close in respect of the project.
• Representation of toll-road operator Red de Carreteras de Occidente (RCO) in a MXN $2 billion ($105 million) loan from Santander for capital expenditure and expansion works for its FARAC I project.
• Representation of West Street Infrastructure Partners III, an infrastructure investment vehicle managed by Goldman Sachs in its acquisition of 50% stake in Compañía de Puertos Asociados for COP 407 billion ($136.5 million).
• Representation of Colombian port operator the financing for expansion works in Colombia.
• Representation of First Reserve Energy Infrastructure in connection with the sale of cash equity on the 120MW Comanche solar facility in Colorado to JP Morgan Asset Management-managed affiliate IIF US Holding 2.
• Representation of Deutsche Bank AG, Banco de Credito del Peru, The Bank of Nova Scotia and Banco Internacional del Peru S.A.A. as lenders in respect of a $450 million senior secured credit facility to Orazul Energia Partners S.A.C., a Peruvian company, the proceeds of which were used to finance, in part, the purchase of the business of Duke Energy International Group S.a r.l. in Peru from Duke Energy Brazil Holdings II, C.V. and Duke Energy Uruguay Investments SRL.
• Representation of General Electric Co. in connection with its sale of energy investments to Apollo Global Management LLC.

Ashley E. Johnson is a partner in the Dallas office of Gibson Dunn, where she is Co-Chair of the firm’s ERISA Litigation practice and a core member of the firm’s Labor and Employment and Antitrust and Competition practice groups. Ashley has a commercial dispute practice in trial and appellate courts across Texas and around the country. She focuses her practice at both the trial and appellate level on the legal strategy, briefing, and argument of complex legal issues, particularly including ERISA disputes (primarily class actions), cutting-edge antitrust questions, and class certification motions. Her work in these areas make her one of the country’s leaders in ERISA and antitrust class action defense. She works with her clients on crafting the most persuasive written presentation on their most critically important and complicated briefs and on communicating those arguments to courts in oral hearings.

Ashley has led the defense in some of the most closely watched ERISA and antitrust class actions in recent years. She represents Fortune 500 plan sponsors and fiduciaries in a range of ERISA matters, including claims involving actuarial equivalence, pension risk transfers, 401(k) forfeiture litigation, and challenges to wellness surcharges. She secured a unanimous Second Circuit victory for a Fortune 50 company in a significant case involving retroactive pension benefits and plays a leading role in ongoing actuarial equivalence cases in multiple federal courts.

In the antitrust arena, Ashley has defended global pharmaceutical companies such as Merck and Amgen in class actions challenging reverse-payment settlements, successfully obtaining Rule 23(f) review and reversal of class certification. She also secured dismissal and a unanimous affirmance from the Fifth Circuit in SureShot Golf Ventures v. Topgolf International, a broad and complex antitrust action testing novel market theories.

A former Supreme Court clerk, Ashley has argued in the United States Courts of Appeals for the Second, Fifth, Seventh, and Ninth Circuits, as well as multiple Texas appellate courts. In addition, she has briefed a diverse set of cases in the United States Supreme Court, including high-profile victories in Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association (U.S. 2018), Bank Markazi v. Peterson (U.S. 2016), and Black v. United States (U.S. 2011).

Ashley is ranked by Chambers USA for Litigation: General Commercial and recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for Appellate Practice (2024–2026).

She has also been named in Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Litigators in America in Employment, Commercial Litigation, and Appellate (2025-2026), and is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America.

 

Representative Experience

Appellate

• West Texas Gulf Pipe Line v. FERC (5th Cir. 2025) – Lead counsel for West Texas Gulf Pipe Line in challenge to FERC’s denial of market-based rate authority.
• In re Sensipar Cinacalcet Hydrochloride Tablets (3d Cir. 2024) – Lead appellate counsel defending dismissal of antitrust class action complaint.
• ERISA appeals (2022-23) – Lead counsel in multiple ERISA class action appeals for a Fortune 50 company in the Second and Ninth Circuits.
• City of Dallas v. Oxley Leasing North Loop, LLC (Tex. App.—Dallas 2021) – Lead appellate counsel defending denial of City’s plea to the jurisdiction.
• In the Interest of Y.J., a Child (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2019) – Lead appellate counsel; reversed joint conservatorship order in ICWA dispute.
• Sureshot Golf Ventures, Inc. v. Topgolf International, Inc. (5th Cir. 2018) – Lead appellate counsel; unanimous affirmance of dismissal in major antitrust suit.
• Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Ass’n (U.S. 2018) – Successfully overturned PASPA on constitutional grounds before the Supreme Court.
• Sause v. Bauer (U.S. 2018) – Lead appellate counsel; obtained per curiam reversal of dismissal of constitutional claims.
• United States v. Ogoke (7th Cir. 2017); United States v. Poff (9th Cir. 2017) – Lead appellate counsel in criminal contempt and veterans’ benefits matters.
• Bank Markazi v. Peterson (U.S. 2016) – Represented victims of terrorism in landmark Supreme Court case involving foreign sovereign immunity and Congressional authority.
• Opulent Life Church v. City of Holly Springs (5th Cir. 2012) – Argued and won unanimous decision in religious discrimination case.
• Black v. United States (U.S. 2010) – Won reversal of multiple white-collar criminal convictions in high-profile case.

Trial Courts / Arbitration

• Represent Honeywell and major telecommunications company in ERISA class actions alleging violation of actuarial equivalence requirements
• Lead counsel for major telecommunications company in ERISA class action challenging reasonableness of recordkeeping fees
• Represent multiple Fortune 500 defendants in ERISA class actions alleging fiduciary breach based on theories including 401(k) fund forfeitures, tobacco surcharge challenges, and fee challenges
• Represent Amgen in antitrust suits challenging patent infringement settlements and rebate practices
• Represent major telecommunications company in nationwide class action regarding WiFi calling
• Represented Merck & Co., Inc., in antitrust class action regarding alleged reverse-payment agreement
• Co-lead trial counsel in FLSA case resulting in immediate defense verdict during early COVID-era jury trial

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Ashley served as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court of the United States and to Judge J. Michael Luttig of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. She earned her law degree in 2004 from Vanderbilt University Law School, where she was a John W. Wade Scholar, Editor-in-Chief of the Vanderbilt Law Review, and recipient of the Archie B. Martin and Robert F. Jackson Memorial Prizes for academic excellence. She graduated from Vanderbilt with a B.S. in Mathematics and History and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Ashley is actively involved in alumni activities at Vanderbilt Law School, where she serves on the Vanderbilt Law Review Alumni Board of Advisors and has delivered guest lectures through the Branstetter Litigation and Dispute Resolution Program. In 2014, she invited Justice Clarence Thomas to deliver the Cecil Sims Lecture at Vanderbilt.

She is admitted to practice in Texas and North Carolina and before the U.S. Supreme Court; the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Circuits; and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Texas.