Douglas S. Horowitz is a partner in the New York office of Gibson Dunn where he is the head of Leveraged and Acquisition Finance and Co-Chair of the firm’s Finance Practice Group. He is also an active member of the Capital Markets Practice Group .

Doug represents leading private equity firms, public and private corporations, investment banking firms and commercial banks with a focus on financing transactions involving private credit, syndicated institutional and asset-based loans, new issuance of secured and unsecured high-yield debt securities, equity and equity-linked securities, as well as out-of-court restructurings. He was involved in the financings for a number of significant acquisitions, including the $67 billion purchase by Dell of EMC, the $19 billion purchase by Western Digital of SanDisk, Stone Point’s $8.2 billion buyout of CoreLogic, 40 North’s $7.4 billion buyout of W.R. Grace and several of the landmark acquisitions of the LBO boom, including hospital-operator HCA, SunGard Data Systems, VNU / Nielsen, ARAMARK, U.S. Foodservice, Biomet, Avaya and TXU Corp. Doug also represents his clients in public and private equity issuances, high-yield bonds, bank side acquisitions and debt refinancing in a variety of industries including technology, media, telecommunications, industrials, healthcare, gaming, real estate, and natural resources.

Awards and Accolades:

• Chambers USA, “Capital Markets: Debt & Equity: Eastern United States”, “Banking & Finance: New York” (2010 – 2026)
• The Best Lawyers in America, “Commercial Finance Law”, “Securities/Capital Markets Law” (2024 – 2026)
• Legal500, “Leading Partner: Commercial Lending Advice to Borrowers and Capital Markets High-Yield Debt Offerings” (2022 – 2026)
• New York Law Journal, “Dealmaker of the Year” (2021)
• IFLR1000, “Lawyer of the Year: Banking and Finance” (2020)
• Law360, “MVP: Capital Markets” (2020)

Representative Clients and Transactions:

• Representation of Evergreen Coast Capital Corporation, an affiliate of Elliott Investment Management L.P., and a private equity consortium in the bridge loans and subsequent $1.96 billion high yield bond offering in connection with the $16 billion acquisition of Nielsen Holdings plc, a marketing services company providing demand analysis, product development, sales measurement and promotion strategies.
• Representation of Veritas Capital in the $1.2 billion broadly syndicated senior secured credit facilities incurred in connection with their purchase of Candescent (formerly the digital banking business segment) from NCR Voyix.
• Representation of a Private Equity consortium including Elliott, Patient Square and Veritas in the $3.2 billion senior secured credit facility and $1.0 billion senior secured high yield notes, incurred in connection with the approximately $7.1 billion take private acquisition of Syneos Health.
• Representation of JPMorgan Chase Bank and various other lenders with respect to the approximately $4.6 billion broadly syndicated senior secured credit facilities and approximately $3.4 billion high yield bonds (including a landmark $2.2 billion unsecured PIK Toggle bond) in connection with the pending take private transaction for Skechers USA Inc. by affiliates of 3G Capital.
• Representation of Veritas Capital in the private credit loan financing for its acquisition of the Wood-Mackenzie business from Verisk and subsequent $1.465 billion broadly syndicated senior secured credit facilities.
• Representation of RedBird Capital in the private loan financing for its acquisition of AC Milan.
• Representation of Mauser Packaging (a Stone Canyon portfolio company) in connection with its $2.75 billion first lien high yield bond offering and contemporaneous offer to exchange previously issued unsecured bonds for up to $1.35 billion of new second lien high yield bonds.
• Representation of Primoris Services Corporation in connection with its $1.27 billion senior secured credit facilities, the proceeds of which were used to refinance existing debt and to finance the $470 million acquisition of PLH Group.
• Representation of Bank of America and other initial purchasers in connection with over $1.2 billion of senior secured high yield bonds and approximately $150 million of senior unsecured convertible notes and Bank of America as Lead Arranger and JPMorgan as Administrative Agent in connection with an amended $600 million senior secured credit agreement, in each case for AMC Networks.

Doug earned his Juris Doctor in 2001 from Cornell University Law School. He also earned his Master of Business Administration from Cornell University in 2001 and his B.A. from Columbia University in 1997.

Robert B. Little is a partner in Gibson Dunn’s Dallas office. He is a Global Co-Chair of the Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group and a former member of the firm’s Executive Committee.

Rob is consistently recognized for his leadership and strategic work with clients, having been named among the nation’s top M&A lawyers by Chambers USA every year for more than a decade. Described as “amazing and extremely responsive” (Chambers USA 2026), “very knowledgeable” (Chambers USA 2025) and “an impressive lawyer who is super responsive, super business savvy and great to work with” (Chambers USA 2024), he is admired by clients for his “naturally calm demeanor and a way of making problems seem smaller and more manageable. He is practical and laser-focused on business goals” (Chambers USA 2023) and for being “an exceptional practitioner and trusted adviser” (Chambers USA 2022). Rob is also ranked as a Private Equity leader by Chambers USA, and his clients have noted, “Rob is a smart, hard-working, high-character, results-oriented lawyer who focuses on timely, efficient and cost-effective solutions – he’s an outstanding lawyer” (Chambers 2023).

Rob’s practice focuses on corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, joint ventures, investments in public and private entities, and commercial transactions. He also advises business organizations regarding matters such as securities law disclosure, corporate governance, and fiduciary obligations. In addition, he represents investment funds and their sponsors along with investors in such funds. Rob has represented clients in a variety of industries, including telecommunications, energy, retail, technology, infrastructure, transportation, manufacturing, space and financial services.

In 2025, Rob was recognized by his peers as the Dallas/Fort Worth “Lawyer of the Year” in Mergers and Acquisitions Law in The Best Lawyers in America®. He previously received this recognition in 2023. He is also consistently recognized as one of The Best Lawyers in America® for corporate and M&A law (2013-2025), and has been recognized as one of the “500 Leading Lawyers in America” by Lawdragon. In 2024, D CEO magazine named Rob the Dallas Attorney of the Year for the second time, and Rob was recognized by Texas Super Lawyers Magazine as a 2024 M&A Super Lawyer.

Rob received his law degree in 1998 with highest honors from The University of Texas School of Law, where he was named a Chancellor and a member of Order of the Coif and served as Articles Editor of the Texas Law Review. He holds a B.A. from Baylor University, where he graduated summa cum laude in 1995. He previously served as a law clerk to The Honorable Patrick Higginbotham of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Representative Matters

• Counsel to AT&T in the acquisition of Lumen’s consumer fiber business for $5.75 billion, in the sale of its interest in DIRECTV for $7.6 billion, and in its joint venture with BlackRock to form Gigapower, a wholesale fiber provider
• Counsel to CenterOak Partners LLC, a private equity sponsor, in its acquisitions and divestitures of numerous businesses, including Cascade Windows, Wetzels Pretzels, Aakash Chemicals, Full-Speed Automotive, TruRoad, Turf Masters, Entomo Brands, Village Green, SurfacePrep, HK Solutions Group, Guardian Access, Hometown Services, CollisionRight, Service Champions, Shamrock Environmental and Solid Ground Solutions
• Counsel to SpaceX in its $1.25 trillion merger with xAI, $19 billion acquisition of spectrum from EchoStar and acquisition of Akoustis Technologies
• Counsel to Arcosa, Inc. in its acquisition of Cherry Industries, a provider of infrastructure-related products and solutions, and in the dispositions of its international storage tanks business, its steel components business and its barge business
• Counsel to Murata Electronics North America, Inc. in its acquisition of Resonant, Inc. in an all-cash tender offer to create a leading global provider of RF system solutions and filter products
• Counsel to Trive Capital, a private equity sponsor, in acquisitions for OWL Services, a provider of integrated solutions for petroleum convenience and electric vehicle markets
• Counsel to York Space Systems, an independent provider of small satellites, satellite components and mission operations, in its sale to AE Industrial Partners and in its acquisition of ATLAS Space Operations
• Counsel to Satori Capital, a private equity sponsor, in its investments in Automatic Fire Protection and Torani
• Counsel to Talen Energy in its joint venture with Pattern Energy for the $2 billion development, financing and construction of solar and wind energy projects
• Counsel to creditor groups in the bankruptcies of Envision Healthcare, West Marine, and Robertshaw in corporate and M&A matters
• Counsel to Keystone Group, a privately held investment firm, in multiple investments
• Counsel to Sunrise Oil & Gas on the sale of substantially all of its oil and gas assets to affiliates of Contango Oil & Gas, a subsidiary of Crescent Energy Company
• Counsel to Summit Midstream Partners in its Double E Pipeline Project joint venture to provide natural gas transportation service from the Delaware Basin to the Waha Hub in Texas
• Counsel to Callaway Golf Company in its strategic investment in Five Iron Golf
• Counsel to Sony Pictures Television Networks in its acquisition of a substantial majority stake in Japanese anime distributor Funimation Productions, Ltd.
• Counsel to Pizza Hut in its acquisition of ordering provider QuikOrder
• Counsel to Atmos Energy in its acquisition of a natural gas pipeline and related assets from EnLink Midstream and its disposition of its energy marketing subsidiary to CenterPoint Energy
• Counsel to Luminant Holdings in its acquisition of natural gas generation facilities from NextEra Energy for approximately $1.3 billion
• Counsel to Topgolf International, Inc. in its acquisitions of World Golf Tour, Inc. and Protracer AB, its investment in Full Swing Golf Holdings, Inc., and its sales of preferred stock to Providence Equity Partners and institutional investors

Stephen D. Silverman is a partner in Gibson Dunn’s New York office and a member of the firm’s Business Restructuring & Reorganization Practice Group and Liability Management & Special Situations Practice Group.

