Jackson A. Akselrad is a litigation associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department.

Jackson earned his law degree from Yale Law School, where he participated in the criminal defense and veterans legal services clinics. He was also a student extern in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and State’s Attorney’s Office in New Haven. Jackson earned his undergraduate degree, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Chicago in 2015. Prior to attending law school, Jackson worked at the Central Intelligence Agency and Defense Intelligence Agency.

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

Mark K. Schonfeld is a litigation partner in the New York office of Gibson Dunn and co-chair of Gibson Dunn’s Securities Enforcement Practice Group. He is also a member of the firm’s Crisis Management, Accounting Firm Advisory and Defense and White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Groups.

Mr. Schonfeld’s practice focuses on the representation of financial institutions, public companies, hedge funds, accounting firms and private equity firms in investigations conducted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Department of Justice (DOJ), States Attorneys General, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and other regulatory organizations. Mr. Schonfeld also conducts internal investigations and counsels clients on compliance and corporate governance matters.

Benchmark Litigation recognizes Mr. Schonfeld as a Securities “Litigation Star.” For ten years in a row, he has been ranked as a leading lawyer in Securities Regulation and Enforcement by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Chambers highlights client praise for Mr. Schonfeld’s “invaluable current knowledge of agency practice, procedure and personalities active at the SEC” and notes he is “such a calm influence with clients, but a forceful and persuasive advocate with the commission.” He is “one of the best lawyers in this space” and “a very strategic, seasoned professional. He’s measured, thoughtful and incredibly proactive in terms of keeping clients updated. He’s detail-oriented and produces extremely high quality work.” Mr. Schonfeld has been recognized by Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) for Business Crime Defence in 2023 and 2024, and as a leading lawyer in Investigations in its Thought Leaders: USA 2024 and 2025 guides. Additionally, he has been named by Benchmark Litigation as a New York “Litigation Star” (2026), and named as a Who’s Who Legal Thought Leader in Investigations by Global Investigations Review (GIR) in its 2024 Investigations Guide. Mr. Schonfeld is also a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Securities Law360.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Mr. Schonfeld concluded a 12-year career with the SEC, the last four years as the Director of the New York Regional Office, the largest of the SEC’s regional offices. Mr. Schonfeld oversaw professional staff of nearly 400 enforcement attorneys, accountants, investigators and compliance examiners engaged in the investigation and prosecution of enforcement actions and the performance of compliance inspections of more than 4,000 SEC registered financial institutions in the region. Mr. Schonfeld led the New York Office through one of the most vibrant and rapidly evolving periods in the history of the SEC and securities law enforcement and brought many of SEC’s major landmark cases dealing with complex accounting fraud, mutual fund trading, hedge fund abuses, foreign bribery, insider trading and market manipulation.

Mr. Schonfeld received his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1988 and his Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude, and with Highest Distinction from the University of Rochester in 1984. Following law school, Mr. Schonfeld was a law clerk for the Honorable Ellsworth A. Van Graafeiland of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Following his clerkship and before joining the SEC, Mr. Schonfeld was a litigator in private practice.

Mr. Schonfeld is a frequent public speaker to legal and industry practitioners and commentator on television and radio, and has participated in international training programs for foreign financial regulators and law enforcement agencies. He is a past recipient of the SEC Chairman’s Award for Excellence and the Capital Markets Award. He is a member of the New York and Massachusetts State Bars, the New York State Bar Association and the Committee on White Collar Criminal Litigation, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the Federal Bar Council.

Representative Matters

  • Successfully represented a hedge fund adviser in an SEC investigation of the valuation of illiquid investments. Following multiple presentation to the staff, the SEC closed the investigation
  • Successfully represented a hedge fund adviser in an SEC investigation of order marking compliance. Following multiple presentation to the staff, the SEC closed the investigation.
  • Successfully represented one of the nation’s largest energy companies in an investigation of accounting and financial reporting issues. Following multiple presentations to the staff, the SEC closed the investigation.
  • Successfully represented a private equity fund management company and its principal in an investigation of allocation of expenses between the management company and client funds. Following extensive investigation, persuaded the SEC to close the investigation with no action.
  • Successfully represented the head of investor relations of a Fortune 100 company in an investigation of potential violations of Regulation FD. Following multiple presentations and submissions, persuaded the SEC not to take any action against our client.
  • Successfully represented one of the nation’s largest public companies in an investigation by SEC of company disclosures. Following multiple presentations to the staff, the SEC closed the investigation.
  • Successfully represented a Fortune 500 company in an SEC investigation of its financial reporting of non-GAAP measures. Following a presentation to the staff, the SEC closed the investigation.
  • Successfully represented a real estate fund management company in an SEC investigation of compliance with securities offering registration exemptions. Following extensive investigation and negotiation, achieved a favorable resolution with no adverse impact on the business
  • Representing a Fortune 500 company in an SEC investigation of ESG disclosures.
  • Representing a Fortune 100 company in an SEC investigation of cybersecurity disclosures.
  • Representing a publicly-held financial services company in an investigation of accounting, financial reporting and disclosure issues.
  • Representing a hedge fund manager in government investigations concerning portfolio valuation.
  • Represented a hedge fund and its principal in an investigation of the valuation of mortgage-backed securities.
  • Represented Och-Ziff Capital Management Group in a five-year FCPA investigation by DOJ and SEC. Successfully negotiated deferred prosecution agreement for parent corporation.
  • Represented Hewlett-Packard Company in FCPA investigation by DOJ and SEC.
  • Represented CEO of public company in an SEC investigation of the company’s financial disclosures.
  • Represented several of the nation’s largest hedge fund advisers in investigations of insider trading in equities and derivatives and information disclosure practices among financial institutions.
  • Successfully represented several private equity fund managers in SEC examinations of disclosures and fee and expense practices. Following presentations to SEC staff, the examinations were concluded without referral to Enforcement.
  • Successfully represented managing director of major investment bank in investigations by SEC, DOJ and New York Attorney General of structuring and sale of mortgage-backed securities. Following Wells submission and presentations to government, no enforcements actions were filed.
  • Successfully represented major investment bank in investigation of arrangement and syndication of commercial real estate loans to lenders. Following presentation of findings to the staff, regulator closed the investigation.
  • Successfully represented former managing director of major investment bank in investigation of proprietary trading of credit derivatives. After receiving a Wells notice, persuaded staff not to pursue enforcement action.
  • Successfully represented Fortune 100 corporation in investigation of timing of corporate disclosures relating to product defect. Following presentation to staff, SEC closed the investigation.
  • Successfully represented client in investigation of valuation of collateralized debt obligations by hedge fund adviser.
  • Represented major investment bank in regulatory review of “flash crash.”
  • Represented several hedge fund advisers in SEC investigations of trading in advance of public offerings and compliance with Rule 105.
  • Represented hedge fund adviser in investigation of potential market manipulation.

