Chris Trester is a partner in the Palo Alto office of Gibson Dunn and Chair of our Emerging Companies/Venture Capital Practice Group. He focuses his corporate practice on representing start-ups and investors (ranging from angel investors to corporate venture capital) in the full life cycle of emerging companies from incorporation to financings to exits, with a specific emphasis on the tech, entertainment and life science industries. He also counsels companies on general corporate matters, corporate governance and accounting issues.

Prior to his legal career, Chris was a manager at a Big 4 accounting firm in both its audit and transaction services practices. He has been a CPA since 2008. Outside of his professional career, Chris is active in his community. He is a board member and treasurer of the Redwood City Little League and a board member of his kids’ school. Additionally, he coaches his three kids in basketball, baseball, soccer, and flag football.

Chris received his law degree from UC Hastings College of the Law, cum laude, in 2013 and earned his B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2005. He is a member of the State Bar of California.

Rachel Treasure is an associate in the Abu Dhabi office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group. She is currently on secondment.

She has experience in a broad range of corporate law matters including mergers and acquisitions, public market equity capital fundraising, private market venture capital and private equity investments and corporate governance. Rachel has worked with a variety of clients including early-stage growth companies, venture capital & private equity funds and listed corporations.

Ruby Taylor is an English-qualified associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn and is a member of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice Groups.

Ruby has experience advising clients on a range of corporate matters, including cross-border mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures. Ruby trained at Gibson Dunn, during which time she spent six months seconded to the firm’s Hong Kong office, and also gained experience working with the Corporate and Technology Transactions teams.

After studying History at King’s College London, Ruby received a First Class degree in World History and Cultures at King’s College London in 2019. Ruby then went on to complete her GDL and received a Distinction for the LPC at BPP University before joining Gibson Dunn in 2021.

Steven A. Domanowski is a partner in the New York office of Gibson Dunn, Chair of the firm’s Liability Management and Special Situations Practice Group and a member of the Business Restructuring and Reorganization Practice Group. His practice sits at the intersection of restructuring and corporate finance. He represents a diverse array of parties in liability management transactions, special situation strategies, distressed debt transactions, distressed debt exchanges, in-court and out-of-court restructurings and other distressed matters.

Steve focuses on representing ad hoc lender groups, strategic investors, private equity funds, asset management firms, hedge funds and other similar investment vehicles in creating and executing tailored solutions for the most complex liability management transactions. Steve has extensive experience advising distressed debt and special situations clients in structuring and implementing innovative and complex liability management and alternative capital solutions, including priming transactions and other uptiering structures, non-loan party/non-guarantor and unrestricted subsidiary drop-downs, “double dip” and “triple dip” structures, distressed exchange transactions, amend-and-extend transactions, recapitalizations, DIP financings, direct lending transactions, exit financings and out-of-court restructurings.

As Chair of the firm’s market driving Liability Management and Special Situations practice and a member of our industry leading ad hoc creditor focused Business Restructuring and Reorganization practice, Steve delivers novel, creative and strategic liability management solutions to the most complex and unconventional event-driven and opportunistic situations, including both proactive and defensive liability management solutions and special situations strategies in the restructuring of:

  • Serta
  • Del Monte Foods Inc.
  • AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc.
  • Envision Healthcare
  • EyeCare Partners
  • Rackspace Technology
  • Global Medical Response
  • Radiology Partners
  • Aventiv Technologies
  • AccentCare, Inc.
  • City Brewing Company
  • Lumen Technologies
  • Diamond Sports Group
  • Intrado
  • The GEO Group
  • Diebold Nixdorf
  • Cumulus Media
  • Elara Caring
  • West Marine
  • Robertshaw
  • Vericast

Steve received his law degree from DePaul University College of Law in 2002, cum laude, where he was also a member of the law review and received the American Bankruptcy Institute Medal of Excellence. He graduated magna cum laude from University at Buffalo, State University of New York in 1999.

Steve has published numerous articles and participated in numerous seminars and presentations on liability management, distressed debt and restructuring related matters.

Steve is admitted to practice only in Illinois; he is not currently admitted to practice in New York.

Kristen Lee is an associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn, where her practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions. 

She represents both public and private acquirors and targets in connection with mergers and acquisitions. 

Kristen received her Juris Doctor in 2021 from New York University School of Law, where she was a staff editor of the Journal of Law & Business. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in Asian American Studies from University of California, Berkeley.

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

Jonathan Lee is a senior associate in the Orange County office of Gibson Dunn. He currently practices with the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice Groups.

Jonathan is a corporate transactional lawyer whose experience includes advising both strategic companies and private equity clients (including their portfolio companies) in connection with public and private merger transactions, stock and asset sales, strategic partnerships, and other complex corporate transactions.