He has market leading experience representing ad hoc groups and other creditor constituencies in many of the nation’s largest and most complex restructurings and liability management transactions. His practice broadly includes advising debtors, creditors, strategic investors and various other stakeholders both domestically and abroad. Stephen was named a 2025 Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyer by Turnarounds & Workouts, a 2026 Next Generation restructuring partner by Legal500, and one of 2026’s Leading Global Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers by Lawdragon.

Representative Clients:

• AccentCare (Ad Hoc Group of First & Second Lien Lenders)
• Audacy (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Aventiv (Ad Hoc Group of First & Second Lien Lenders)
• Avianca (Debtor)
• City Brewing (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Cision (Ad Hoc Crossholder Group)
• CommScope (Ad Hoc Crossholder Group)
• ConvergeOne (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Cumulus (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Cyxtera (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Dynata (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• EagleView (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Elevate Textiles (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Employbridge (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• EyeCare Partners (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Fender Guitars (Borrower)
• FinThrive (Ad Hoc Group of First & Second Lien Lenders)
• First Brands Group (Ad Hoc Group of DIP Lenders and Term Loan Lenders)
• Fortra / HelpSystems (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Garret Motion (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Grupo Aeromexio (Ad Hoc Group of Unsecured Claimholders)
• Innovate Corp (Ad Hoc Group of Secured & Convertible Noteholders)
• Isagenix (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Juice Plus (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Lasership (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Loyalty Ventures (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• MultiPlan (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders & Noteholders)
• Neovia (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Petmate (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Quest Software (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Rackspace (Ad Hoc Crossholder Group)
• Radiology Partners (Ad Hoc Crossholder Group)
• Resolute Investment Managers (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Russell Investments (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Sequential Brands Group (Debtor)
• STG Logistics (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Tropicana (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Upstream Rehabilitation (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• Verifone (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• V.Group (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)
• WideOpenWest (Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders)

Stephen graduated with honors from Vanderbilt University and earned his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, where he was Executive Editor of the Georgetown Journal of International Law.

He is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey, and before the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York.

Charlotte Jacobsen is a USPTO-qualified, first-chair litigator with advanced scientific degrees and a deep understanding of chemistry, biology and biotechnology. For 20 years, Charlotte has represented clients in complex chemical, pharmaceutical and biotechnology patent and licensing disputes. She has been lead trial counsel and won cases in the federal district courts, before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and inter partes review proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. She also has experience with arbitrations before the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and with pre-litigation work having handled comprehensive preparatory investigations for numerous blockbuster products.

Recognized as a leading litigator by Chambers USA, insiders state that “Charlotte is known to be knowledgeable and gives practical legal advice.” She frequently provides strategic advice concerning ongoing patent litigations, including assessing the risks associated with ANDA and other patent litigations for private equity and M&A deals.

In addition, Charlotte is admitted to practice in England & Wales and provides her clients with a unique global perspective. Prior to joining her previous firm, Charlotte practiced as a barrister and handled cases before every venue of importance in the U.K., including the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. Charlotte also has significant experience with patent oppositions before the European Patent Office, and over the last decade, Charlotte has coordinated multiple international IP disputes, skillfully devising and executing global litigation strategies.

Employing her strong foundation in biology and chemistry, Charlotte has handled cases concerning small molecule and biologic therapeutics, platform technologies, methods of treatment, and diagnostics. Charlotte’s cases have spanned a broad range of therapeutic areas, including oncology, immunosuppression, contraception, as well as various viral, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases. While obtaining her master’s degree, Charlotte was recognized by the British Academy of Forensic Science for her research into the use of DNA profiling of bears to combat illegal poaching in Canada.

Charlotte regularly speaks and writes on developments in patent law, particularly concerning Hatch-Waxman and BPCIA matters. She is also consistently recognized for her outstanding work by organizations such as Managing IP, Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal), Lawdragon, and LMG Life Sciences. Known for her “rare qualifications and experience among US Practitioners,” Charlotte was named to IAM Patent’s list (2022-2025) of the “world’s leading patent professionals.” In 2025, Charlotte was named Hatch-Waxman Litigator of the Year (Branded) by LMG Life Sciences and a leading member of the team that won Life Sciences Impact Case of the Year.

 

Experience

• Representing a pharmaceutical company in a Hatch-Waxman litigation in the District of Delaware concerning the anti-viral agent VEMLIDY.
• Representing a global pharmaceutical company in a Hatch-Waxman litigation in the District of New Jersey concerning the TAVNEOS for the treatment of severe active anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis.
• Representing a global pharmaceutical company in a pre-suit investigation for a Hatch-Waxman litigation concerning an extended release formulation.
• Represented a weather simulation company in the Northern District of California in connection with misappropriation of trade secrets related to cutting-edge AI weather forecasting and weather modification technology by a former intern and consultant.
• Representing a pharmaceutical company in a Hatch-Waxman litigation in the District of New Jersey concerning the anti-HIV agent COMPLERA.
• Represented a pharmaceutical company in patent litigation in the District of New Jersey concerning LEQSELVI for alopecia areata, including a successful expedited appeal to the Federal Circuit where the Court vacated a preliminary injunction with immediate effect within an hour of the hearing.
• Represented a pharmaceutical company in a Hatch-Waxman litigation in the District of Delaware concerning the anti-cancer agent ZYDELIG.
• Represented Dental Monitoring SAS in patent litigation and IPRs against Align Technology, Inc. in the Northern District of California concerning AI-assisted inventions for clear aligner treatment.
• Represented a pharmaceutical company in a Hatch-Waxman litigation in the District of Delaware concerning GENVOYA, a highly successful HIV treatment.
• Represented a pharmaceutical company in two Hatch-Waxman litigations in the District of Delaware concerning SYMTUZA, a highly successful HIV treatment.
• Represented a pharmaceutical company in a Hatch-Waxman litigation in the District of Delaware concerning LETAIRIS, a medicine used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension.
• Represented a global pharmaceutical company in a pre-litigation investigation concerning multiple biologics patents under the BPCIA.
• Represented a pharmaceutical company in two Hatch-Waxman pre-litigation investigations concerning antiviral agents.*
• Represented Genosity in a patent infringement litigation brought by Natera in the District of Delaware concerning genetic testing kits.*
• Represented ArcherDX in patent infringement litigations filed by Natera in the District of Delaware relating to methods of amplifying and sequencing cell-free DNA.*
• Represented a global biotechnology company in a patent licensing dispute in AAA arbitration in New York.*
• Lead counsel for a global pharmaceutical company in multiple inter partes review proceedings relating to an anti-cancer agent and methods of its use.*
• Lead trial counsel for a global pharmaceutical company Hatch-Waxman litigation in the District of Delaware concerning the treatment of kidney cancer and pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer.*
• Represented a global pharmaceutical company in inter partes review proceedings concerning a compound patent on an immunosuppressant product.*
• Represented a leading pharmaceutical company in a declaratory judgment suit concerning patents on methods of manufacturing monoclonal antibodies.*
• Lead trial counsel for a global pharmaceutical company in a Hatch-Waxman litigation in the District of Delaware concerning patents on a transdermal patch product for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.*
• Trial counsel for a global pharmaceutical company in a Hatch-Waxman litigation in the District of Delaware concerning an immunosuppressant product.*
• Trial counsel for a global pharmaceutical company in a Hatch-Waxman litigation in the District of Delaware concerning a transdermal patch product for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and lead counsel in the appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.*
• Represented an international pharmaceutical company in a Hatch-Waxman litigation in the District of New Jersey concerning an oral contraceptive product.*
• Represented a global biopharmaceutical company in an arbitration before the I.C.C. International Court of Arbitration on a patent license agreement relating to patents on the manufacture of monoclonal antibodies.*
• Represented leading biopharmaceutical companies in Hatch-Waxman litigations in the District of Maryland concerning patents on polymer based pharmaceuticals for the treatment of chronic kidney disease and high cholestrol.*

*Includes matters handled prior to joining Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

Awards

• Chambers & Partners USA  – Leading Litigator (2025-2026) 
• Lexology Index – “USA – Intellectual Property – Patents” (Recommended, 2023 -2025); (Thought Leader, 2024)
• Lawdragon – “500 Leading Litigators in America” (2023-2026)
• LMG Life Sciences – “Life Sciences” (Leading Lawyer, 2019-2021); (Star, 2022-2024)
• IAM Patent – “World’s Leading Patent Professionals” (2022-2026)
• The Best Lawyers in America® – Intellectual Property Litigation (2023-2026)