Speaking Engagements and Publications

  • Chair, “Hedge Fund and Private Equity Enforcement & Regulatory Developments 2023,” Practising Law Institute (September 2023).
  • Co-Chair, “Hedge Fund and Private Equity Enforcement & Regulatory Developments 2022,” Practising Law Institute (September 2022)
  • “Conflicts From Managing Multiple Funds and Other Current Challenges to Effective Compliance at Hedge Funds (Part Two of Two)” (February 2022).
  • “Implications of Recent Insider Trading and MNPI Cases for Hedge Fund Managers (Part One of Two)” (January 2022).
  • Moderator, “SEC Hot Topics – SEC and PCAOB Updates,” Center for Corporate Reporting and Governance (September 2021)
  • Panelist, “SEC Up Close,” Webcast (June 2021).
  • Panelist, “SPACS: What You need to Know to Prepare for the Wave of Litigation and Investigations,” Webcast (May 2021)
  • Co-Author, “How Biz Development Cos. Can Mitigate Regulatory Risks,” Law360 (May 11, 2020).
  • Moderator and Presenter, “Hedge Fund and Private Equity Enforcement and Regulatory Developments,” Practising Law Institute (2017-2021).
  • Moderator, “Directors Institute on Corporate Governance – What Boards and Their Counsel Need to Know About Enforcement and Compliance Under the New Administration,” Practising Law Institute (November 2017).
  • Moderator, “Perspectives on SEC enforcement Past, Present and Future,” Gibson Dunn (October 2017).
  • Presenter, “Regulatory Enforcement of the Securities Laws: Ethical Issues Associated with Internal and Governmental Investigations,” American Law Institute Securities and Shareholder Litigation Developments (October 2017).
  • Presenter, “Storming the Gatekeepers: When Compliance Officers and In-House Lawyers Are at Risk,” Practising Law Institute (September 2017).
  • Author, “The Regulatory Risks of a Deregulatory Environment,” Law360 (September 2017).
  • Presenter, “Examining FCPA Issues for Fund Managers,” Managed Funds Association Legal and Compliance Conference (May 2017).
  • Presenter, “Managing FCPA, Compliance and Enforcement Issues: Directors as Gatekeepers or Overseers,” Practicing Law Institute Directors Institute on Corporate Governance (November 2016).
  • Presenter, “Developments in DOJ and SEC Enforcement,” American Law Institute (March 2016).
  • Presenter, “SEC Enforcement Hot Topics,” IA Watch (November 2015).
  • Presenter, “Hot Topics in SEC Enforcement: Whistleblowing, Insider Trading, FCPA & More,” Association of the Bar of the City of New York (March 2013).
  • Presenter, “Hedge Fund Enforcement & Regulatory Developments,” Practising Law Institute (March 2013).
  • Presenter, “SEC Whistleblower Initiative: Update and Perspective,” Association of the Bar of the City of New York (January 2013).
  • Presenter, “SEC Enforcement Update,” Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals, Fall Conference (October 2012).
  • Presenter, “Hot Topics in SEC Enforcement,” Association of the Bar of the City of New York (March 2012).
  • Presenter, “Hot Topics in SEC Enforcement: Investigations in a Time of Turmoil,” Association of the Bar of the City of New York (March 2012).
  • Presenter, “SEC Whistleblower Rules,” IA Week Annual Compliance Summit (March 2012).
  • Co-Author, “Is This an Inspection or an Investigation? The Blurring Line Between Examinations of and Enforcement Actions Against Private Fund Managers,” Hedge Fund Law Report, Volume 5, Number 13 (March 2012).
  • Presenter, “Hedge Fund Registration and Compliance,” Practising Law Institute (January 2012).
  • Presenter, “SEC Enforcement Update,” NYSBA Securities Regulation Committee (February 2011).
  • Presenter, “SEC Hot Topics 2011 Luncheon,” Sandpiper Partners LLP (January 2011).
  • Presenter, “SEC Enforcement Update for Directors,” Mutual Fund Directors Forum (January 2011).
  • Presenter, “SEC Enforcement Update: Navigating the Seas of Heightened Enforcement,” Mutual Fund Directors Forum (November 2010).
  • Presenter, “SEC Enforcement Actions: Understanding the Legal & Equitable Remedies That the SEC Can Use Against Your Clients,” Association of the Bar of the City of New York (October 2010).
  • Program Chair, “Impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on the Securities Industry — What Broker-Dealers and Investment Advisers Need to Know,” Association of the Bar of the City of New York (October 2010).
  • Presenter, “SEC Update: Navigating the Seas of Heightened Enforcement,” Center for Corporate Reporting & Governance, Ninth Annual SEC Financial Reporting Conference (September 2010).
  • Presenter, “The Impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on the SEC’s Enforcement Program,” Association of the Bar of the City of New York (September 2010).
  • Speaker, “Riding Herd on Complex Products: Learn About the SEC Enforcement Division’s Newly Created Structured & New Products Unit,” Association of the Bar of the City of New York (April 2010).
  • Co-Author, “Recent Developments in SEC Insider Trading Cases,” Securities Litigation Report, Vol. 7, Issue 4 (April 2010).
  • Panelist, “Getting Governance Right: Listening for the Early Warning Signals,” Operational Risk Committee and International Association of Financial Engineers Spring 2010 Panel at PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York (March 2010).
  • Presenter, “The SEC’s New Cooperation Policy—What You Need to Know to Navigate the New Guidelines,” Association of the Bar of the City of New York (February 2010).
  • Presenter, “Insider Trading: Looking for the Bright Line,” Institutional Investor Legal Forum Winter Roundtable (February 2010).
  • Presenter, “Insider Trading: Navigating Murky Waters,” Institutional Investor Trader Forum Winter Workshop and Equity Summit (January 2010).