Jonathan earned his law degree and master of business administration degree in 2015 from New York University. He graduated in 2010 from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Since 2021, Jonathan has been recognized as a Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Corporate Law.

Jonathan is admitted to practice in California.

Christopher Lee is an associate in the Los Angeles office of Gibson Dunn, where he currently practices in the firm’s Transactional Department. His practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, and his experience includes representation of public and private companies in general corporate governance matters and complex business transactions.

He received his juris doctor degree from Yale Law School and served as a teaching assistant for Corporate Finance at the Yale School of Management. Christopher graduated cum laude from Yale University with a bachelor’s degree in political science with distinction.

Selected representative experience:*

  • Edwards Lifesciences in its acquisition of Endotronix, a leader in heart failure (HF) management solutions
  • Abu Dhabi Investment Authority in its investment in MHS Global, a leading global provider of material handling automation technology and systems integration, and FORTNA, a leading software and solutions provider for warehouse and distribution
  • Fortress Investment Group in its acquisition of Vice Media, together with Soros Fund Management and Monroe Capital
  • Aurora Capital Partners in its acquisition of Universal Pure Holdings, LLC, a leading provider of high pressure processing and related food safety and technical services
  • The Chernin Group in its majority investment in BiggerPockets, a leading educational platform providing access to real estate investing
  • Candle Media, a Blackstone-backed media company, in its acquisition of socially progressive media company ATTN:
  • A publicly traded biopharmaceutical company in its US$6.5 billion sale to a global biopharmaceutical company
  • A publicly traded high-technology sensors solutions company in its $1.7 billion acquisition of a publicly traded test systems and sensors company and subsequent $700 million sale of a division of that company
  • A publicly traded biotechnology company in its $2.7 billion acquisition of a 20.5% stake in a publicly traded biotechnology company
  • A publicly traded homebuilding company in its $2.5 billion sale to a publicly traded homebuilding company
  • A publicly traded healthcare company in connection with its $4.9 billion sale of a business segment
  • A virtual behavioral health company in its $1.4 billion deSPAC merger
  • A global asset manager in its acquisition of a real estate asset manager managing over $100 billion in assets
  • A publicly traded biopharmaceutical company in its $1.5 billion acquisition of products from a global pharmaceutical company
  • A buyer consortium in its $1.1 billion acquisition of a publicly traded internet content and marketing service provider

* Includes matters handled prior to joining Gibson Dunn

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Chris practiced with another international law firm. He is admitted to practice in California.

Jae Kim 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.

Jae received his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he served on the Virginia Journal of International Law. He graduated cum laude from the College of William and Mary with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, he was a corporate associate in the New York office of an international law firm from 2019 to 2023.

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

Leon S. Freyermuth is an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn, where he practices in the firm’s Artificial Intelligence and Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Data Innovation practice groups.

Leon has experience representing leading technology companies regarding compliance with comprehensive privacy and cybersecurity laws and regulations and in high-stakes litigation and investigations by federal and state agencies, including the FTC and state Attorneys General. He also has experience advising on the development of AI-related products and services, drafting internal and external privacy and cybersecurity policies, counseling on data breach response management and notification concerns, drafting and negotiating DPAs and other commercial arrangements, and implementing FTC consent order compliance programs.

Leon received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan Law School. While in law school, he served as Articles Editor for the Michigan Technology Law Review and, as a Geneva International Fellow, externed in the General Counsel’s office at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Prior to law school, he designed and built interactive web tools for use by customer-facing representatives at a Fortune 500 company and worked as a political organizer. He graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and German from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

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

Stephen Huie is a corporate associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn.

Stephen earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he served as an Articles Editor for the Virginia Law & Business Review. He graduated with honors from Johns Hopkins University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.

Stephen is admitted to practice law in the State of New York.

Jack Jacobson is an associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn.

Jack received his Juris Doctor in 2022 from Harvard Law School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude, in Economics from Texas A&M University.

Vikram Vivek is a corporate associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn, specializing in mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and venture capital transactions.

He earned his Juris Doctor in 2020 from the University of Virginia School of Law. Vikram graduated in 2014 from the University of Miami, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in International Finance and Marketing with a minor in Psychology. Prior to his legal career, he worked in the hedge fund, real estate, and film industries.

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

Uyen Tu is a corporate associate in the Dallas office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice Groups.

Prior to joining the firm, Uyen was an associate in the capital markets and mergers and acquisitions groups at a law firm in New York.

She earned her law degree in 2021 from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she served as an Executive Editor of the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law. While in law school, she earned the Wharton Certificate of Study in Business Economics and Public Policy and the Exceptional Pro Bono Service Award. She graduated in 2017 from Wellesley College with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Chinese Language and Culture.

