Sam Harris is an associate in the Orange County office of Gibson Dunn, where he practices in the firm’s Transactional Department. His practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, and his experience includes representation of both public and private equity clients in general corporate governance matters and complex business transactions.

Sam earned his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 2021, where he competed with, and sat on the board of, the Alternative Dispute Resolution team. While in law school, Sam served as Managing Editor for the Georgetown Environmental Law Review, and as an editor on the Annual Review of Criminal Procedure. Sam served as a legal extern for United States District Court for the Southern District of California Judge Janis L. Sammartino, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Division of Enforcement, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Corporation Finance. Sam earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, and his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of California Los Angeles in 2017.

Sam is admitted to practice in both the State of California and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Andrew M. Herman is a partner in the firm’s Private Equity and Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Groups.

Andrew’s practice focuses on advising private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies on leveraged buyouts, growth equity investments, and other transactions. He also advises public companies on public and private mergers and acquisitions. He is experienced in advising on the acquisition and sale of sports franchises.

Andrew’s representative clients include MidOcean Partners, Quad-C Management, Arlington Capital, Rhone Capital, ATL Partners, and their portfolio companies. Andrew also advises Monumental Sports and Entertainment, the holding company of the Washington Wizards, Washington Capitals, and Washington Mystics.

 Andrew has been recognized as a top lawyer by Chambers USA from 2011 to present and has been named by Lawdragon Leading Dealmakers in America 2025, which honors “the eminents of M&A and power players of private equity”. He also has been recognized as a Notable practitioner in IFLR1000 2020-2024 in the areas of mergers and acquisitions and private equity and was listed in the 2013-2018 editions of Super Lawyers. In Chambers, Andrew is described as “a good, detail-oriented lawyer,” with clients noting that he “works really well with other attorneys.”

Representative Clients and Transactions

Private Equity Sponsor Transactions

  • MidOcean Partners in numerous transactions, including:
    • Investment in GridHawk Holdings, a premier provider of damage prevention services for critical utility infrastructure
    • Leveraged buy out of The Re-Sourcing Group, a professional services firm to the finance, accounting, compliance, and IT sectors
    • Formation of MPearlRock, a strategic collaboration to introduce emerging consumer packaged goods brands to new customers
    • Acquisition of GSTV, the national on-the-go video network engaging and entertaining targeted audiences at scale across tens of thousands of fuel retailers
    • Sale of InterVision Systems, a managed services provider helping mid-market, enterprise, and public sector organizations across the U.S. modernize and secure their IT operations
    • Acquisition of Cloyes, a leading manufacturer and distributor of timing drive systems and engine components for original equipment manufacturers and the automotive aftermarket
    • Acquisition of LYNX Franchising
    • Significant majority investment in InterVision Systems
    • Acquisition of Hanley Wood
    • Acquisition of Florida Food Products and follow-on acquisition of Amelia Bay
  • Rhone Group in numerous transactions, including:
    • Acquisition by HBC, parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue, of Neiman Marcus Group, parent company of Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman
    • Take-private transaction of Hudson’s Bay Company
    • Acquisition of Lummus Technology
  • Arlington Capital Partners in numerous transactions, including:
    • Formation of Kinetic Engine Systems, including the acquisitions of Walbar Engine Components, Numet Machining Techniques and AeroCision
    • Acquisition of Exostar, a leader in trusted, secure business collaboration in highly regulated industries
    • Formation of Tyto Athene, including the acquisition of NextiraOne Federal from Black Box Corporation and the follow-on acquisition of the Government Solutions Business of Black Box Corporation, forming Tyto Athene
  • Quad-C Management in numerous transactions, including:
    • Investment in holding company Legacy Food Group’s acquisitions of foodservice distributors Keck’s Food Service, M&V Provisions, Thomsen Foodservice, and Legacy Foodservice Alliance
    • Sale of its investment in S.i. System, one of Canada’s largest information technology staffing companies, to Cornell Capital and Torquest Partners
    • Investment in Synoptek, a leading global business and digital transformation advisory and consulting firm.
    • Investment and strategic recapitalization of HaystackID and follow-on acquisition of NightOwl Global
  • ATL Partners and Public Sector Pension Investment Board in the formation of a new aircraft leasing platform, SKY Leasing, and the subsequent sale of its international operations to Goshawk Aviation