Publications

• Author, “Teva v. Eli Lilly – When Does a Settlement Agreement to End ANDA Litigation End?” (July 2025)
• Co-author, “Brulotte – No Longer a Death Knell for Licensors?” (September 6, 2024)
• Co-author, “The Legal 500: Patent Litigation Comparative Guide” (October 31, 2022)
• Co-author, “Loose Lips Sink Ships: Two Recent District Court Decisions Highlight Some Limits Of The Common Interest Doctrine Both During And In The Settlement Of Patent Litigation” Kluwer Patent Blog (September 23, 2022)
• Co-author, “Is Work From Home a U.S. Venue Work-Around?” Kluwer Patent Blog (January 11, 2022)
• Co-author, “Recent Trends for Section 112 Challenges in PGRs,” Kluwer Patent Blog (December 6, 2021)
• Co-author, “Inconsistent Statements to USPTO and FDA May Render Patents Unenforceable,” Kluwer Patent Blog (November 10, 2021)
• Co-author, “U.S. District Court Adopts Expansive Definition of a BLA ‘Submitter’,” Kluwer Patent Blog (September 20, 2021)
• Co-author, “Carve outs and Causation: Moving Away From Hypothetical Hatch-Waxman Infringement,” Kluwer Patent Blog (August 24, 2021)
• Co-author, “A Cautionary Tale for Assignment of Rights in U.S. Patents,” Kluwer Patent Blog (August 17, 2021)
• Co-author, “U.S. Federal Circuit Continues To Pressure BioPharma For More When It Comes To Functional Claims,” Kluwer Patent Blog (February 19, 2021)
• Co-author, “Hatch-Waxman Venue Issue Still Live After Fed. Circ. Ruling,” Law360 (January 6, 2021)
• Co-author, “Willful Blindness and Enhanced Damages: Is Ignorance Bliss?,” Kluwer Patent Blog (April 6, 2020)
• Co-author, “Does Willful Blindness Beget Enhanced Patent Damages?,” Law360 (February 28, 2020)
• Co-author, “USITC: A Powerful Forum for Biologics Patent Owners,” Life Sciences Intellectual Property Review (October 10, 2018)
• “Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. v. Covidien LP,” Fitzpatrick Case Update (January 14, 2016)
• “Patent Reissue Allows Inventors to Hedge Their Bets,” The National Law Journal (October 2011)

Presentations

• Speaker, “How do you Successfully Describe and Enable Technological Advances: Is it a Trick Question?” Life Sciences Patent Network Conference (October 5-7, 2021)
• Speaker, “Patent Term Extension Developments in the U.S. and Europe: Examining the Implications of Biogen v. Banner and Deciphering Europe’s SPC Manufacturing Waiver,” ACI’s 19th Advanced Summit on Life Sciences Patents (July 22, 2021)
• Speaker, “Cross-Border IP Protection and Enforcement in a Changing Landscape,” 3rd Annual International IP Summit (October 20-23, 2020)
• Speaker, “Federal Circuit: A Year in Review,” MIP Virtual Life Sciences Forum (September 23, 2020)
• Speaker, “Written Description and Enablement in Antibody Arts: How Has the Scope of Claim Shifted in the U.S., Europe, and Japan?” ACI’s 18^th Annual Life Sciences Patents Conference (August 5-6, 2020)
• Speaker, “Willful Blindness and Enhanced Damages: Litigation and Patent Search Policy,” IPO Webinar (April 9, 2020)
• Speaker, “2019 IP Litigation in Review and How New Case Law Affects Your Litigation Strategy,” Managing IP International Women’s Leadership Forum in San Mateo, California (December 3, 2019)
• Speaker, “Doing Business in China,” Roundtable Series, International IP Summit, Boston College Law School (October 17-18, 2019)
• Speaker, “Misdeeds and Major Ramifications for Patent Litigation – A Survey of Recent Case Law Relating to Attorney’s Fees and Consequences of Bad Behavior During Dealmaking, Prosecution and Litigation,” Managing IP Life Sciences Forum (September 18, 2019)
• Speaker, “New §101 Landscape: Exploring the Latest Developments at the PTO and District Court Relative to Patent Eligibility,” 17th Advanced Summit on Life Sciences Patents (May 15-17, 2019)
• Speaker, “The Present State of Paragraph IV Litigation and Its Impact on the Pharmaceutical Industry: Trends, Legal Analyses and Business Prognoses,” 13th Annual Paragraph IV Disputes (April 29-30, 2019)
• Speaker, “How Do We Ensure Effective Protection of Antibodies?,” World IP Review Life Sciences Patent Network Conference (April 25, 2019)
• Speaker, “Year in Review: How New Case Law Affects Litigation Strategy,” Managing Intellectual Property International Women’s Leadership Forum 2018 (December 4, 2018)
• Speaker, “Strategies in Second Medical Use Cases,” World IP Review Life Sciences Patent Network (October 16, 2018)
• Speaker, “Patent Trial & Appeal Board (PTAB) to Give Patent Owners the Last Word,” Ropes & Gray Webinar (August 20, 2018)
• Speaker, “IPR Investigation: Diving into IPR Dos and Don’ts,” Life Sciences Patents/Medical Device & MedTech Patents, American Conference Institute (February 21-23, 2018)
• Speaker, “Plausibility and Second Medical Use Patents,” Innovation in Medicines Conference on Second Medical Uses, University College London/Georgetown Law (February 8-9, 2018)
• Speaker, “Antibody Therapeutics: May I Have Them All?” BIO International Convention (June 15-18, 2015)
• Speaker, “Communication with Key Shareholders: Litigation Communication Strategies for In-House Counsel When Actively Engaged in a Paragraph IV Dispute,” Momentum’s Paragraph IV Litigation Strategy Congress (October 29-30, 2014)

Vania Wang is an associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn. Her practice focuses on intellectual property litigation.

Prior to joining the firm, Vania clerked for the Honorable Robert W. Schroeder III in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

Vania received her J.D., with honors, from The George Washington University Law School, where she was the Senior Notes Editor of The George Washington Law Review. During law school, she interned at the United States International Trade Commission and the United States Court of Federal Claims.

Prior to attending law school, Vania worked at a commercial drone startup and a nuclear research reactor. She received her B.A. in chemistry from Reed College.

Vania is admitted to practice law in the State of New York and before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. 

Joanne Franzel is a partner in Gibson Dunn’s New York office. She is a member of Gibson Dunn’s Real Estate Practice Group.

Joanne’s practice has included all forms of real estate transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions and financing, with a particular focus on leasing, including large office leases often in new construction or with significant construction. She also has represented a number of clients in New York City real estate development, representing developers as well as users in various mixed-use projects, often with a significant public/private component.

Joanne has worked on various aspects of the Hudson Yards project, representing the developer, which is a joint venture of The Related Companies and Oxford Properties. Joanne’s involvement to date includes the equity transactions with Time Warner, KKR and Wells Fargo to move their respective corporate headquarters to 30 Hudson Yards, a 2.6 million square foot office tower adjacent to a retail shopping mall which opened in March of 2019. She also handled the land acquisition for 55 Hudson Yards and a lease with Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy to relocate its offices to the new building, and the anchor tenant lease with BlackRock for 50 Hudson Yards which was inked during the design phase of the project.

Subsequent to the opening of 30 Hudson Yards, Joanne worked with a team at Gibson Dunn to buy the 1.4 million square foot Warner Media unit (formerly Time Warner) and lease it back to Warner Media. In 2024, she led a team working with Related and Warner Media on two long term sublease-to-direct lease transactions covering in excess of 300,000 square feet within the Warner Media unit. Joanne also represented Related and Oxford in connection with the redevelopment and sale of the former Neiman Marcus store at 20 Hudson Yards to Wells Fargo, including development agreements to convert the retail space and 10^th Avenue façade for use as commercial offices.

On the tenant side, Joanne recently represented Deloitte in their anchor lease of over 800,000 sf at a new building being developed by Related at 70 Hudson Yards. She was part of the team representing Macquarie in their new headquarters lease at 660 Fifth Avenue, which includes “top-of-house” signage. She also represented KKR in leasing several floors at 30 Hudson Yards from Related, and has handled numerous other commercial office leases for tenants in Manhattan in buildings such as 1 Vanderbilt, 550 Madison, 9 West 57^th and 50 Hudson Yards ranging in size from 20,000 to 100,000 square feet.

Joanne represented Jamestown in the sale of Chelsea Market to Google, which was one of the largest NYC transactions of 2018. Prior to that, she represented Jamestown on numerous office and retail leases at Chelsea Market. Other transactions for Jamestown included the acquisition of 1250 Broadway, numerous office leases and restaurant lease for the top floor of the building, and 2016 sale of the building.

The Commercial Observer named Joanne one of five power lawyers of 2019 which recognizes attorneys “who are crucial to the real estate industry of New York” and “have become the authorities in their area.” She was recognized for being “instrumental in some of the city’s most notable recent deals” and for closing “one of the highest-profile transactions in the city.” Joanne was recognized in Lawdragon‘s 500 Leading Global Real Estate Lawyers 2025. In addition, Joanne was named to the elite group of 2018 Law360 MVPs in Real Estate, and as one of Real Estate Forum’s 2017 “Women of Influence,” a select group of 50 women who have significantly impacted commercial real estate.

Joanne received her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania in 1980. She received her Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, in 1977 from Brown University.

Dorothée Griveaux is a partner in the Paris office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Energy & Infrastructure Practice Group dedicated to public law and regulatory matters, including French FDI.