Barry H. Berke is renowned nationwide as a leading trial lawyer and white-collar criminal defense attorney. He is Co-Chair of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group and a member of the Trials and White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Groups. Barry represents individuals and corporations in high-stakes trials, investigations, and complex litigation. He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Barry is widely acclaimed for his success and creativity as a trial lawyer and strategist, his ability to connect with and persuade juries, and his skills in protecting his clients’ interests. Chambers USA has recognized Barry as a “Star Individual” in Trial Lawyers Nationwide (one of only 11 nationwide) and as a “Star Individual” in New York for White-collar Crime & Government Investigations (one of only five lawyers). He has been praised in Chambers USA as “one of the foremost litigators in the U.S.” and “the go-to criminal defense lawyer in the country.” His peers and clients describe him as “the best lawyer of our generation,” “America’s greatest trial lawyer,” and “a legend of the profession.” Known for his “strategic ingeniousness,” “incredibly sharp legal mind,” and “great connection with juries,” Barry is celebrated for his ability to protect his clients and navigate them through crises. Others note that Barry is “endlessly creative, brilliant and super effective as an advocate,” and that “[t]here’s no problem he can’t solve.” The Legal 500 US 2025 has named Barry a “Leading Trial Lawyer” and has recommended him in the area of corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense. Barry has also been named by Benchmark Litigation as a New York “Litigation Star” (2026) and recognized as one of Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Lawyers in America (2025-2026), a guide to the nation’s top attorneys.

Barry served as chief impeachment counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives during the Senate impeachment trial of the former President of the United States. As lead counsel, Barry was instrumental in preparing and presenting a case that garnered widespread recognition for its precise choreography and compelling presentation of factual evidence and constitutional arguments.

Previously, Barry served as special counsel to the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives during its first investigation and impeachment of the former President. His opening statement and cross-examination of key witnesses received widespread acclaim, with The Washington Post naming him “Distinguished Person of the Week” and Slate describing his cross-examination of the president’s former campaign manager as “a cross-examination that should be mandatory viewing for every law student in the history of time.”

Recent Representations*

  • Secured dismissal of all charges against New York’s former Lieutenant Governor Brian Benjamin, as federal prosecutors dismissed the bribery indictment against him after a nearly three-year-long battle.
  • Secured complete vindication for a hedge fund manager in an insider trading and fraud case, culminating in the dismissal of all remaining charges following acquittal of the insider trading charges at trial and the remaining counts being overturned on appeal.
  • Successfully resolved an arbitration dispute for an American multinational media company against its former CEO resulting in the dismissal of the proceeding and the reversion of a $120 million grantor trust to the company.
  • Represented former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio in federal and local criminal investigations, which concluded with no charges or actions taken.
  • Represented a former investment bank broker accused of participating in one of the largest tax fraud cases in history and secured acquittal of all nine criminal charges against him after a ten-week trial in the Southern District of New York.
  • Successfully represented a former hedge fund manager in a prominent insider-trading case where it was shown U.S. prosecutors overstepped the bounds of insider-trading law.
  • Succeeded in clearing the head of a multibillion-dollar investment fund of all charges in an indictment alleging an FCPA bribery conspiracy in connection with the privatization of a state-owned oil company.
  • Won dismissal of all claims brought against a major bank in the first bank-against-bank lawsuit arising out of the financial crisis seeking to recover $3 billion in losses. 
  • Conducted internal investigations for boards and audit committees of major companies.
  • Represented a company’s general counsel charged with violating federal immigration and labor laws and achieved dismissal of all charges against him on the eve of trial following successful motions to sever and limit the charges.
  • Secured an acquittal of all 23 counts for a lawyer client charged with participating in a multimillion-dollar securities arbitrage fraud following a two-month jury trial.
  • Successfully defended the president of an investment company accused of a $60 million bond fraud. Achieved a complete dismissal of all charges following the government’s case at trial.
  • Represented an accountant and officer of a Fortune 20 company in an SEC accounting fraud investigation. Following two Wells submissions, Barry successfully persuaded the SEC not to file any charges.
  • Represented the owner of a 1933 Double Eagle gold coin, considered the rarest and most valuable coin in the world, in a case where the U.S. government claimed it was stolen property. Barry successfully persuaded the government to dismiss criminal charges and negotiated a landmark civil forfeiture settlement on the eve of trial, resulting in a record $7.6 million auction, with proceeds divided between his client and the government.
  • Represented a prominent law firm in an arbitration brought by a former partner, achieving a significant decision that upheld the enforceability of the firm’s partnership agreement and noncompete provisions.
  • Represented a businessman involved in a high-profile state corruption scandal, successfully persuading the government to end its investigation and criminal prosecution.
  • Represented world-champion boxers and others in the boxing profession in high-profile arbitrations and court proceedings, all of which Barry won on behalf of his clients.

Barry co-authored The Practice of Federal Criminal Law: Prosecution and Defense and has taught courses on criminal law and professional ethics at New York University School of Law. He is also chairman of the board of directors of the Coalition for the Homeless and former chairman of the board of directors of the Federal Defenders of New York.

Barry received his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School and his B.A., summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from Duke University. After law school, he clerked for the Honorable Mary Johnson Lowe of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Barry was a Partner in the New York office of a major law firm and served as Chair of the firm’s Litigation Department. Earlier in his career, Barry was a trial lawyer with the federal defenders office for the Southern District of New York where he defended individuals accused of a wide range of federal offenses, serving as lead counsel in numerous jury trials and achieving favorable verdicts in a large majority of those cases.

*Matters handled prior to joining Gibson

Marquan Robertson is an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn. He currently practices with the firm’s Litigation Department.

Marquan clerked for the Honorable Carl E. Stewart of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Prior to clerking, he graduated cum laude from Notre Dame Law School, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Legislation and received the Captain William O. McLean and Patricia O’Hara Scholarship and Leadership awards.

Marquan earned his undergraduate degree in Economics with a certificate in Political Economy from Temple University.

Marquan is a member of the State Bar of Pennsylvania and is admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Michael M. Farhang is a former federal prosecutor and a partner in the Los Angeles office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He is a member of the firm’s White Collar Defense and Investigations and Securities Litigation Practice Groups. Michael is an experienced litigator and trial attorney who has earned recoveries totaling nearly $70 million for private equity and corporate clients pursuing fraud, contract, and M&A-related claims. He specializes in private M&A litigation matters, including rep and warranty, earnout, and working capital disputes, as well as the defense of companies, directors, and executives in DOJ and SEC investigations and in shareholder class actions, derivative suits and other commercial litigation. Michael has tried more than 25 cases in government and private practice.