Uyen is admitted to practice in the State of New York and Texas. 

Willow N. Stowe is an associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn, where her practice focuses on corporate transactional matters.

Willow received her Juris Doctor in 2021 from St. John’s University School of Law, where she received the Daniel A. Furlong commencement award for leadership. While in law school, Ms. Stowe served as the President of the Women’s Law Society, a Senior Articles Editor of the St. John’s Law Review and conducted clinical work for the St. Vincent de Paul Securities Arbitration Clinic. Willow was a senior teaching assistant for contracts and a Ronald H. Brown Scholar. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and German Studies, with honors, from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2017.

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

Andrew Steele is a partner at Gibson Dunn and a member of the Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice Groups.

He has worked in the Middle East for over a decade, during which time he has advised on some of the most high-profile transactions in the region. Andrew’s practice encompasses public and private mergers, acquisitions and disposals, joint ventures, private equity and sovereign wealth fund investments, securities issues and related regulatory advice. He has particular expertise in the banking, financial services, oil & gas and energy/natural resources sectors.

Andrew is ranked as a rising star by IFLR1000  for M&A.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Andrew worked at another US law firm and a magic circle firm.

Andrew received his law degree from the University of Bristol, and he is admitted to practice in England and Wales.

Joseph I. Herman is a corporate associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group, with a practice focused on mergers and acquisitions, venture capital transactions, and a wide range of corporate governance matters. Joseph represents both public and private companies in connection with all aspects of their domestic and cross-border transactional activities, including mergers, acquisitions, asset purchases, joint ventures, and equity and debt financings.

He earned his Juris Doctor in 2017 from Duke University School of Law, where he served as a Staff Editor for the Duke Journal of Constitutional Law & Public Policy and, as a student attorney for the Duke Law Community Enterprise Clinic, provided business and legal advice to various community-driven nonprofit organizations. Joseph earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy in 2014.

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

Ann-Marie Harrelson is an associate in the Washington D.C. office of Gibson Dunn.

She practices in the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Ann-Marie was a corporate associate at another international law firm.

Ann-Marie received her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center and her Masters of Philosophy in Criminology from the University of Cambridge. She received her undergraduate degree from Princeton University where she was Phi Beta Kappa and graduated summa cum laude. Ann-Marie is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and State of New York.

Carlos M. Soto is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity, and Real Estate Practice Groups.

Carlos’s practice focuses on complex mergers and acquisitions transactions and joint venture and partnership arrangements.

Carlos has significant experience advising investors and sponsors on the acquisition, disposition and governance of control, minority and preferred investments, including with respect to the structuring of complex waterfalls and the design of bespoke governance and exit arrangements.

Carlos also frequently handles secondary transactions, recapitalizations, “GP Stakes” transactions, seed investments and continuation fund transactions and regularly counsels clients with respect to general corporate and internal governance matters, including incentive equity arrangements.

Carlos regularly represents clients in the commercial real estate, asset management, private equity and media and entertainment industries and has developed expertise on issues unique to such industries.

Carlos received his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 2009 and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics from Princeton University in 2005. He is admitted to practice in the States of New York and California.

Some of Carlos’s recent representative transactions include:

M&A Transactions and JV Arrangements

  • Hackman Capital Partners. $1.85 billion acquisition of CBS Studio Center complex in Studio City related TV and motion picture production studio operations.
  • Candle Media. Formation of next generation media company backed by Kevin Mayer, Thomas Staggs and Blackstone and various corporate matters relating to subsequent acquisitions of companies such as Hello Sunshine and Moonbug Entertainment.
  • Constellation Wealth Capital. Strategic minority investments in (i) Lido Advisors, a wealth management firm with over $19 billion in assets under management and (ii) AlphaCore Wealth Advisory, an independent wealth advisory firm with national operations and over $2.5 billion assets under management.
  • Juniper Capital. Acquisition of a stalled 1,027-acre mixed-use luxury resort development site situated in an opportunity zone in Puerto Rico. Once developed, the site will include a luxury 5-star hotel, an 18-hole designed championship golf course, and approximately 300 branded residential condos and homes.
  • Hudson Pacific Properties. Acquisition of Bentall Centre, a 1.45 million square feet office and retail complex in Vancouver, Canada, and formation of joint venture with Blackstone Property Partners for the management thereof.
  • Welltower. Formation of a joint venture with Invesco in connection with the sale to Invesco of an 85% interest in over 30 properties with a value in excess of $600 million.
  • WndrCo. Represented WndrCo on various matters relating to Aura, a technology company specializing in digital security, including (i) initial investment and various subsequent equity financing rounds and (ii) Aura’s acquisition of Pango, a privacy and security technology company with a suite of products, including VPN and password management services, and the related spin-off of Pango assets undertaken in connection therewith.
  • Platinum Equity and Verra Mobility Corporation. $2.4 billon reverse merger of Verra Mobility Corporation with and into a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by The Gores Group.
  • NTWRK. Represented NTWRK in connection with Universal Music Group’s investment into, and strategic partnership with, NTWRK.
  • The Chernin Group. Acquisition of Goldin Auctions, a leading auction house specializing in sports memorabilia and collectibles, and in its subsequent divestiture to Collectors Holding.
  • The Chernin Group. Divestiture of a 36% stake in Barstool Sports to Penn National Gaming in a transaction with an implied valuation of approximately $450 million.
  • Kildare Partners. Represented Kildare Partners in connection with (i) the formation of a joint venture to manage a portfolio of 9 shopping centers in Puerto Rico acquired for $550 million and (ii) a confidential real estate acquisition.
  • Platinum Equity. Acquisition of Cosmic Pet, a leading innovator in pet toys, chews and treats.
  • Platinum Equity. Acquisition of Euro Parking Collection, a company specializing in the identification, notification and collection of unpaid traffic and public transport fees across Europe.
  • Platinum Equity. Divestiture of NILCO, a wood-based products supply company, to U.S. Lumber Group.