Dorothée advises on all aspects of public law matters. Her practice focuses on complex public contracts (concessions, public procurement, public-private partnerships) for public infrastructure projects (highways, rail, metro, telecommunications) and public facilities (universities, stadiums, hospitals, prisons, administrative facilities). She advises public entities, sponsors (investment funds, industrial companies), and lenders on large-scale projects.

Dorothée regularly advises on regulated and controlled activities, particularly in the energy, transport and telecommunications sectors.

Her practice covers both advice and litigation.

Dorothée is currently ranked for Public Law in Chambers France 2026. She is also referenced in The Legal 500 EMEA as a Leading Partner in Administrative and Public Law.

Before joining Gibson Dunn, Dorothée was a partner at a prominent international law firm in Paris.

Admitted to the Paris Bar, Dorothée received a Master’s degree from Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po). She then received a DESS in Public Economic Law from University of Paris II Pantheon-Assas and an LL.M. from Paris Bar School.

She speaks French and English fluently.

Ekaterina (Kate) Napalkova is a partner in the New York office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Practice Group.

Kate advises public and private companies, private investment funds, boards of directors, and management teams on a broad range of compensation and employee benefits matters. Her advice focuses on the human capital, compensation and employee benefits aspects of M&A, restructurings, IPO, cross-border, spin-offs, and other corporate transactions. She is experienced in the negotiation and implementation of benefit and compensation plans, as well as compensation-related securities reporting and corporate governance matters. 

Chambers USA has ranked Kate as a leading lawyer for the fifth straight year and Legal 500 has recognized her as a key lawyer.

Before joining Gibson Dunn, Kate served as a partner at an international law firm. She received her law degree cum laude in 2009 from the Fordham University School of Law, where she also served as the editor-in-chief of the Fordham International Law Journal. She is admitted to practice in New York and California.

Jaysen S. Chung is a partner in the San Francisco office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and is a member of the firm’s Litigation department. He focuses on patent and appellate litigation, and has experience in a range of arts and practices, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, DNA sequencing applications, artificial intelligence, virtual networking, RF switch circuits, and semiconductor products and processes. Jaysen has experience in all phases of litigation from pre-suit due diligence to trial and appeal.

Jaysen was most recently part of a trial team that obtained a precedent-setting directed verdict of noninfringement in a Western District of Texas litigation that involved three patents related to cloud computing. He also was part of a trial and appellate team that secured a favorable result for a client in a multi-billion-dollar patent litigation involving a therapy for multiple sclerosis.

Jaysen has received several awards and accolades for his work. He was named a “2024 Top Attorney Under 40” by Law360 for Intellectual Property, and the Daily Journal named him as a Top Intellectual Property Lawyer multiple times, most recently in 2026. The IAM Patent 1000 (2026) lists Jaysen as one of the World’s Leading Patent Professionals in the U.S., and he has been recognized as a “Patent Star” and a “Rising Star” by Managing IP and has been named in Lawdragon’s The Next Generation guides.

Jaysen serves as Co-Hiring Partner of the San Francisco office and is a member of the firm’s Hiring Committee.

Prior to joining the firm, Jaysen served as a law clerk to the Honorable Randall R. Rader, then-chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Jaysen received his J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law in 2011. He earned his B.S. in Psychobiology from UCLA in 2007 and was a member of the university’s 2005 NCAA Division I Championship tennis team.

Jaysen is currently admitted to practice law in the State of California and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Katherine Maddox Davis is a litigator in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. She is currently on secondment.

Katherine defends and advises corporations navigating high-stakes disputes and investigations where legal exposure intersects with institutional scrutiny, sensitive business relationships, public reputation, and technology-driven enterprise risk.  These issues frequently arise from data governance, market conduct, and complex contractual frameworks. 

Katherine helps her clients harness law and media to cast a hopeful vision for civil society, diffusing efforts that malign corporations, mislead consumers, and divide communities.  That requires rapid assessment and response in and out of court, often coordinating among legal, communications, compliance, and executive stakeholders. 

Among private matters, Katherine has conducted internal investigations to develop long-term enterprise risk assessments and mitigation strategies for Fortune 50 corporations, and developed white papers explaining misunderstood market forces.  Among public matters:

• Negotiated with U.S. Department of Justice national security officials and briefed application for unsealing grand jury records on alleged foreign interference in presidential election for The Washington Post and Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.  In re Grand Jury Subpoena No. 7409, No. 1:24-mc-115 (D.D.C. Jan. 14, 2025).
• Led 40+ pre-arbitration drug pricing dispute resolution conferences between OptumRx officers and independent pharmacies.  OptumRx, Inc. v. A&S Drugs LLC, No. 8:22-cv-00468 (C.D. Cal. Feb. 23, 2024).
• Secured service of foreign sovereign and prevailed in sovereign’s service challenges, contributed to briefing securing recognition of $6.5b ICSID arbitration award for mineral mining expropriation.  Tethyan Copper Co. Pty Ltd. v. Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 590 F. Supp. 3d 262 (D.D.C. 2022).
• Briefed appeal securing $100m reduction in NY AG’s cigarette trafficking fines against UPS.  New York v. United Parcel Serv., Inc., 942 F.3d 554 (2d Cir. 2019).
• Challenged sitting congressman’s defamation suit over news reporters’ Twitter content, defeating conspiracy theories in emergency briefing.  Devin G. Nunes v. The McClatchy Company, et al., No. CL19-629 (Va. Cir. Ct. Sept. 9, 2019).
• Briefed emergency motions raising FAA challenges to NFL arbitration, delaying Zeke Elliott’s suspension for alleged uncharged, off-field conduct.  Nat’l Football League Mgmt. Council v. Nat’l Football League Players Ass’n, No. 17-3510 (2d Cir. Nov. 3, 2017).

A former E.D. Va. law clerk, Katherine appears frequently in the Alexandria Division, known for its emergency relief, national security, regulatory, and government contracts dockets.  Representative matters include:

• Pursuing Anti-Terrorism Act and Torture Victim Protection Act relief for Israeli woman kidnapped by terrorist organizations in Iraq.  Saleem v. Al-Haq et al., No. 1:24-cv-02094 (E.D. Va. Nov. 19, 2025).
• Secured favorable mediation outcome in environmental regulation and land use contract dispute.  Gainesville Associates, LLC v. Atlantic Research, LLC et al., No. 1:24-cv-1543 (E.D. Va. Jan. 13, 2025).
• Pursued intervention and record production on alleged election interference for The Washington Post and Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.  United States v. Manafort, et al., No. 1:18-cr-83 (E.D. Va. Oct. 23, 2024).
• Intervened in dormant terrorism prosecution, secured Crime Victim Rights Act status for Yazidi women trafficked by ISIL.  United States v. Nisreen Assad Ibrahim Bahar, No. 1:16-mj-63 (E.D. Va. Nov. 12, 2021).
• Settled wrongful termination claim.  Boersma v. Amazon Data Services, Inc., No. 1:21-cv-00295 (E.D. Va. Aug. 24, 2021).
• Negotiated wrongful reentry plea, argued sentencing hearing, secured below-guidelines sentence (assisting the Federal Public Defenders Office).  United States v. Martinez, No. 1:18-cr-216 (E.D. Va. Sept. 26, 2018).

Katherine is also a former Fifth Circuit clerk.  She has been recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for Appellate Practice each year since 2023.

Katherine’s litigation teams have secured client success in industry-defining disputes, including drug pricing challenges brought by independent pharmacies against OptumRx in some of the nation’s most plaintiff-friendly jurisdictions; and coronavirus-related business insurance claims for uncovered profit losses that stood to upend the insurance industry.  Among them:

• Full merits dismissal of drug pricing dispute, prevailing on case-dispositive theory that plaintiffs’ damages model was triply inadmissible.  Lakeview Pharmacy of Racine, Inc. v. Catamaran Corp., 2025 WL 642098 (M.D. Pa. Feb. 27, 2025).
• Landmark precedential opinion enforcing an arbitration agreement’s delegation clause and establishing that prior counsel’s arbitration waiver did not reach newly amended claims.  Lackie Drug Store, Inc. v. OptumRx, Inc., 2024 WL 505519 (E.D. Ark. Jan. 30, 2024) (argued), reversed in part, 143 F.4th 985 (8th Cir. 2025).
• After successful appeal establishing client’s right to arbitrability discovery, secured summary judgment that 400+ independent pharmacies must individually arbitrate pricing disputes.  Mabe v. OptumRx, 2024 WL 3498353 (M.D. Pa. July 22, 2024).
• Full reversal of trial court ruling denying arbitrability for 48 independent pharmacies’ drug pricing disputes.  Copper Bend Pharmacy, Inc. v. OptumRx, 2023 WL 2964485 (Ill. App. Ct. Apr. 14, 2023), pet. for leave to appeal denied, 221 N.E. 3d 374 (Sept. 27, 2023).
• Landmark precedential opinion applying virus exclusion to business interruption insurance coverage under California law.  Mudpie, Inc. v. Travelers Cas. Ins. Co. of Am., 15 F.4th 885 (9th Cir. 2021).
• Defeated motion to consolidate insurer-specific MDL on business interruption coverage.  In Re: Travelers COVID-19 Business Interruption Protection Insurance Litigation, 492 F. Supp. 3d 1341 (U.S. Jud. Pan. Mult. Lit. 2020).
• Fourteen-for-fourteen success rate securing dismissal of California state and federal actions against Travelers, each applying a virus exclusion to business interruption coverage under California law, often after successful removal from state to federal court, proving fraudulent joinder of state officials and defeating state regulatory violation claims.  E.g., JC/SC LLC v. Travelers Indem. Co. of Conn., 2022 WL 263157 (C.D. Cal. Jan. 26, 2022), affirmed, 2023 WL 2945304 (9th Cir. 2023); Pez Seafood DTLA, LLC v. Travelers Indem. Co., 514 F. Supp. 3d 1197 (C.D. Cal. 2021); 10E, LLC v. Travelers Indem. Co. of Conn., 483 F. Supp. 3d 828 (C.D. Cal. 2020).