Michael has been recognized as a leading lawyer by Chambers, which described him as “fantastic and very strong” in his representation of clients. Chambers Latin America has described him as “a go-to figure for international operations compliance,” having ranked him in Latin America-wide: Fraud (2016) and Latin America-wide: Corporate Crime & Investigations (2019-2022). The Legal 500 – Latin America has ranked Michael as a leading lawyer in the Compliance and Investigations category (2021-2024). He was also profiled in an edition of Latin Lawyer‘s Anti-Corruption Survey for his experience handling FCPA matters in Latin America. In 2015, the Los Angeles Business Journal named Michael to their “Most Influential Lawyers: White Collar and Cyber Crime” list, which recognizes 27 “stellar attorneys in Los Angeles,” and he is frequently named a Southern California Super Lawyer in the field of white collar criminal defense (2005-2006, 2012-2024). Michael has also been recognized as a leading litigator by The Best Lawyers in America® since 2010 and received recognition for his “high caliber work in Criminal Defense: White Collar,” and has been named as a California “Litigation Star (2026)” by Benchmark Litigation.

Michael’s civil litigation practice includes commercial, securities and M&A-related litigation, and he has specific subspecialties in post‐M&A fraud claims and shareholder derivative and class action litigation. His civil litigation experience also includes commercial disputes involving claims of common law and federal and state securities fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, trade secrets, unfair trade practices, and breach of contract. In the white collar area, Michael regularly represents corporate and individual clients and has specific subspecialties in Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) matters and Latin American corporate investigations. Michael has conducted investigations and compliance work relating to FCPA, AML, and OFAC issues in ten countries and regularly leads investigations for clients conducted in Spanish.

Michael’s representative civil and white collar criminal engagements include the following:

  • Lead litigation counsel in Swipe v. Krauss, et al., in Delaware Chancery Court, an action pursuing representation and warranty, fraud, and indemnification claims on behalf of a private equity client against a group of sellers arising from a private M&A transaction.
  • Secured a $21 million damages award in an M&A-related fraud case on behalf of a private equity client that purchased a California-based manufacturing company. Michael led the investigation that uncovered fraud by the seller of the acquired company and co-tried the successful arbitration that resulted in the award for Gibson Dunn’s private equity client.
  • Represented Vivendi S.A., a French multinational media company, and several affiliated directors in civil shareholder class action and derivative litigation in Delaware’s Court of Chancery relating to a more than $8 billion stock repurchase transaction with Activision Blizzard, Inc., a California-based software and gaming company.
  • Represented Jacobs Engineering, a leading international engineering and construction company, in civil securities litigation involving one of the early shareholder derivative suits based on the Say-On-Pay provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act. The shareholder action was dismissed with prejudice at the pleading stage.
  • Served as one of the lead lawyers on the Gibson Dunn defense team that obtained the complete dismissal with prejudice of the federal and state securities litigation involving allegations of stock option backdating in In re Computer Sciences Corporation Shareholder Derivative Litigation, CV 06-5288-MRP (C.D. Cal.), and In re Computer Sciences Corporation Options Litigation, Case No. 353316 (L.A. Super. Ct.), litigation in which Gibson Dunn represented Computer Sciences Corporation, its senior management, and its Board of Directors.
  • Secured a $21 million damages award in an M&A-related fraud case on behalf of a private equity client that purchased a California-based manufacturing company. Michael led the investigation that uncovered fraud by the seller of the acquired company and co-tried the successful arbitration that resulted in the award for Gibson Dunn’s private equity client.
  • Represented a number of corporate directors of Moneygram International, Inc., a publicly held money transfer company, in subprime-related shareholder derivative litigation in California state court.
  • Led defense of DOJ and SEC investigations for Fortune 500 multinational company regarding whistleblower claims of alleged bribery and FCPA violations relating to Latin America operations. DOJ and SEC declined any enforcement action with respect to Gibson Dunn’s client.
  • Led defense of SEC investigation for publicly traded semiconductor company regarding whistleblower allegations of securities fraud. SEC declined enforcement with respect to Gibson Dunn’s client.
  • Represented Brazilian energy company PetrÓleo Brasileiro S.A. (“Petrobras”) with respect to U.S. government investigations and coordinated DOJ and SEC resolutions relating to internal controls, books and records, and financial statements issues arising out of Operation Car Wash (“Lava Jato”).
  • Advised Walmart regarding its 2018 acquisition of a $16 billion majority stake in India’s Flipkart Private Ltd., as profiled in Law360 and other publications. The Flipkart transaction has been described as the largest e-commerce acquisition in history .
  • Led the investigation and successful pursuit of fraud and RICO claims by a corporate buyer against the seller of a California-based health products company in an M&A transaction. The claims were settled shortly after the complaint was filed, resulting in a settlement worth in excess of $20 million for Gibson Dunn’s client.
  • Served as one of the lead lawyers on a Gibson Dunn team assisting the FCPA counsel to the first non-U.S. compliance monitor in connection with the largest-ever FCPA settlement, an engagement that includes work in numerous countries (including in Latin America and Europe) and involved substantial Spanish-language witness interviews.
  • Conducted a significant internal inquiry for a corporate client relating to OFAC sanctions enforcement issues, an inquiry that involved work in the U.S., Europe and Asia.

Between 1996 and 2003, Michael served with the United States Department of Justice as a federal prosecutor. Michael was hired by the Department through the Attorney General’s Honor Program. Between 1996 and 1999, he served with the Criminal and Tax Divisions at the Department headquarters in Washington, D.C. and handled counterterrorism, death penalty, criminal tax, and money laundering matters.

From 1999 to 2003, Michael served as an Assistant United States Attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, where he specialized in white collar fraud prosecutions (including securities, mail, wire, and tax fraud) in the Major Fraud section, and handled numerous investigations, trials, evidentiary hearings, and Ninth Circuit appellate matters. Michael was a recipient of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Special Achievement Award and served in Iraq on behalf of the Department in 2003 as part of a 13-member legal team (consisting of federal judges, prosecutors, and public defenders) working with the Coalition Provisional Authority on reconstruction of the Iraqi judicial system.

Publications Include:

  • “Cybersecurity and the Future of SEC Enforcement,” Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journals (June 5, 2019)
  • “Why Law Firms Must Have a Compliance Plan for PE Clients” Law360 (featured) (May 17, 2019)
  • “Looking Back and Ahead at the False Claims Act,” (with D. Wong Yang, J. Zelenay, and S. Twomey), Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journals (February 14, 2019)

Michael graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard College, receiving an A.B. magna cum laude in Government and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations in 1992. He received his Juris Doctor cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he was a Developments/Comments Editor on the Harvard International Law Journal. Michael served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable William J. Rea, U.S. District Judge, Central District of California, in 1995-1996. Michael is a member of the California Bar and is admitted to practice in the Central District of California and the Ninth Circuit.