Public Companies

  • SES, the Luxembourg-based satellite telecommunication network group, on the acquisition of its Virginia-based counterpart, Intelsat
  • CEB in its $3.3 billion sale to Gartner*
  • Piedmont Natural Gas in its $4.9 billion sale to Duke Energy*
  • Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets as the leader of a consortium of investors in the $4.7 billion acquisition of Cleco Corporation*
  • Exelon Corporation in its $7 billion acquisition of Pepco Holdings*
  • Freshpet in its Initial Public Offering*
  • Constellation Energy in $4.5 billion sale of 49.99% of its nuclear generation business and $2.6 billion of related liquidity enhancement transactions with Électricité de France SA*

Other Representative Matters

  • Dr. Barbara Sturm, the German molecular cosmetics brand, on its sale to Puig, a global leader in premium beauty
  • Monumental Sports & Entertainment on its 100% acquisition of the equity interests in NBC Sports Washington by acquiring NBCUniversal’s 67% stake in the network
  • Monumental Sports & Entertainment in the investment by Laurene Powell Jobs in the partnership that owns the Washington Capitals, Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, Capital One Arena, and other sports and entertainment assets and businesses*
  • Monumental Sports & Entertainment in its acquisition of a 33% equity interest in Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic Holdings and the sale of a 33% equity interest in Monumental Sports Network to NBCUniversal Media*
  • BofA Merrill Lynch, as financial advisor to The Sterling Family Trust, in the $2 billion sale of the Los Angeles Clippers basketball franchise to Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft Corp.*
  • Carolina Hurricanes in the sale of control to Tom Dundon, managing partner of Dundon Capital Partners*
  • Monumental Sports & Entertainment in its acquisition of the Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, Capital One Arena (f/k/a Verizon Center) and related businesses*
  • Longwing Real Estate Ventures in connection with acquisition with minority interest in New Jersey Nets and of hotel and commercial properties*
  • A number of clients seeking opportunities to acquire potential ownership of professional sports franchises

Andrew graduated in 1995 from Columbia University School of Law, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and the submissions editor of the Journal of Transactional Law. He received a master’s degree with honors in accounting from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1992.

*Engagements prior to joining Gibson Dunn.

Wim De Vlieger is a partner in the London office of Gibson Dunn. Wim is Co-Chair of Private Equity in Europe and a member of the Mergers and Acquisitions and Capital Markets Practice Groups.

Wim advises private equity investors and their portfolio companies on a wide range of corporate transactions, including growth equity and control investments and co-investments, structured transactions, buy-out transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and exits. He also has considerable experience advising on strategic cross-border M&A transactions and on international capital market transactions. He has broad experience counselling clients across a wide range of European jurisdictions, with a focus on transactions in the technology and life sciences sectors.

Wim is recognised by The Legal 500 UK 2024 for Private Equity: Transactions – High-Value Deals, M&A: Upper Mid-Market and Premium Deals £750 million+. He is also recognised by the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom as a leading lawyer for Private Equity Law.

Wim received an LL.M. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2007, a M.S. from HEC Paris in 2003 and a Masters of Law (cum laude) from the University of Leuven in 2002. He is admitted to practice in New York. He speaks Dutch and French.

Selected experience:*

  • Arvelle Therapeutics, a Swiss-based biopharmaceutical company, on its sale to Angelini Pharma for a total cash consideration of up to $960 million.
  • Gilde Buy Out Partners in its investment in Caseking, a supplier of high-performance PC gaming equipment and peripherals.
  • Goldman Sachs Private Capital, including on its:
    • investment and follow-on investment in Wolt, a delivery platform active in 18 countries;
    • investment in DocPlanner Group, an international healthcare booking platform provider; and
    • investment in technology platform LumApps.
  • Kiniciti, a Welsh Carson, Anderson & Stowe platform, in its control investment in Ncardia, a company focused on developing stem cell-based solutions for drug discovery and cell therapy.
  • KKR, including on its:
    • control investment in Biosynth Carbosynth, a life sciences reagents and custom synthesis and manufacturing services company headquartered in Switzerland;
    • investment in Leapwork, a Danish no-code automation platform;
    • investment and follow-on investment in Feedzai, a leading cloud-based financial risk management platform based in Portugal;
    • acquisition of Argenta, a leading animal pharmaceutical research and manufacturing company;
    • control investment in ReliaQuest, a cybersecurity technology company;
    • investment in Zwift, the at home training game connecting cyclists around the world;
    • investment and follow-on investment in music platform Artlist in Israel, and on Artlist’s acquisition of Motion Array in the U.S.;
    • exit from Paris-based company Ivalua; and
    • initial investment in, follow-on investment in and exit from KnowBe4, a security awareness training and simulated phishing platform provider.
  • KKR and Goldman Sachs Private Capital on their respective investments in OutSystems, the global leader in low-code rapid application development, as part of a $360 million investment round.
  • NXP Semiconductors, on its merger with Freescale, on various issuances of senior cross-over notes and secured and unsecured high-yield notes, and on its initial public offering on NASDAQ and subsequent secondary offerings.