Katherine also maintains a civil rights and liberties pro bono practice.  Namely:

• Argued ineffective assistance of counsel appeal on behalf of death row inmate.  Jordaan Creque v. State of Alabama, No. 2023-cr-0654 (Ala. Ct. Crim. App.) (argued Feb. 2025, decision pending).
• Argued hearing, secured five-year early release for prisoner under D.C. Second Look Amendment Act.  United States v. Jerome Brown, No. 2002-FEL-6717 (D.C. Sup. Ct. Nov. 20, 2023).
• Secured voting rights amicus brief over Texas Attorney General’s challenge.  La Union del Pueblo Entero, et al. v. Gregory W. Abbott, et al., No. 5:21-cv-844 (W.D. Tex. Feb. 14, 2022).
• First chair in bench trial ending foreign parent custody, securing domestic parent custody and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status for unaccompanied minor.  Rivas Ortiz v. Rivas de Rodas, No. CAD19-16849 (Md. Cir. Ct. Aug. 27, 2020).

She received her law degree, with honors, from Emory University School of Law.  Her peers elected her editor in chief of Emory International Law Review, and the law faculty voted to give her the Robert Beynart Award for Professionalism and Ethics.  As a law student, Katherine interned with then-Justice Harold Melton of the Georgia Supreme Court, with civil rights prosecutors at the U.S. Department of Justice, sex trafficking prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, and war crimes prosecutors at the U.N. International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Prior to law school, Katherine spent a year assisting sex trafficking prosecutors in Kolkata, then earned a Master of Science in Contemporary India from Oxford University.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from Auburn University’s Honors College, where she was the Morris W. Savage Pre-Law Scholar from 2006 to 2010.  Katherine is the 2020 Auburn University Honored Alumni Award recipient.

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

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

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

Representative matters include:*

• Western Digital Corporation v. United States, No. 26-215 (Court of Federal Claims) (refund of underpayment interest under section 7508A(d)) (pending)
• Movate, Inc. v. United States, Docket No. 24-1621 (Court of Federal Claims) (issues relating to implementation of a U.S.-India mutual agreement procedure resolution) (resolved with government concession)
• 3M Company & Subsidiaries v. Commissioner, 154 F.4th 574 (8th Cir. 2025) (transfer pricing; validity of regulation) (reversed Tax Court; held for taxpayer)
• Maxim Healthcare Services, Inc. v. United States, Docket No. 23-950 (Court of Federal Claims) (interest issues relating to employment taxes) (resolved with full government concession)
• KPC Global Medical Centers, Inc. v. Commissioner, T.C. Docket No. 18551-22 (accounting-method issues)
• Western Digital Corporation & Subsidiaries v. Commissioner, T.C. Docket Nos. 18984-18 and 4818-19 (transfer pricing and section 956) (settled shortly before trial)
• The Coca-Cola Company & Subsidiaries v. Commissioner, T.C. Docket No. 31183-15 (transfer pricing and foreign tax credits; 10-week trial)
• Reflectxion Resources, Inc. v. Commissioner, T.C. Docket No. 12017-16, T.C. Memo. 2020-114 (section 3401(d) and section 530 of the Revenue Act of 1978)
• com, Inc. & Subsidiaries v. Commissioner, 148 T.C. 108 (2017) (transfer pricing (cost-sharing) issues); >5-week trial, aff’d 934 F.3d 976 (9th Cir. 2019)
• Thomas & Betts Corporation & Subsidiaries v. Commissioner, T.C. Docket No. 4120-17 (transfer pricing) (settled before trial)
• kgb and Subsidiaries v. Commissioner, Tax Court Docket No. 4667-13 (transfer pricing) (settled before trial)
• Baldwin v. United States, Docket 3:12-cv-59 (D. Nev.) (section 165 loss) (settled before trial)

*Includes matters handled prior to joining Gibson Dunn

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

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

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

Charlotte Wilson is an associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn and is a member of the firm’s Real Estate and Finance Practice Groups.

Charlotte has broad transactional experience across multiple finance practice areas, with a particular focus on real estate finance. Her expertise includes advising lenders, borrowers, and sponsors on a wide range of financing transactions, including real estate finance, acquisition finance, corporate finance and multi-jurisdictional financing arrangements.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Charlotte worked at the Auckland office of another large law firm.

George Sampas is a partner in Gibson Dunn’s New York office. He is the Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group and Co-Head of Cross-Border M&A. George’s practice focuses on cross-border transactions, unsolicited U.S. and non-U.S. acquisitions and private equity transactions with a specific emphasis in the aviation, aerospace and defense and energy and minerals sectors.

George is regularly recognized as a leading advisor having been previously named by Global Counsel as one of its “Highly Recommended M&A Practitioners” and is regularly ranked in legal publications such as New York Super Lawyers, The Legal 500 United States, Euromoney’s Guide to the World’s Leading Mergers and Acquisitions Lawyers and Who’s Who Legal.

George represents leading global corporations on their largest, most complex and transformative deals including representations of Alcan, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Aventis, BBA Aviation, BCE, Columbia Pipeline Group, Enbridge, Inco, KPMG, Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group, and Vodafone Group as well as private equity firms and investment advisors.

Historic Transactions include representing SpaceX on its acquisition of xAI, the largest M&A transaction to date, Vodafone’s acquisition of Mannesmann, the second largest M&A acquisition to date, Elf in its Pac-Man defense and merger with Total, Aventis in its use of a Plavix poison pill warrant to secure better terms from Sanofi, Alcan in its use of new French regulations to allow an unsolicited acquisition of Pechiney and in selling Alcan to Rio Tinto, InBev in its unsolicited acquisition of Anheuser-Busch, Inco in many transactions including its combination agreement with Phelps Dodge and Falconbridge and its sale to Vale.

Recent representations include*:

• Advising SpaceX on its acquisition of xAI.
• Advising Enbridge on several transactions including its acquisitions of The East Ohio Gas Company, Questar Gas Company and its related Wexpro companies, and the pending acquisition of Public Service Company of North Carolina for a total of $14 billion; its $43 billion acquisition of Spectra Energy; and its acquisitions of its sponsored vehicles, including Spectra Energy Partners, Enbridge Income Fund, Enbridge Energy Partners and Enbridge Energy Management, totaling more than $18 billion.
• Advising DS Smith in its $9.9 billion pending combination with International Paper to create a global leader in sustainable packing solutions.
• Advising Alumina Limited, an Australian company that invests in bauxite mines and alumina refineries, on its pending $2.2 billion sale to Alcoa.
• Advising C&S Wholesale Grocers, a wholesale grocery supply and supply chain solutions, on several transactions including its $2.9 billion purchase of grocery stores and other assets from The Kroger Company and Albertsons Companies.
• Advising Symbotic, a leading provider of artificial intelligence-powered automation technology for the supply chain, on several transactions including its and SoftBank’s establishment of GreenBox Systems and its approximately $7.5 billion new customer contract with GreenBox; its $5.5 billion merger with SVF Investment Corp. 3 , a SPAC sponsored by an affiliate of Softbank Investment Advisers, and arrangement with Walmart to reimagine Walmart’s regional distribution network through Symbotic’s high tech systems.
• Advising Morgan Stanley as financial advisor to Iberdrola in its $2.6 billion acquisition of AvanGrid

*Includes representations prior to George’s association with Gibson Dunn.

Before joining Gibson Dunn, George was a partner at a large international law firm. He received his law degree from The University of Chicago Law School and his Bachelor of Arts from Brown University. George is admitted to practice in the state of New York.

Ella Alves Capone is of counsel in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson Dunn. She is a member of the White Collar Defense and Investigations, Financial Regulatory, FinTech and Digital Assets, and Anti-Money Laundering Practice Groups.

Ella’s practice focuses on advising multinational corporations and financial institutions on Bank Secrecy Act/anti-money laundering (BSA/AML), anti-corruption, sanctions, payments, and consumer financial regulatory and enforcement matters, with a particular focus on regulatory matters impacting banks, casinos, fintechs, e-commerce marketplaces, and digital assets businesses. She has significant experience representing clients in enforcement matters involving the Department of Justice (DOJ), Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Federal Reserve, and state financial services regulators, including the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) and state gaming regulators. She has successfully defended global clients in multi-jurisdictional and multi-agency enforcement matters involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), money laundering, consumer financial, securities, fraud, and sanctions allegations.