Michael is a frequent speaker and published author on a variety of M&A-related, white collar and securities litigation issues and regularly presents on these topics at national conferences and through webcasts. He has served as a Lecturer in Law at USC Gould School of Law, where he has co-taught a course on federal criminal law issues. He also is a past member of the California State Bar’s Federal Courts Committee and the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Litigation Section. Michael has previously served as a member of the boards of directors of both the Children’s Law Center, a nonprofit child advocacy organization that represents all of the nearly 33,000 children in Los Angeles and Sacramento Counties who come under the jurisdiction of the juvenile dependency courts, and the Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice, a legal aid organization serving communities in East Los Angeles and elsewhere.

Suzi Kondic is a litigation associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn. She returned to the firm in 2025 after clerking for the Honorable Michael W. Mosman and the Honorable Amy M. Baggio of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon.

Suzi received her Juris Doctor in 2022 from Columbia Law School, where she served as Executive Editor of the Human Rights Law Review. She graduated summa cum laude from Tulane University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Environmental Studies.

She is admitted to practice in the State of New York and before the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Kristin A. Linsley is a partner in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s San Francisco office, where she is a member of the Litigation Department. Kristin specializes in complex business and appellate litigation across a spectrum of areas, including water and energy law, cybersecurity and technology law, international and transnational law, data and privacy, and complex financial litigation.  She has earned a national reputation for achieving favorable results for her clients in high-profile complex matters, and is noted for the strength of her legal analysis and the depth and breadth of her multinational litigation experience.

In the area of business litigation, Kristin has defended clients in high-stakes litigation involving financial issues arising from the mortgage crisis, commercial/contract disputes between companies, securities fraud and RICO violations, technology, telecommunications, and privacy issues, consumer class actions, intellectual property, and defense and aerospace-related issues.

Kristin has a strong general regulatory practice, advising clients on compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and also devising and implementing legal challenges to such laws and regulations where necessary.  She also has broad experience in the area of data privacy, cybersecurity, and technology law, representing companies such as Facebook and Expedia with respect to some of their most challenging data security issues.  Currently, Kristin is part of a Gibson Dunn team representing Facebook in connection with the recent Cambridge Analytica events.  And she has represented Expedia subsidiary HomeAway in a series of challenges to state and local ordinances that regulate the business of short-term property rentals.  Kristin and her team recently secured a preliminary injunction against such an ordinance passed by the City of New York on the ground that the City’s requirement that the company turn over large volumes of consumer data violated the Fourth Amendment.  Kristin has handled such challenges in a wide range of matters in both federal and state court.

Kristin also has an active practice in the area of water and energy law.  Currently, she represents one of California’s oldest public water and energy districts in a challenge to a county ordinance that regulates credits for private use of solar energy.  She previously represented that same district in a groundbreaking action challenging the State of California’s failure to comply with its obligations attendant to an historic agreement to transfer a portion of the district’s Colorado River waters to San Diego.  Kristin has worked actively with the district’s board of directors in both sets of actions.

Kristin also has an active appellate practice representing clients in a wide range of industries before the federal and state appellate courts and the U.S. Supreme Court.  Kristin has briefed and argued appeals on a wide range of matters, including cases involving complex business transactions, jurisdictional and procedural issues, class actions, and telecommunications issues.

On the international/transnational side, Kristin has spent over two decades litigating complex international law issues arising from clients’ overseas operations, including claims brought under the Alien Tort Statute.  She also has handled multiple actions seeking to impose liability on companies under the Anti-Terrorism Act based on claimed “material support” for International terrorist activities. Kristin is a frequent writer and speaker on these issues.

Kristin also has broad corporate governance experience, counseling a broad range of clients and their boards of directors on matters of corporate governance, directors’ responsibilities, transactions, and similar matters.

Kristin also was appointed in 2008 by the U.S. Supreme Court to serve as a Special Master in an original case before the court, South Carolina v. North Carolina, Original No. 138, the first woman to hold that post.  She has translated that experience into an expertise in water law, including representing a California municipality and holder of significant Colorado River water rights in a petition to the State Water Resources Control Board.

Kristin’s clients have included Facebook, Bank of America, Fidelity Investments, Archer-Daniels-Midland, the Lawrence Livermore National Labs, The Boeing Company, Northrop, Tessera, Inc., Financial Engines, and Occidental Petroleum.

Kristin is frequently recognized as a top legal practitioner in California and across the United States. Her recent accolades include:

  • Benchmark Litigation – California Litigation Star (2025-2026)
  • Best Lawyers – The Best Lawyers in America (2021-2026)
  • Lawdragon – 500 Leading Litigators in America (2023-2026)
  • BTI Consulting Group – Client Service All-Star MVP (2023, 2024)
  • The Recorder – Women Leaders in Tech Law (2018, 2023)
  • Daily Journal – Top Cyber Lawyers (2020)
  • Law360 – Technology MVP (2020)
  • Women in Business Law Awards – Cybersecurity Attorney of the Year (2020)
  • National Law Journal – Technology Trailblazer (2019)
  • Daily Journal – Top Cyber/Artificial Intelligence Lawyers (2018, 2019)
  • Daily Journal – Top Women Lawyers in California (2017, 2018)
  • Center for Women in Law – Power Players: Women Leading in Law (2018)
  • National Law Journal – Outstanding Women Lawyers (2015)
  • Law360 – Female Powerbroker (2014)

Kristin is a frequent writer and speaker on a range of legal issues, including international and transnational litigation matters and original jurisdiction and water allocation disputes between states.  She has spoken at the ABA Environmental Law Section conference in Indianapolis, the American Constitution Society, Duke University, the Federalist Society, Georgetown University Law Center, Pepperdine University, UC Hastings, UC Irvine School of Law, UCLA and Rutgers University, among others.

Kristin served as a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in the 1989 Term and for Judge D.H. Ginsburg of the D.C. Circuit in 1988-89.  She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1988. She received an A.B., magna cum laude, in 1982 from Harvard University, where she was captain of the women’s cross country team and a member of the All-East and All-Ivy teams for track and field and cross country.

In 2023, Kristin was appointed to serve a three-year term on the Advisory Board of the Ninth Circuit, which advises Chief Circuit Judge Mary H. Murguia regarding proposed matters relating to effective administration of the courts in the Ninth Circuit.

Kristin is admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court, the 9th Circuit, the Federal Circuit and the federal and state courts in California and New York. She is a member of the ABA Litigation Section.

Richard J. Doren is a partner in Gibson Dunn’s Los Angeles office and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. Over the course of his 37 years at the firm, Rich has litigated, tried and argued appeals in complex matters before state and federal courts across the country, as well as international arbitration tribunals.

Rich is a seasoned trial lawyer who specializes in preparing and litigating complex, high-stakes cases. He has tried more than two dozen cases in venues across the country, representing a wide range of plaintiffs, defendants, and legal issues.