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

Percy Gao is a corporate associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of Gibson Dunn’s Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice Groups.

Percy received his Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law, where he served as language chair of the Asia Law Society. He graduated from Fudan University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Law degree in Science of Law.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, he practiced with a global firm as a member of the Corporate and M&A groups, from 2019 to 2022.

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

Chris Harding is a corporate partner in the San Francisco office of Gibson Dunn. He specializes in representing private equity firms and their portfolio companies on acquisitions, divestitures, growth equity investments, and general corporate matters. Chris advises on transactions in various industries, including enterprise software, data and technology, aerospace and defense, healthcare, business services, and consumer products and retail.

Representative Matters:

Veritas Capital in various acquisitions and sales, including:

  • $10.5 billion acquisition of Cotiviti with KKR
  • $3.1 billion carve out of the Wood Mackenzie business from Verisk

Platinum Equity Advisors LLC in various acquisitions and sales, including:

  • carve out of the energy business of Kohler Co.
  • acquisition of Pelican Products
  • acquisition of Petmate
  • acquisition of Solenis Holdings

GI Partners and its portfolio companies in various acquisitions and sales, including:

  • acquisition of AuSuM Systems
  • acquisition of xPLM
  • acquisition of Ion Wave
  • acquisition of DamendStar Corporation
  • acquisition of Reminder Services
  • acquisition of MassageBook
  • acquisition of Instec
  • acquisition of Billing Management Services LLC
  • acquisition of CodeObjects, Inc.
  • acquisition of Virtual MGA
  • acquisition of Equal Level, Inc.
  • acquisition of Fonteva, LLC
  • acquisition of Insurity, Inc.
  • strategic investment in Access Holdings
  • acquisition of Doxim, Inc.
  • acquisition of Togetherwork
  • recapitalizations of MRI Software with TA Associates and Harvest Partners

KKR and its portfolio companies in various investments, including:

  • acquistion of Digital Shadows, Inc.
  • investment in Restaurant365

Liberty Hall Capital Partners

  • Combination of Comply365 with Vistair and related investment by Insight Partners

Swander Pace in various acquisitions and sales, including:

  • acquisition of Mommy’s Bliss
  • acquisition and subsequent sale of Aden + Anais
  • acquisition of Bragg Live Food Products
  • acquisition of Café Valley
  • acquisition and subsequent sale to a continuation vehicle of Captek Softgel
  • acquisition of Functional Formularies
  • acquisition of J&D Laboratories
  • acquisition of J.R. Watkins
  • acquisition of Passport Food Group

The Chernin Group in its $263 million strategic investment in Funko, Inc.

Chris earned his Juris Doctor from University of Virginia School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts in History, summa cum laude, from the University of California, Los Angeles. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Chris was a partner of a prominent international law firm and his representative transactions include those he led there.

He is admitted to practice in California and Oregon (inactive).

Ashley Rogers is a partner in the Palo Alto and Dallas offices of Gibson Dunn. She is Co-Chair of the firm’s Consumer Protection Practice Group and a member of the firm’s Technology Litigation and Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation Practice Groups.

Ashley is a nationally recognized technology-focused practitioner sought out by market-leading global companies to handle their most novel and challenging consumer protection and data privacy matters. She has particular expertise in defending clients in in Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), and state Attorneys General investigations and enforcement actions, as well as in class action litigation and advisory matters involving a wide range of consumer protection and data privacy issues.