Ella has been featured as a fintech “Rising Star” by Law360 in its 2023 publication of “attorneys under 40 whose legal accomplishments belie their age.” She has also been recognized by Super Lawyers each year since 2022 as a White Collar Defense “Rising Star.” In addition, she was recognized for her White Collar Litigation and Investigations work in the 2023 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation edition, an inaugural guide highlighting attorneys “who will define where the legal profession of our country goes” and whose “leadership will be called upon by businesses and individuals when they face their crossroads.”

Ella has significant experience advising regulated and unregulated clients on the design, implementation, and enhancement of corporate compliance programs and BSA/AML programs. Ella frequently provides training and speaks and writes on financial services regulations and corporate compliance programs, including enforcement trends, industry best practices, and regulator expectations.

Ella has significant experience working on international matters, with particular expertise in Latin America. She is fluent in Portuguese, and her representative matters include several anti-corruption and corporate compliance matters in Brazil, including the representation of Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras in connection with investigations by the SEC and DOJ.

Ella’s representative matters include:

• Representing a client in the gaming industry before FinCEN in an AML enforcement matter.
• Conducting an extensive anti-corruption, AML, and securities internal investigation for a major bank in a matter involving engagement with DOJ, the SEC, FINRA, and federal banking regulators.
• Representing a large bank in a sanctions and AML matter involving engagement with DOJ, OFAC, and banking regulators.
• Representing a casino in conducting an internal investigation and engaging with DOJ and local gaming regulators on BSA/AML matters.
• Advising leading social media and tech clients on payments, BSA/AML, sanctions, and consumer financial matters associated with creator monetization programs, marketplace offerings, reward programs, and platform tokens.
• Conducting anti-corruption and AML compliance program assessments for a social networking client.
• Representing a cryptocurrency exchange in connection with investigations by the SEC, FinCEN, and OFAC and in developing and implementing a BSA/AML and sanctions compliance program.
• Advising a leading technology company on BSA/AML, sanctions, and securities matters associated with launching NFT products.
• Advising a global financial services company on BSA/AML, state money transmitter, sanctions, and securities compliance and licensing matters associated with launching a cryptocurrency custody and liquidity solution.
• Conducting token securities assessments and developing corporate token assessment procedures for multiple TradFi and blockchain entities.
• Advising a cryptocurrency exchange and other Web 3.0 clients on regulatory considerations and risk mitigation strategies associated with launching tokens and decentralizing operations.
• Conducting pre-deal AML, anti-corruption, and sanctions due diligence and post-acquisition compliance integration in connection with corporate transactions for multiple global investment firms.

Representative speaking engagements and writings include the following:

• “Bank Secrecy Act, Anti-Money Laundering, and OFAC Compliance: Recent Regulatory and Enforcement Updates,” Presenter, BARBRI CLE Training (February 2026);
• “Anti-Money Laundering: USA Law Chapter,” Author, International Comparative Legal Guides (Editions 2018-2026);
• “Annual Update on BSA/AML, Sanctions, & Export Controls Enforcement and Compliance,” Presenter, Gibson Dunn Webcast (2020-2026).
• “AML requirements for covered institutions and individuals in USA,” Author, Lexology (Editions 2022 – 2026);
• “Compliance 360: Organization, Governance & Management,” Presenter, Institute of International Bankers (October 2025);
• “Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Programs for Financial Institutions and Other Businesses” in The Complete Compliance and Ethics Manual, Author, Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (Editions 2022 – 2026);
• “Regulators’ Outlook: Trends and Expectations for AML Professionals,” Presenter, Institute of International Bankers (September 2023);
• “FCPA Year-End Update,” Presenter, Gibson Dunn Webcast (Annually 2021 – 2024);
• “Chapter 4: Criminal History” in Practice Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, Author, ABA Treatise (Editions 2018-2024);
• “Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Training in the Digital Assets Sector,” Presenter (July 2022);
• “The Role of Internal Audit and Associated Best Practices,” Presenter, Corporate Training Program (November 2021);
• “Key Anti-Corruption Priorities for the Biden Administration: The Corruption-Money Laundering Connection,” Presenter, American University Washington College of Law Webcast (April 2021);
• “Compliance and Economic Analysis,” Presenter, Symposium on Economic Analysis of Law (February 2020);
• “Compliance and Beyond: Trends in Cross-Border Enforcement Investigations and Law Enforcement,” Presenter, Brazil Compliance Symposium (April 2019);
• “The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: Enforcement and Compliance” in Securities Practice Series Portfolio No. 285, Author, Bloomberg BNA (2018).

Ella graduated from New York University School of Law in 2011, where she was a member of the Honorary Moot Court Board. She graduated summa cum laude and with departmental honors for all years from Fordham University, where she earned a dual degree in Psychology and Sociology and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, she practiced at a major international law firm in Washington, D.C. and New York, where she specialized in white collar criminal defense, securities litigation, and internal investigations.

Ella is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and New York, as well as before the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York.

Ryan Bergsieker is a partner in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Denver office. A former federal cybercrimes prosecutor who has tried more than 45 cases to verdict, Ryan’s practice is focused in three areas: government investigations, complex civil litigation, and cybersecurity/data privacy counseling.

In ranking Ryan as one of the top white collar defense and government investigations lawyers in Colorado, Chambers & Partners (ranked 2017-2026) highlights client reports that Ryan “demonstrates good judgment and produces an excellent work product,” is “prompt, responsive and dependable,” “draws on strong expertise in government investigations and cybersecurity,” and is “very strong on tech and hacking.” Based on client feedback, BTI named Ryan to its nationwide 2020 Client Service All-Stars List, recognizing “attorneys who stand above all the others in delivering the absolute best in client service.” He also has been consistently recognized by The Best Lawyers in America ® (2021-2025) in Criminal Defense: White Collar, and named a “Complete Lawyer” who “excel[s] in the courtroom, in the boardroom, in client meetings and out in the community.” Lawdragon recognized Ryan in their 2025 and 2026 list of 500 Global Leaders in Crisis Management and their 2026 list of 500 Leading Litigators in America for his expertise in Investigations, Litigation, and Cybersecurity.

Ryan has particular experience with Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), and State Attorney General investigations, and substantive expertise regarding federal, state, and international consumer protection, privacy and cybersecurity laws, regulations, and standards.

Ryan has served on the Board of Directors of the Faculty of Federal Advocates and the Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel for the District of Colorado. He graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Princeton University with an A.B. from the School of Public and International Affairs. He received his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he served on the Board of the Yale Law Journal and as a civil procedure teaching assistant. After graduating from law school, Ryan clerked for the Honorable David M. Ebel on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Before joining Gibson Dunn, Ryan served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Colorado. He coordinated the District’s computer hacking prosecutions, served as its subject matter expert on electronic surveillance law, and investigated and prosecuted a wide range of crimes, including computer intrusions, denial of service attacks, theft of proprietary business information, identity theft, pharmaceutical misbranding, wire fraud, mail fraud, and murder. In addition to trying cases before nearly every judge in the District, he led dozens of criminal investigations and argued multiple appeals before the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. As a result of Ryan’s work, the United States Attorney awarded him the District’s Distinguished Service Award and the U.S. Attorney’s Award of Excellence.

Representative Government Investigations Matters

• Representing publicly traded social media company in FTC investigation related to disclosures regarding the company’s use of consumers’ personal information.
• Representing publicly traded e-commerce company in FTC investigation following then-largest-ever data breach.
• Representing publicly traded fintech company in CFPB inquiry regarding payment practices.
• Representing multiple publicly traded healthcare providers and payors in Department of Health and Human Services investigations of potential HIPAA violations.
• Representing publicly traded social media company in Department of Justice investigation regarding alleged algorithmic bias in the delivery of housing ads.
• Conducting internal investigation for publicly traded retail company regarding electronic exfiltration of sensitive company information in corporate espionage scheme.
• Conducting internal investigation for publicly traded hospitality industry company regarding the unauthorized use of company computer resources for cryptocurrency mining.
• Representing multiple tech industry companies in selecting and interfacing with independent assessors/reviewers/monitors appointed under FTC and DOJ consent orders.
• Representing publicly traded e-commerce company in parallel investigations by state attorneys general regarding revisions to user agreement.
• Representing privately held software company in FTC COPPA investigation.
• Representing publicly traded healthcare provider in multi-state parallel criminal and civil False Claims Act investigations by DOJ.
• Representing publicly traded automobile manufacturer in investigation by coalition of state attorneys general regarding advertising claims.

Representative Civil Litigation Matters

• Representing large government contractor in False Claims Act qui tam litigation.
• Representing financial institution in theft of trade secrets litigation.
• Representing publicly traded recreational industry company in litigation over control of significant resort property.

Robert C. Blume is a partner in the Denver and Dallas offices of Gibson, Dunn, & Crutcher. An accomplished trial lawyer, Rob served as a federal prosecutor with the United States Department of Justice and earned four Special Achievement Awards from the Attorney General. In addition to complex civil litigation, Rob’s practice focuses on internal investigations, compliance, and the defense of business crimes. Rob is an active member of the Firm’s Global White-Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Group, Litigation Practice Group, False Claims Act/Qui Tam Defense Practice Group, Crisis Management Practice Group, and Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Data Innovation Practice Group.