The National Law Journal featured Rich in its Special Report on Winning Litigators, highlighting attorneys who “scored big victories for their clients in high-stakes cases.” He was also named “Litigator of the Week” by The American Lawyer for his role as lead trial counsel for Apple in Epic v. Apple. Rich has received consistent recognition from Chambers USA in the Insurance category and was recently named to the Daily Journal’s “Leading Commercial Litigators” list, as well as one of California’s Top 100 Lawyers. He has also been designated a “Litigation Star” by Benchmark Litigation. Additionally, Rich has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for his work in Commercial Litigation, Insurance, and Health Care, and earned a “Recommended” ranking from The Legal 500 for Health Insurance.

Representative trials include: 

  • Lead trial counsel for Apple in a three-week bench trial in May 2021, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, defending against state and federal antitrust claims brought by Epic Games, Inc. In September 2021, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled in favor of Apple on all of Epic’s antitrust claims. The case was referred to in the press as “the Super Bowl of Antitrust,” and it was recognized by Daily Journal as one of the Top Verdicts of 2021, by Global Competition Review as the antitrust Matter of the Year, and by Benchmark Litigation as an Impact Case of the Year.
  • Lead trial counsel for a large technology staffing company in a reverse discrimination jury trial in May 2023 in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The trial involved a certified class of former employees claiming that Rich’s client discriminated against non-South Asians in making certain retention and termination decisions. Following several days of deliberations after a two-week jury trial, the jury was unable to reach a verdict and the court declared a mistrial. The case is scheduled to be retried in February 2024. A motion to decertify the class based on the recent trial record is currently pending.
  • Lead trial counsel for a large U.S. manufacturer in a three-week international arbitration in London in Fall 2022 and Spring 2023. Rich’s client was sued by a Portuguese company seeking over one billion dollars in damages based on claims addressing a series of contracts and transactions between the two parties and several governmental ministeries of an African country. The three-member tribunal ruled entirely in favor of Rich’s client, awarding it attorneys’ fees and costs from plaintiff.
  • Lead trial counsel for a major insurer in a four-week confirmation hearing in July 2022 before the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Rich took the lead in presenting the case on behalf of a group of several dozen different insurers, each of which were represented by separate counsel. Following the month-long trial, the court denied confirmation of the plan until the debtor addressed the primary issues raised by the insurer group.
  • Lead trial counsel for Netlist in a November 2021 jury trial in the United States District Court for the Central District of California in which Netlist sued Samsung for breach of a license agreement and supply contract. Following an award of nominal damages by the jury, judgment was entered in favor of Netlist.
  • Lead trial counsel for a major insurer in a two-week bench trial in December 2020 in the complex division of the Los Angeles Superior Court. The trial resolved a series of factual issues related to insurance coverage for sexual abuse claims, and those findings have been used to great effect in subsequent motions.
  • Lead trial counsel in a May 2019 jury trial for Apple’s contract manufacturers in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, in which Rich’s clients pressed antitrust claims against Qualcomm based on its business practices in the sale of cellular chips and chipsets. The case settled after a jury had been selected and opening statements delivered.
  • Lead trial counsel in an arbitration in Spring 2017 in West Virginia before three sitting state court judges over a $120 million dispute between an out-of-state insurer and the state’s teachers’ retirement plan over the state’s right to terminate an annuity contract and reinvest the funds in alternative investments. Following the presentation of dozens of witnesses and hundreds of exhibits, Rich secured a unanimous decision from the panel for his client, with the three state court judges finding that the insurer had acted properly and owed the retirement plan nothing.
  • Lead trial counsel in a four-week jury trial in April 2016 in Santa Clara County Superior Court in which Rich’s client, a health insurer and plan administrator, asserted seven different tort claims involving billing fraud against nine defendants involved in the operation of ambulatory surgery centers. The jury rendered a verdict of $37.5 million in favor of Rich’s client, awarding every dollar Rich sought on each cause of action. The sole question asked by the jury during deliberations was whether its award was limited to the amount of damages requested. In lieu of an appeal, the matter settled for more than $40 million.

Sonia Ghura is an associate in Gibson Dunn’s Washington, D.C. office. She practices primarily in the firm’s Litigation Department.

Sonia earned her Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 2024, where she was an Executive Editor of the Yale Law & Policy Review, Articles Editor of the Yale Journal of Law and Feminism, and Editor of the Yale Journal on Regulation. During law school, Sonia counseled several technology and AI startups in the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Clinic. She also worked on civil rights cases to help veterans of color, LGBTQ+ veterans, and veterans who had experienced military sexual trauma in the Veterans Legal Services Clinic. Sonia represented the law school on Yale’s Graduate and Professional Student Senate and co-chaired the Title IX Working Group, among other campus involvements.

Sonia received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Emory University, where she was a Robert W. Woodruff Scholar and graduated with high honors and membership in Phi Beta Kappa. Sonia also received a Master of Studies degree from the University of Oxford, where she was a Charles Elias Shepard Scholar.

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

Maxwell Peck is a litigation associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn.

Maxwell received his Juris Doctor in 2020 from New York University School of Law, where he served as an executive editor on the N.Y.U. Law Review. He received his Bachelor of Arts in public and international affairs from Princeton University in 2009.

He served as a law clerk to the Honorable Morgan Christen of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2023 to 2024 and to the Honorable Sterling Johnson, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York from 2021 to 2022.

Maxwell is admitted to practice in the State of New York and before the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

George Khoury is an associate in the Los Angeles office of Gibson Dunn. He currently practices with the firm’s Litigation Department.

 He graduated from Duke University School of Law in 2024. While in law school, George served as Research Editor on the Duke Law Journal and as a member of the Duke Law Moot Court Board. He also served as a judicial extern for Chief Judge Gutierrez of the Central District of California during the Summer of 2022. In his third year at Duke, George was awarded both the Richard Lin Service Above Self Award and the Justin Miller Award for Citizenship. He graduated magna cum laude from California Lutheran University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Philosophy.

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

Alessandra Schmidt is an associate in the Munich office of Gibson Dunn. She is a member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group.

Alessandra focuses her practice on German and international commercial arbitration and complex litigation matters.

Handelsblatt / The Best Lawyers™ in Germany 2025/2026 have recognized Alessandra in their list “Ones to Watch” for Litigation.

Alessandra studied law at the University of Passau, the University of London and Cardiff University. In 2016 she received her Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from the University of London (International Programs). She passed her first state examination in 2019 in Passau.