Ashley is a frequent recipient of industry recognition for her legal expertise. Chambers USA and Chambers Global both rank Ashley among the top lawyers in Privacy & Data Security: Litigation for 2024 and 2025. In recognizing Ashley, Chambers highlights client reports that Ashley is “very experienced in privacy matters,” “strategic, detail-oriented and receptive to client needs,” and “very thorough and responsive.” Legal 500 named Ashley as a key lawyer in the firm’s Cyber Law ranking, and Lawdragon named her to its 2025 100 Leading AI & Legal Tech Advisors list, 2024 and 2025 500 Leading Global Cyber Lawyer guide, and its 2023 500 X – The Next Generation edition.  Ashley was also profiled in Law.com‘s “Women of Legal Tech” series, which highlights “women with thriving careers” in legal tech, as well as in connection with her recognition as a 2023 Law360 “Rising Star” for Cybersecurity & Privacy. Ashley was also named to Benchmark Litigation’s 40 & Under list in 2023 and 2024, and she was recently recognized as one of D Magazine‘s Best Lawyers Under 40, an On the Rise honoree by Texas Lawyer, a Texas Rising Star by Super Lawyers, and a 40 Under 40 business leader by the Dallas Business Journal.

A sample of recent and ongoing government investigation matters include:

  • Representing top social networking company in multiple nonpublic FTC and state Attorneys General investigations related to third party-information sharing.
  • Representing global consumer technology company in responding to nonpublic FTC Order enforcement inquiry related to advertising claims that was closed without further action.
  • Representing global energy company in nonpublic FTC investigation of potentially deceptive advertising claims that was closed without conditions.
  • Representing leading educational technology company in two nonpublic FTC COPPA and data security investigations, both of which were closed without conditions.
  • Representing top social networking company in two nonpublic state Attorneys General investigations related to content moderation that resulted in no action.
  • Representing global entertainment company in nonpublic FTC investigation of potentially deceptive advertising claims and privacy issues that resulted in no action.
  • Representing leading telecommunications company in full-phase FTC investigation relating to the Fair Credit Reporting Act that was closed without conditions.
  • Representing global consumer technology company in nonpublic CFPB investigation.
  • Representing top social networking company in nonpublic FTC investigation related to disclosures regarding the company’s use of consumers’ personal information that was closed without conditions.

A sample of recent and ongoing civil litigation matters include:

  • Representing top social networking company in putative class action alleging violations of federal and California laws related to third-party data transmissions.
  • Representing top social networking company in lawsuit alleging violations of Texas’s Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act.
  • Representing top social networking company in putative class action challenging the accuracy of ad targeting, securing an order denying class certification.
  • Representing industry-leading technology company in putative class action alleging violations of federal and California law due to alleged tracking of user locations using mobile devices, obtaining summary judgment in favor of client.
  • Representing top social networking company in putative class action alleging violations of federal and California wiretapping laws due to alleged scanning of user communications, obtaining a favorable settlement.

Ashley earned her Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School, where she served as a senior editor of the Stanford Law & Policy Review, Vice President of Stanford Mock Trial, and President of Street Law, and represented disadvantaged children and families in special education and school discipline matters through the Youth and Education Law Project. She received a Master of Education degree from Chestnut Hill College, and she graduated summa cum laude from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.

Before practicing law, Ashley taught middle school special education in Philadelphia as a Teach For America corps member, and she worked for Teach For America as a Managing Director in Washington, D.C. and Chicago.

Ashley is admitted to practice in the State of Texas, the State of California, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Romain Tourenne is an associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the Private Equity, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Capital Markets Practice Groups.

He has experience acting on a broad range of private equity and corporate matters, including acquisitions, capital markets transactions and general corporate work.

Romain trained and qualified as a solicitor at another international law firm, where he also gained experience with the firm’s real estate finance and competition groups.

He is a French national and regularly advises on transactions involving French buyers, sellers, target companies and issuers.

Selected experience:*

  • KKR on its investment and follow-on investment in music platform Artlist in Israel, and on Artlist’s acquisition of Motion Array in the U.S.
  • KKR on its control investment in Biosynth Carbosynth, a life sciences reagents and custom synthesis and manufacturing services company headquartered in Switzerland and several bolt-on acquisitions by Biosynth Carbosynth.
  • KKR on its investment in Ornikar, a European provider of road safety education.
  • KKR on its participation in a US$530 million funding round in Wolt, a leading European food delivery business based in Finland.
  • KKR on its acquisition of Argenta, a leading animal pharmaceutical research and manufacturing company.
  • Fnac Darty S.A., a leading European retailer of consumer electronics, editorial products, and household appliances, in connection with its offering of €300 million 1.875% Senior Notes due 2024 and €350 million 2.625% Senior Notes due 2026.
  • Goldman Sachs on its investment in tech platform LumApps.