Rob was most recently recognized in Lawdragon 500 as a Global Leader in Crisis Management (2025-2026). He has achieved the highest Band 1 ranking by Chambers USA (2012-2026) as a leading lawyer in Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations. He also was selected by Super Lawyers for excellence in Criminal Defense: White Collar (2019-2024) and recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® for work in three areas: Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Commercial Litigation, and Litigation Securities (2013-2026). Who’s Who Legal recognized Rob in the 2024 edition of their Global Investigations Guide and Benchmark Litigation named Rob a “Litigation Star” both nationally and in Colorado (2018-2025), after previously labeling him a “Future Star” (2015-2017). Finally, Law Week Colorado has named Rob “Best White-Collar Lawyer” (2016).

During his more than 30 years as a trial lawyer, Rob has prepared for and conducted many dozens of bench and jury trials in the federal and state courts of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington, DC, as well as in Canada, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom. His litigation clients include executives, private and public companies, and a sovereign African nation, and they operate within the health care, financial services, oil & gas, aerospace, technology and digital media, retail goods, and hospitality industries. Rob has defended clients against state and federal claims for breach of contract, fraud, racketeering, theft, conversion, misappropriation of trade secrets, patent infringement, and defamation. He also has served as plaintiff’s counsel for clients in the oil and gas industry, including as a key part of the trial team that helped Chevron win a two-month RICO trial barring the enforcement of a $9 billion fraudulent Ecuadorian judgment, which The American Lawyer called “The Case of the Century” and The Wall Street Journal labeled “The Legal Fraud of the Century.” 

Rob’s white-collar, business crimes, and investigations practice pits him against government agencies around the country, including the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the World Bank, and various State Attorneys General and related law enforcement agencies. In this context, Rob represents clients accused of antitrust violations, securities fraud, healthcare fraud, corruption and bribery, cybersecurity issues, money laundering, consumer protection violations, and environmental crimes.

In addition, Rob defends clients accused of federal and state False Claims Act (FCA) violations involving breach of contract, kickback, and Medicare/Medicaid fraud theories. Rob’s government contracting clients include diagnostic laboratories, insurers, medical supply companies, third-party billers, defense contractors, and a provider of investigative services. In district and appellate courts, Rob has, among other things, convinced DOJ to decline intervention, summarily defeated whistleblower claims, successfully argued for new statutory interpretations, and obtained early-stage dismissals of FCA claims for his clients.

Rob also is recognized as an expert in the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and has helped clients navigate internal investigations, deploy compliance initiatives, and defend against government actions. In that role, Rob has conducted investigations and due diligence reviews in the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa, India, the Middle East, Central and South America, and Australia. Rob advises executives and Boards regarding internal company practices, compliance programs and training, fiduciary duties, disclosure issues, and human resource concerns. Rob has participated in three separate FCPA Monitorships, including as a lawyer leading the monitor’s investigation team for Siemens.

Rob lectures, publishes, and trains on topics including the attorney-client privilege, internal investigations, the FCPA, the FCA, search warrants/dawn raids, off-channel communications, electronic evidence, and trial advocacy. Most recently, Reuters published his insights on minimizing third-party risk under the FCPA in Practical Law: The Journal. Rob served as a faculty member and instructor at the National Institute of Trial Advocacy’s Advanced Trial Advocacy Program in Washington, DC and its Advanced Deposition Skills training in Boulder, Colorado and is a frequent guest lecturer at the Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver and at the University of Colorado Law School in Boulder. He also traveled to Africa with Lawyers Without Borders to train prosecutors and judges as part of the Kenyan Wildlife Crime Project.

Additionally, Rob serves as co-chair of the Rocky Mountain Regional Subcommittee of the ABA’s White-Collar Crime Committee and previously served as the national co-chair of the Corporate Criminal Liability Subcommittee. Rob is an elected member of the Texas Bar Foundation.

Before joining Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Rob served with distinction as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. Assigned to the Homicide/Major Crimes Section, Rob investigated and tried more than 35 homicide, drug, and violent crime trials. Before that, Rob was with the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section in the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, where he investigated and tried a number of organized crime and white-collar cases involving RICO, mail and wire fraud, securities fraud, credit card fraud, insurance fraud, cybersecurity breaches, FCPA violations, obstruction of justice, money laundering, and conspiracy.

Rob graduated cum laude from the Georgetown University Law Center, was the Associate Editor of the Georgetown Law Journal, and was a member of Georgetown’s Criminal Justice Clinic. Rob received his Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from Brown University and is admitted to practice law in Colorado, Texas, and the District of Columbia.

Natalie Hausknecht is a partner in the Denver office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where she practices in the firm’s litigation department. She is an experienced trial and consumer protection/privacy defense attorney with experience in high-exposure representations of major technology and fintech companies, global energy leaders, and corporate executives. Her experience also has included handling high priority state and federal government investigations involving state Attorneys General, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Natalie has continuously received recognition in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America since 2021, and Super Lawyers has named her a Rising Star in Colorado for 2024-2025. Most recently, Natalie was named an “Up and Coming” lawyer in Colorado in White Collar Crime & Government Investigations in the 2026 edition of Chambers USA and Law Week Colorado named her to its list of 2025 Top Women Lawyers.

For two decades, Natalie has advised global government and business leaders in high-stakes situations during which she has built a reputation for sound judgment and creativity. As an attorney, she is an experienced product counselor on marketing, consumer experience, and privacy issues. She also has successfully defended clients in several important litigation, investigative, and appellate matters, including:

• High-profile worker classification disputes for gig economy companies, including defeating preliminary injunction motions seeking the reclassification of independent workers as employees and securing dismissal of multiple putative class action complaints.
• Multiple high priority Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau investigations for large technology companies—none of which have resulted in any action or consent decree with the Commission.
• Numerous complex putative class actions and law enforcement suits in federal and state court involving consumer disclosures and privacy claims, many of which have been resolved pre-discovery.
• A broad-ranging SEC investigation into the actions of a Board of Directors and several executives that resulted in no prosecutorial action.
• An FCPA investigation concerning business contracts in Latin America.
• Multiple bench and jury trials successfully resolved in commercial litigation involving fraud or trade secret claims.
• Successful early dismissal or resolution of privacy and First Amendment claims for major technology companies and platforms, including those involving the Stored Communications Act.

Natalie also maintains an active pro bono practice. In 2019, she obtained a unanimous reversal and a remand to the Board of Immigration Appeals from the Seventh Circuit in a pro bono immigration appeal: Ruderman v. Whitaker, 914 F.3d 567 (7th Cir. 2019). She also works frequently with non-profits to evaluate and investigate claims of actual innocence for incarcerated criminal defendants.

Natalie earned her law degree from Yale Law School. During law school, she served as an advocate for children in abuse and neglect proceedings, including in hearings and trials. She received the Florence M. Kelley Family Law Prize in recognition of her outstanding courtroom advocacy work.

Prior to joining the firm, Natalie clerked for the Honorable Thomas B. Griffith of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and the Honorable James E. Boasberg of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

She is also an international security and development expert with broad experience advising leaders throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Before attending law school, she worked as a senior special advisor to president of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq for almost a decade. She won a Marshall Scholarship during this time and earned her Doctorate in International Relations from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and her Masters of Science with honors from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London.

Natalie also graduated summa cum laude from American University with a Bachelor of Arts in International Service. She was recognized as the Outstanding Academic in her class at American, where she also won several other academic and athletic awards, including a 2002 Boren National Security Scholarship.

She is a member of the State Bar of Colorado.

John Chesley is a Chambers-ranked litigation partner in Gibson Dunn’s Washington, D.C. Office. He focuses his practice on white collar criminal enforcement and government-related litigation. He represents corporations, board committees, and executives in internal investigations and before government agencies in matters involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, procurement fraud, environmental crimes, securities violations, sanctions enforcement, antitrust violations, and whistleblower claims. He also has significant trial experience before federal and state courts and administrative tribunals nationwide, with a particular focus on government contract disputes.

John served as the Interim Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer of a publicly-traded, multi-national corporation, responsible for managing a global team of compliance personnel. In this role, John conducted and oversaw internal investigations, managed a whistleblower hotline, provided compliance advice, created and updated compliance policies, and administered compliance training for tens of thousands of employees worldwide. This opportunity provided John with first-hand insights into the day-to-day challenges experienced by in-house counsel, which he uses to bring practical solutions to the table for all of his clients.

John has been recognized repeatedly as one of the leading lawyers of his generation. Most recently, John was recommended by The Legal 500 2025 for his work in Government Contracts. He was also recognized in the 2026 edition of Chambers USA as a leading FCPA practitioner, in which clients described him as “smart, practical and [] a pleasure to work with,” as well as “incredibly responsive and practical in his advice.” Other rankings include “Global Leader in Crisis Management” (Lawdragon), “Top Rated White Collar Attorney” (Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers),  “World’s Leading Young Investigations Specialist” (Global Investigations Review), “Rising Star” (Law360, Government Contracts) (The National Law Journal, White Collar), Washington, D.C. “Future Litigation Star” (Benchmark Litigation), and “Future Leader” in Investigations (Who’s Who Legal Investigations).