During her legal clerkship, she worked for a renowned UK law firm in Frankfurt am Main and for the Federal Foreign Office (department for international energy policy and decarbonization). Alessandra passed her second state examination at the Higher Regional Court Frankfurt am Main. She has been admitted as a German lawyer (Rechtsanwältin) since 2022.

Alessandra is fluent in German, English, and French.

Enno Schley is an associate in the Munich office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the firm’s White Collar Defense and Investigations and Litigation Practice Groups.

Enno advises clients in the area of corporate governance and compliance with a focus on white collar defense and internal investigations including the representation of companies before domestic and foreign authorities. He also advises on the structuring, implementation, and assessment of compliance management systems.

His litigation practice focuses on compliance-related litigation matters and proceedings as well as the development and execution of courses of action in complex factual constellations.

Handelsblatt / The Best Lawyers™ in Germany 2025/2026 have recognized Enno in their list “Ones to Watch” for Criminal Defense and Litigation.

He studied law at the Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany, and completed his clerkship at the High Court of Berlin, Germany. In 2018, Enno earned his doctor’s degree from the University of Bayreuth, Germany. He has been admitted as a German lawyer (Rechtsanwalt) since 2019.

During his studies and his legal clerkship, Enno worked as a research assistant and trainee for different renowned international law firms in Munich, Germany, in Cape Town, South Africa, and the inhouse consulting of a DAX® company in Bonn, Germany.

Enno speaks German and English.

Daniel Rogits is an of counsel in the Frankfurt office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the Finance Practice Group.

Daniel advises private equity investors, banks and other financial institutions, and corporates on domestic and cross-border debt finance matters with a focus on acquisition finance, leveraged finance, as well as corporate finance.

Handelsblatt / The Best Lawyers™ in Germany 2025/2026 have recognized Daniel in their list “Ones to Watch” for Banking and Finance Law.

His experience includes advising*:

  • A private equity investor in connection with the financings for buy-and-build platforms.
  • A FinTech company in connection with bespoke borrowing-base financing arrangement to reach their next growth stage.
  • A bank syndicate of initial purchasers, led by Deutsche Bank and J.P. Morgan SE, on the issuance of various financial instruments by Mangrove LuxCo III S.à r.l. and its subsidiaries for the early and full repayment of Kelvion’s existing restructuring liabilities.
  • BENTELER Group, a global business engaged in automotive technology and steel/tube products, on the issuance of high-yield bonds and on a syndicated loan facility and a revolving credit facility for the early and full repayment of BENTELER Group’s existing restructuring liabilities.
  • Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan on the new term loan facility and revolving credit facility for Cheplapharm, both of which were to be used to refinance and upsize the existing term loan and revolving credit facilities.
  • Consolidated Energy Finance S.A., a financing subsidiary of Switzerland-based leading international methanol and fertilizer producer Consolidated Energy Limited AG, on the issuance of high-yield bonds as well as Term Loan B facilities and revolving credit facilities.
  • Goldman Sachs, Commerzbank and LBBW in connection with the financing of Triton’s acquisition of a stake in the All4Labels global packaging group and represented the banks in connection with the financing of various add-on acquisitions and incremental facilities.
  • A Spanish banking consortium in connection with the financing of Fertiberia Group, Spain’s largest fertilizer producer.
  • A syndicate of banks in connection with a Term Loan B cov-light facility and a revolving credit facility for Cheplapharm, an international operating pharmaceutical company.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Daniel was an associate in the finance group at a magic circle law firm and, most recently, a local partner in the Frankfurt office of a renowned international U.S. law firm. In 2019, he was seconded to a private equity investor in London.

Daniel earned his Juris Doctor from Santa Clara University School of Law, California, in 2010 and his LL.M. (Master of Laws) degree in International Banking and Finance Law from University College London in 2013. Prior to his legal studies, Daniel received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from California State University Monterey Bay in 2007.

He is admitted to practice law in Germany, England & Wales, New York, and California.

Daniel is fluent in German and English.

* Experience prior to joining Gibson Dunn

Simon J. Ruhland is an associate in the Frankfurt office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the firm’s Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Group.

Simon advises both public entities and private clients across various industries on all aspects of public law. His practice covers administrative, constitutional, European, and public international law, as well as legislative matters. He works closely with the firm’s Riyadh office.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Simon was a trainee lawyer at a renowned German law firm, at the German Federal Foreign Office in Berlin, and at the German Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam. He also worked as a research assistant at major German and European law firms.

Simon studied law at Humboldt University of Berlin under a German Academic Scholarship. He passed both his first and second state exam with honors in 2021 and 2024, respectively. Simon earned his LL.M. degree from UCLA School of Law in 2022, where he received the International and Comparative Law Specialization Award for the highest GPA in his specialization. He has been admitted as a German lawyer (Rechtsanwalt) since 2024. In addition to his native German, he is fluent in English.

Nikita Malevanny is an associate in the Munich office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the firm’s White Collar Defense and Investigations, Litigation, International Trade, Media, Entertainment and Technology, and Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation Practice Groups.

Nikita focuses on international trade compliance, including EU sanctions, embargoes and export controls. He also carries out internal and regulatory investigations in the areas of corporate anti-corruption, anti-money laundering and technical compliance. His further area of expertise is intellectual property law.

Handelsblatt / The Best Lawyers™ in Germany 2025/2026 have recognized Nikita in their list “Ones to Watch” for Intellectual Property Law, Information Technology Law and Litigation. The Legal 500 Deutschland 2024 and The Legal 500 EMEA 2024 have recommended him for Foreign Trade Law. 

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, he was a doctoral fellow and scholarship holder at the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition in Munich. In 2011, his comparative law study was awarded the German-Russian Lawyers Prize for the best paper written in German.

Nikita holds both German and Russian law degrees. He studied law at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, the Uppsala University and the Leipzig University. In 2010, he also obtained his Master of Law (LL.M.) summa cum laude from the University of Freiburg. In 2019, Nikita earned his doctor’s degree from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. He has been admitted as a German lawyer (Rechtsanwalt) since 2020.

Nikita speaks German, English, Russian and Ukrainian.

David Lübkemeier is an associate in the Munich office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the firm’s Private Equity and Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group and the Transactional Department.

David advises clients on domestic and international cross-border mergers and acquisitions, including the formation and dissolution of joint-ventures and carve-out scenarios, private equity transactions, as well as venture capital transactions This includes advising clients, both public and private, from various industries in auctions, asset , and share deals. He further advises on various issues of corporate law, including corporate governance.