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

Willem van Hootegem is an associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn and is a member of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice Groups.

Willem advises clients on a wide range of corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity, joint ventures, and corporate reorganisations.

Willem received a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B., cum laude) and a Master of Laws (LL.M., cum laude) from Leiden Law School in the Netherlands, and an LL.M. from Harvard Law School. He is admitted to the New York bar.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Willem worked in the Luxembourg office of a leading Benelux law firm. He speaks Dutch, Portuguese, and French.

Freddie Wright is an associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the Private Equity and Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Groups.

His practice focuses on private equity M&A and cross-border infrastructure M&A transactions. He has assisted on a range of cross-border transactions as well as advising on domestic company formations and related matters. He has previously completed a secondment at Helios Towers plc.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Freddie trained and practised in the London office of another international law firm. He is admitted to practice in England and Wales.

Ashley Whittington is a corporate associate in the Houston office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the Private Equity, Mergers and Acquisitions, Energy, and Oil and Gas Practice Groups.

She advises and represents private and public companies as well as private equity clients and their portfolio companies and management teams in connection with various corporate transactions, including mergers, equity and asset acquisitions, recapitalizations, dispositions, joint ventures, and other strategic business combinations.

Ashley received her Juris Doctor from the University of Houston in 2016, where she served as the Managing Editor for Houston Business and Tax Law Journal, as well as her Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation from the University of Houston in 2018. She earned her B.A. in Business Administration, Finance, from The University of Texas in 2013.

Chris Ayers is an associate in the Orange County office of Gibson Dunn. He currently practices in the firm’s Transactional Department.

He earned his law degree from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law in 2021, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif. Prior to law school, Chris graduated summa cum laude from the University of California, Irvine, earning Bachelor of Arts degrees in Business Administration and Political Science.

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

Valeriya is an associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn and is a member of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice Groups.

Valeriya focuses on advising private equity firms and financial sponsors on a range of corporate matters, including acquisitions, divestitures, co-investments, reorganisations, and general corporate advisory matters.

Prior to joining the firm, Valeriya worked at another leading international law firm in London, where she completed a secondment to Antin Infrastructure Partners.

Valeriya’s experience includes advising: *

  • Oaktree Capital Management on its acquisition of OEG Group and its disposal of Avenga.
  • The Carlyle Group on its acquisition of marketing agency Incubeta.
  • Providence Equity Partners on its sale of a 50% stake in Globeducate.
  • atomos, a UK-based wealth manager backed by funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, on WTW’s acquisition of a minority stake in atomos.
  • Triton on its £1.2 billion recommended takeover of Clinigen Group plc.
  • Anchorage Capital Group on its disposal of LS Retail.
  • Institutional investors advised by J.P. Morgan Asset Management on the acquisition of GETEC, one of Europe’s leading sustainable energy service companies.

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

Lena Tarrin is an English law qualified associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn and is a member of the firm’s Private Equity and Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Groups.

She has experience advising clients on a wide range of corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and reorganisations.

Lena received a first class Law degree at Durham University in 2019. She then went on to complete her LLM at the London School of Economics and Political Science and her LPC at BBP University before joining Gibson Dunn in 2022.

Jenn Katz is an associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn. Her practice focuses on the intersection of law and technology, frequently on issues related to artificial intelligence and data privacy and security.

Jenn advises clients on the full product development lifecycle, commercial agreements, terms and policies, compliance programs, and incident response, including in relation to international and state privacy laws, emerging artificial intelligence regulation, and consumer protection laws. She regularly represents clients before federal and state regulators related to these issues, including the Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and multiple state Attorneys General.

Jenn works collaboratively with technical, business, legal, and other stakeholders to balance regulatory and legal considerations with core business needs and goals. She helps clients understand key risks and delivers practical and strategic guidance. Jenn is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US).

Jenn maintains an active pro bono practice, including successfully obtaining asylum for a client and advising non-profit organizations and small businesses on privacy programs and policies.