Secondary and GP Stakes Transactions

  • OceanSound Partners. $1.15 billion single-asset continuation fund transaction in connection with Apollo S3’s investment in SMX Group, LLC.
  • Wafra. Strategic minority investment by Capital Constellation, a fund managed by Wafra, in Greenbelt Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on investments related to the long-term changes in the production and consumption of energy, and related matters.
  • Blackstone Strategic Partners. Confidential real estate secondaries transactions.
  • IPI Partners. Confidential real estate secondaries transactions.
  • PCCP. Sale of minority stake to AMP Capital.

Pro Bono Matters

Corporate and transactional advice to various non-profit organizations, including Acumen Fund, the Center Theatre Group and the Corporation for Supportive Housing.  

Sarah Sperling is a corporate associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn.

She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2020, where she served as an Executive Editor for the Journal of Business Law. Sarah received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the George Washington University in 2017.

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

Brian Smith is an associate in the Los Angeles office of Gibson Dunn where he currently practices in the firm’s Corporate Department.

Brian received his law degree from UCLA School of Law, where he served as Managing Editor of the UCLA Law Review and advised filmmakers as part of the Documentary Film Legal Clinic. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Tufts University. Prior to law school, Brian worked as a producer of Broadway shows, winning a Tony Award in 2013, and also as a writer and producer of independent films.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, he was an associate in the Corporate Department of a global law firm with a focus on mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures involving entertainment companies and talent representation across film, television, theater and music.

Representative Experience:

  • RedBird Capital Partners, with respect to entertainment matters, in a number of significant transactions, including:
    • RedBird IMI’s $1.45 billion acquisition of All3Media, the largest independent television production company in the UK.
    • RedBird IMI’s investment in scripted production studio Media Res.
    • RedBird Capital Partners investment in Hidden Pigeon Company, a joint venture with children’s book author Mo Willems and Stampede Ventures.
  • *HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment) in its reported $1 billion acquisition of Ithaca Holdings, a diversified media company founded by Scooter Braun.
  • *Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global in their sale of a majority stake in the The CW broadcast network to Nexstar Media Group.
  • *Fox Entertainment in its acquisition of MarVista Entertainment, a leading independent producer and worldwide distributor of television movies for over $100 million.
  • Universal Pictures in its investments and partnerships with Amblin Partners.
  • Main Street Advisors and its portfolio company NTWRK, a digital media and commerce company, in several transactions including NTWRK’s acquisition of the media company Complex Networks from Buzzfeed and Universal Music Group’s investment in NTWRK.
  • SC Holdings in the merger of the Major League Pickleball and the Pickleball Professional Association Tour and SC’s concurrent investment in the combined company.  
  • *The Agency, a California-based global luxury real estate brokerage, in its acquisition of Triplemint, a New York-based online real estate brokerage.
  • An international film studio in a talent profit participation dispute and settlement relating to a film produced by the studio that earned over $100 million in box office receipts. 
  • Veritas Capital and its portfolio company Frontgrade Technologies in Frontgrade’s acquisition of Aethercomm, an aerospace and defense designer and manufacturer.
  • *The controlling stockholder of Dole Food Company in the merger of Dole with Europe’s largest fresh produce company, Total Produce, and concurrent initial public offering of the combined company with an approximate value of $2 billion on the New York Stock Exchange.

* Representations prior to Brian’s association with Gibson Dunn.