He studied law at Freie Universität Berlin. Before completing his Second State Examination at the Higher Regional Court (Kammergericht) of Berlin, David was a trainee in the Munich office of a renowned German law firm. David obtained his Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree from University College London in 2017 specializing in corporate law and corporate finance. He obtained his Executive Master in Business Administration (EMBA) degree from the University of Munster in 2024. He has been admitted as a German lawyer (Rechtsanwalt) since 2021.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, David worked as an associate in the Munich office of a renowned German law firm.

In addition to his native German, David speaks English.

Vladimir Konchakov is an associate in the Frankfurt office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice Groups.

Vladimir advises clients on domestic and cross-border Private Equity and M&A transactions, joint ventures, as well as on general corporate law matters.

Handelsblatt / The Best Lawyers™ in Germany 2025/2026 have recognized Vladimir in their list “Ones to Watch” for Corporate Law.

Representative transactions* include advising:

  • Group of lenders on the sale of Heubach Group to Sudarshan.
  • Brembo N.V. in its acquisition of Öhlins from Tenneco, a portfolio company of funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, Inc.
  • DECATHLON SE in its acquisition of Bergfreunde.
  • The Chemours Company in entering into a hydrogen joint venture with BWT Fumatech Mobility GmbH.
  • Mubadala co-investment in connection with the public takeover of va-Q-tec AG.
  • Synopsys in its acquisition of PikeTec from ECM Equity Capital Management.
  • Indie Semiconductor in its acquisition of Silicon Radar GmbH.
  • Calibre Scientific in its acquisition of the micro manipulation product portfolio from Eppendorf SE.

He studied law at the University of Heidelberg and completed his Second State Exam at the Higher Regional Court of Karlsruhe in 2021. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, he worked as an associate in the Frankfurt office of a renowned US law firm. He has been admitted as a German lawyer (Rechtsanwalt) since 2021.

Vladimir is fluent in German, English and Russian.

*Includes experience prior to joining Gibson Dunn.

Valentin Held is an associate in the Frankfurt office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the firm’s Litigation and White-Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Groups.

Valentin focuses his practice on international private law and international civil procedure law and on white-collar defense and sensitive investigations with cross-border elements.

Handelsblatt / The Best Lawyers™ in Germany 2025/2026 have recognized Valentin in their list “Ones to Watch” for Litigation.

His recent experience includes advising:

  • Mercedes-Benz in diesel-related mass-litigation;
  • Mercedes-Benz in climate change litigation;
  • A Fortune Global 500 consulting company in litigation against the Federal Republic of Germany.

Valentin studied law at the University of Mainz (Germany) and passed his first bar examination in 2014. In 2015, he earned his Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Competition Law and Policy with distinction from the University of Glasgow (UK).

Before completing his second bar examination at the Higher Regional Court of Koblenz in 2018, Valentin was a research associate and trainee in the Frankfurt office of an international law firm.

In addition to his native German, he is fluent in English.

Ryan Appleby is a litigation partner in the Los Angeles office of Gibson Dunn. Ryan focuses his practice on complex civil litigation and trial advocacy. He has helped clients navigate disputes in state and federal court, arbitration, and mediation in a variety of industries, including health care, insurance, higher education, and technology. Ryan has successfully tried some of his client’s most significant, high stakes matters including cases involving over a billion dollars of potential damages. Ryan also understands cases are fought and won inside and outside the courtroom and has extensive experience assisting in public relations, defending client secrets and confidentiality, and working with clients to protect reputational interests. Ryan has been recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America for Insurance Law.

Health Care Litigation: Ryan has extensive experience representing health plans, managed care organizations, and health insurers in a variety of lawsuits, arbitrations, and government inquiries. His recent experience includes:

  • Representing a defendant in In re MultiPlan Health Insurance Provider Litigation (N.D. Ill. 2025), a “sweeping” multidistrict litigation alleging antitrust claims against managed care organizations. 
  • Defending a pharmacy benefit manager in first-of-its-kind FTC investigation and enforcement action alleging unfair rebating practices with respect to insulin drugs.
  • Successfully defended a managed care organization in out-of-network reimbursement dispute filed in Pennsylvania. After the Court granted summary judgment on all but one claim—completely gutting the Plaintiffs’ case and eliminating any possibility of punitive damages or a jury trial—Plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed the single remaining count.
  • Representing a managed care organization in multiple disputes and trials in Florida relating to out-of-network reimbursements.

Insurance Litigation: Ryan has litigated game-changing cases for the country’s leading insurers. His recent experience includes:

  • Defended a national insurance company in highly publicized month-long trial relating to confirmation of a bankruptcy plan filed by the insured.
  • Representing a major insurer in six coverage litigation cases involving claims by a school district related to alleged sexual abuse of students by teachers.
  • Serving as national coordinating counsel for insurer client in connection with all sexual abuse exposures, including cases filed in several jurisdictions and forums.
  • Successfully resolved a case brought by a major event organizer and media company against commercial lines insurer for alleged “business interruption” losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Complex Commercial Litigation: In addition to Ryan’s extensive health care and insurance litigation experience, Ryan has a robust complex commercial litigation and trial practice. His recent experience includes:

  • Trial counsel for a large U.S. manufacturer in an international arbitration where the claimant alleged fraud and breach of contract and sought over one billion dollars in damages. After a three-week arbitration, the three-member tribunal ruled entirely in favor of the client, awarding it attorneys’ fees and costs from claimant.
  • Representing a university in litigation resulting from dozens of lawsuits filed in state and federal court alleging sexual abuse by university doctor.
  • Trial counsel for a leading semiconductor manufacturer in breach of contract dispute with former CEO.
  • Represented a multinational automotive manufacturer in putative class action involving alien tort and RICO claims and successfully secured a complete dismissal following oral argument and published decision. (You v. Japan (N.D. Cal. 2015) 150 F.Supp.3d 1140.)
  • Represented a leading technology company in data privacy class action alleging violations of Wiretap Act, California Invasion of Privacy Act, and other statutes, and successfully secured rejection of all class claims for statutory damages.
  • Successfully quashed multiple deposition subpoenas to executives of multinational technology firm and protected them against unnecessary third-party depositions.

Pro Bono and Board Affiliations

Ryan is actively involved in his community. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Western Center on Law and Poverty. And he maintains an active pro bono practice, including a variety of adoption, immigration, and criminal justice cases.

Education

Ryan received his law degree from the University of Southern California, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif, served as the executive notes editor on the Southern California Law Review, and was a member of the Post-Conviction Justice Project. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Pepperdine University. His publications include, “Proposition 9, Marsy’s Law: An Ill-Suited Ballot Initiative and the (Predictably) Unsatisfactory Results,” 86 S. Cal. L. Rev. 321 (2013).