Jenn serves on the Board of Directors of Unique People Services, a non-profit organization focused on providing transitional and supportive housing to individuals with mental illness and developmental disabilities. 

In 2022, Jenn served as a law clerk to the Honorable Nicholas G. Garaufis of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. She graduated from Columbia Law School in 2020, where she was a James Kent Scholar and Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and served as a Forum Editor of the Columbia Law Review. Jenn graduated cum laude from Northwestern University in 2015 with a degree in Social Policy. She is admitted to practice in the State of New York.

Whitney Smith is of counsel in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and is a member of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group. She advises clients on a broad array of real estate matters, with a particular focus on digital infrastructure assets. Whitney represents owners, operators, developers, investors, and sponsors in the data center space on the acquisition and disposition of data center assets, the negotiation of data center leases and services agreements, and the negotiation of property management agreements. Whitney leverages her in-depth knowledge of the data center market to develop business-minded solutions for her clients.

Whitney’s recent experience includes the following:*

  • Negotiation of numerous large-scale leases and services agreements with hyperscale and large enterprise customers across the globe on behalf of public and privately owned data center owners, operators, and developers;
  • Negotiation of both the acquisition and disposition of data center assets nationally, including the acquisition of greenfield sites for the future development of data center campuses; and
  • Negotiation of the real estate aspects of multiple M&A transactions and portfolio investments in the cloud and digital infrastructure space.

Whitney was recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Real Estate Law.

Whitney received her Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia in 2016, where she was a member of the Virginia Journal of International Law. She earned a Master of Arts in urban planning in 2013 and a Bachelor of Arts in 2011 from Rollins College.

Whitney is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and Virginia.

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

Neil H. Sekhri is Of Counsel in the San Francisco office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He is a member of the firm’s Land Use and Development Practice Group.

Neil has practiced real estate, land use and municipal law for over 30 years. His experience includes public and private partnerships, ground leasing, development agreements, land use and entitlements, CEQA, BCDC, public trust, historic preservation, acquisitions and dispositions, commercial leasing for landlords and tenants, and public agency rules and procedures.

Neil’s representative clients include:

  • the Golden State Warriors in the entitlement and implementation of the Chase Center in San Francisco;
  • the Oakland Athletics working on the entitlement of a new ballpark in Las Vegas;
  • Brookfield Properties in the entitlement and redevelopment of Pier 70, a 28-acre mixed-use development within the Port of San Francisco’s Pier 70 Historic District;
  • The Related Companies in the entitlement and redevelopment of a 300-acre publicly-owned landfill site in the City of Santa Clara;
  • Build Inc. in the entitlement of a large mixed-use public/private development with the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department; and
  • Treasure Island Community Developers in the entitlement and ongoing implementation of the redevelopment of Treasure Island, a former U.S. Navy base, as a large new master-planned community.

Neil has extensive experience collaborating with public agencies for both private and public clients. Recent public agency clients include:

  • UC College of the Law, advising on real estate, financing and construction matters related to their recently opened academic and student housing building at 198 McAllister Street; and
  • Napa County in the entitlement for the Napa Pipe project, a large mixed-use brownfields redevelopment project.

Previously, Neil was a San Francisco Deputy City Attorney where he acted as senior real estate counsel for the Port of San Francisco. Representative projects at the Port include:

  • leading the Port through the negotiation and approval of the transaction documents and entitlements for the $400 million James R. Herman Cruise Terminal project at Piers 30-32;
  • the $100 million historic rehabilitation of the Ferry Building;
  • the historic rehabilitation of Piers 1, 1½, 3 and 5; and
  • the complex land exchanges at Mission Bay, a 300-acre redevelopment site.

Neil is recognized by Chambers USA as a leading lawyer for California – Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use and was awarded the 2017 Daily Journal California Lawyer of the Year award for his work on the Golden State Warriors Mixed-Used and Event Center. He was also recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Land Use and Zoning Law. He has been a member of the board of Directors of the Foundation for San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage and is an officer of the Golden Gate Chapter of LAI International, an honorary real estate professional society.

Neil is a graduate of the University of California at Davis King Hall School of Law where he was editor of the Law Review. Neil received his undergraduate degree in English with honors from the University of Maryland.

Dominique Roberts is an associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn. Dominique advises on a broad range of corporate transactional and advisory matters and has experience representing private and public companies, private equity funds, banks, and other financial institutions on a variety of corporate transactions. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Dominique worked at another law firm in London. She is admitted to practice in England, Wales, and California.

Arjun Ogale is an associate in the Dallas office of Gibson Dunn.

Arjun represents clients in complex and time-sensitive business litigation. He has significant experience at the trial level, including in managing discovery, taking and defending depositions, and preparing witnesses for examination. He also has considerable experience with high-stakes briefing—including in three cases before the Supreme Court of the United States and multiple matters before the Supreme Court of Texas.

Representative matters:

  • Co-led associate team and helped deliver a clean sweep trial victory—winning a $46 million verdict and defeating every counterclaim—in a high-stakes breach of contract and fiduciary duty case. Directed depositions, argued key motions, managed discovery and briefing, and prepared witnesses for trial. Texas Lawbook profiled the victory, and the American Lawyer selected it as Runner-Up for Litigators of the Week.  GCP Cici’s v. Dharod, No. DC-24-01196. (Dallas Cty. Dist. Ct.).
  • Assisted with briefing and argument preparation in unanimous Supreme Court victory in case holding that an insurer with financial responsibility for bankruptcy claims is a party in interest with a right to be heard in reorganization proceedings. Team named Law360 Legal Lions of the Week. Truck Ins. Exch. v. Kaiser Gypsum Co., 602 U.S. 268 (2024).
  • Won partial grant of mandamus on venue transfer from Fifth Circuit in case involving business disparagement claims against nonprofit organization. In re Media Matters, — F.4th —- (5th Cir. 2025). In an earlier appeal in the case, helped persuade Fifth Circuit to grant stay of discovery order pending interlocutory appeal on First Amendment grounds. X Corp. v. Media Matters for Am., 120 F.4th 190 (5th Cir. 2024).

Arjun also has an active pro bono docket focused on criminal justice and civil rights. His team received the Gibson Dunn’s 2024 Frank Wheat Team Pro Bono Award for its efforts in securing parole for a woman facing a lengthy sentence in Texas state prison. In another matter, he contributed to a favorable civil settlement for a woman who was the victim of a violent race-based attack.

Before joining the firm, Arjun clerked for the Honorable Gregg J. Costa of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He also worked as a fellow at the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, where he successfully argued a case before the D.C. Court of Appeals and helped author an amicus brief joined by over 20 states in a landmark Supreme Court election-law case. 

Arjun received his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he served as editor-in-chief of the Virginia Law Review. At graduation, he was elected to Order of the Coif, and his student note won the Roger and Madeleine Traynor Prize for best written work. Arjun also graduated summa cum laude from Texas Tech University with an undergraduate degree in industrial engineering.

Jake E. Nielsen is an associate in the Los Angeles office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group.

Jake has been recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America for Real Estate Law.

Jake received his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Loyola Law School in 2020 and his Bachelor of Science in Finance, summa cum laude, from California State University, Fresno in 2016.

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

Ben Imdieke is an associate in the San Francisco office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where he serves as a member of the firm’s Real Estate Department. His experience includes a broad variety of finance, joint venture, workout and development matters, and he has represented landlords and tenants in large scale, often complex, office and industrial leasing transactions including negotiations for tech industry campuses of up to 750,000 RSF and ancillary property management-related transactions.

Ben received his J.D., summa cum laude, from University of Michigan Law School, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif and Contributing Editor of the Michigan Journal of Law Reform. While in law school, he was also a member of the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, a volunteer extern for the Office of Chief Counsel, U.S. Internal Revenue Service, and a judicial extern to the Honorable Jeffrey J. Helmick, United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio.

Ben was awarded a Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer Fellowship by the Ohio State Bar Association to study how land use planning and land banks can strengthen community in Midwestern cities experiencing population decline.

Ben was recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch™ for Real Estate Law, Real Estate Litigation, and also, Land Use and Zoning Law.

He earned an M.A. in Philanthropic Studies from Indiana University, where he was a Jane Addams-Andrew Carnegie Fellow, and his B.A. in Political Science from Kalamazoo College. Prior to attending law school, Ben was a non-profit fundraising executive and a capital campaign consultant for various philanthropic, educational, environmental, social service, arts and culture and health care organizations.

Ben is admitted to practice law in the States of California and Minnesota.