A representative sampling of John’s reported client engagements include:

• In the Matter of Kraft Heinz Co. – Negotiated a successful resolution of accounting fraud claims brought by the SEC with no criminal component, substantially reduced financial penalty, and non-scienter-based charges;
• United States & SEC v. Hewlett-Packard Co. et al. – Negotiated a successful resolution of FCPA claims brought by DOJ and the SEC, including no criminal disposition for the parent issuer, no compliance monitor, and a substantially reduced financial settlement, then guide successor companies through successful completion of post-resolution reporting period;
• United States v. ZTE Corp. – Successfully litigated criminal probation revocation proceeding, persuading Court not to revoke probation or impose penalties and bring five-year compliance monitorship to an end (3:17-cr-00120-K, Dkt. 191 (Mar. 22, 2022));
• Raytheon Co. v. United States – Won a $59 million judgment after a three-week trial before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in a dispute with the Government concerning pension costs and successfully defended the trial court’s judgment on appeal to the Federal Circuit (105 Fed. Cl. 236 (2012) (aff’d 747 F.3d 1341 (Fed Cir. 2014));
• David R. Faulkner v. State of Maryland – Successfully litigated writ of actual innocence leading to reversal of Mr. Faulkner’s convictions, dismissal of all charges, and his release from prison after 20 years of wrongful imprisonment (468 Md. 418 (2020));
• United States v. Angel Neri Estrada-Tello – Successfully litigated motion for sentencing reduction, resulting in the client’s immediate release and return to his family (8:02-cr-00228 (M.D. Fla. Feb. 14, 2025));
• United States v. Alan J. Saltzman , D.O. – Successfully litigated motion to sever and stay indicted healthcare fraud prosecution based on client’s physical incapacity (2016 WL 287052 (D.D.C. Jan. 22, 2016)), leading to complete dismissal of charges against the client;
• United States v. Michael D. Parry – Investigated allegations of corporate embezzlement on behalf of the Board of Directors of a non-profit organization and government contractor, resulting in a multi-million civil settlement for the organization and criminal prosecution of the former executive;
• In the Matter of Theodore W. Urban – Successful trial defense of the former General Counsel of a broker-dealer charged with failing to supervise a broker, culminating in an acquittal on all charges (99 SEC Docket 994 (2010));
• SEC v. General Electric Co. – Obtained a declination of criminal prosecution by DOJ in an FCPA investigation arising out of the Oil-for-Food Program and negotiated a favorable settlement with the SEC;
• The Allied Defense Group, Inc. – Obtained declinations of criminal and civil enforcement action by DOJ and the SEC in a joint FCPA investigation arising from the arrest of a former employee in the 2010 “FCPA Sting” as well as the dismissal of a federal employment lawsuit brought by the former employee;
• United States v. John Ferro – Obtained dismissal of all charges stemming from an unconstitutional search and seizure; and
• United Parcel Service, Inc. v. Bureau of Safety & Regulation – Obtained the reversal of an administrative occupational safety and health citation in the Court of Appeals of Michigan and then successfully defended the Court of Appeals’ decision before the Michigan Supreme Court (745 N.W. 2d 125 (Mich App. 2007) (aff’d 749 N.W. 2d 746 (Mich. 2008)).

A representative sampling of confidential client engagements include:

• Ongoing representation of a global telecommunications company in an FCPA investigation before DOJ;
• Successfully persuaded DOJ and the SEC to decline charges against two separate global technology companies in FCPA investigations, one arising out of Southeast Asia and the other Latin America;
• Representation of a global consumer packaged goods company in multiple China-based anti-corruption investigations as well as a Russia-based sanctions investigation;
• Representation of a global telecommunications company in an Egypt-based anti-corruption investigation;
• Representation of a global financial institution in a multi-agency investigation concerning the U.S. Treasuries market;
• Representation of global trading company in connection with alleged North Korean sanctions violations;
• Representation of multi-national wellness device manufacturer in connection with alleged FDA regulatory non-compliances;
• Successfully persuaded DOJ and the SEC to decline charges against a senior lawyer in connection with a joint FCPA investigation concerning the alleged breach of a deferred prosecution agreement;
• Successfully persuaded the SEC to decline charges, post-Wells notice, against the CFO of a mining company in connection with allegations of FCPA violations;
• Representation of CIA employee in “Spying on the Senate” investigation, resulting in full exoneration of the client;
• Investigation of alleged corruption concerns in West Africa on behalf of a global energy company;
• Representation of a global telecommunications company in a multi-jurisdictional review of network performance reporting practices;
• Investigation of whistleblower concerns relating to energy reserve reporting practices on behalf of a global energy company;
• Representation of a defense contractor in a Procurement Integrity Act investigation being conducted by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, as well as suspension and debarment proceedings before the Naval Office of Acquisition Integrity;
• Representation of a Big 4 accounting firm in a Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations inquiry into international taxation matters;
• Representation of a major multi-national in connection with SOX whistleblower claims raised by an attorney formerly employed by an Indian subsidiary;
• Representation of a defense contractor in an internal review of compliance with export laws, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations;
• Representation of a defense contractor before the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Defense Contract Audit Agency, and SEC in connection with SOX whistleblower claims raised by the contractor’s chief compliance officer;
• Representation of a defense contractor in a grand jury investigation arising from allegations of improper political contributions;
• Representation of a real estate development firm in a grand jury investigation arising from alleged violations of the Clean Water Act;
• Representation of a senior chemical company executive in connection with criminal antitrust investigations in the United States and Canada and collateral, multi-district civil litigation in the United States; and
• Buy- and sell-side representation of numerous clients across a multitude of industries in connection with pre-acquisition FCPA due diligence reviews.

John publishes and speaks regularly on legal developments, particularly involving the FCPA. In addition, he is frequently quoted in print publications such as Bloomberg BNA, Compliance Week, Corporate Counsel, Global Investigations Review, Law360, The FCPA Report, and SEC Today and has appeared as a legal commentator on the Fox News Channel.

Examples of recent speaking engagements include:

• Co-Presenter, “Key Strategies to Navigating Cross-Border & Multilingual Compliance Investigations” (April 2025);
• Co-Presenter, “FCPA Update: 2024 & Q1 2025 Developments” (April 2025);
• Co-Presenter, “The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act” (December 2024);
• Co-Presenter, “FCPA 2023 Year-End Update” (February 2024);
• Co-Presenter, “FCPA 2022 Year-End Update” (March 2023);
• Co-Presenter, “Navigating the Minefield of Dodd-Frank’s Whistleblower Provisions (2022 Update),” Securities Docket Webcast (February 2023);
• Co-Presenter, “FCPA 2021 Year-End Update” (February 2022);
• Co-Presenter, “Navigating the Minefield of Dodd-Frank’s Whistleblower Provisions (2021 Update),” Securities Docket Webcast (January 2022);
• Co-Presenter, “Navigating the Minefield of Dodd-Frank’s Whistleblower Provisions (2020 Update),” Securities Docket Webcast (February 2021); and
• Co-Presenter, “FCPA 2020 Year-End Update” (January 2021).

In July 2016, a Gibson Dunn team led by John was presented with the “Defender of Innocence” award by The Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project in recognition of their efforts to vindicate and free from prison David R. Faulkner.

John graduated with honors from the Georgetown University Law Center in 2005, where he attended classes while working for the National Criminal Enforcement Section of the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division. He received his undergraduate degree with honors from the University of Maryland in 2001 and also is a former police officer.

John is a member of the bars of the State of Maryland and the District of Columbia and has held a Secret security clearance.

F. Joseph Warin is chair of the 250-person Litigation Department of Gibson Dunn’s Washington, D.C. office, and he is co-chair of the firm’s global White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Group. Mr. Warin’s practice includes representation of corporations in complex civil litigation, white collar crime, and regulatory and securities enforcement – including Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigations, False Claims Act cases, special committee representations, compliance counseling and class action civil litigation.

Mr. Warin is continually recognized annually in the top-tier by Chambers USA, Chambers Global, and Chambers Latin America for his FCPA, fraud and corporate investigations expertise. Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) named Mr. Warin a “Global Elite Thought Leader” in its Investigations guides list for Business Crime Defense – Corporate and Investigations each year since 2018, and also recognized him in its Commercial Litigation 2023 guide. In 2021 Global Investigations Review named Mr. Warin to its list of Top FCPA Practitioners, which “highlights 30 outstanding lawyers and forensic advisers in the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act space.” In 2026, Mr. Warin was selected by Chambers USA as a “Star” in FCPA, a “Star” in the District of Columbia in White Collar Crime and Government Investigations, and a “Leading Lawyer” in the District of Columbia in Securities Litigation. In 2017, Chambers USA honored Mr. Warin with the Outstanding Contribution to the Legal Profession Award, calling him a “true titan of the FCPA and securities enforcement arenas.” He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America® every year from 2006–2026 for White Collar Criminal Defense. The U.S. Legal 500 ranks Mr. Warin in the 2025 Hall of Fame for Dispute Resolution – Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense, and he was most recently recommended for Securities Litigation: Defense. Legal 500 has also repeatedly named him as a “Leading Lawyer” for Corporate Investigations and White Collar Criminal Defense Litigation. He has been recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a U.S. White Collar Crime Litigator “Star” each year since 2011 and was named to Securities Docket’s “Enforcement 40” for 2017. Mr. Warin is also recognized in Legal Media Group’s 2021 Expert Guide to the World’s Leading White Collar Lawyers. Mr. Warin is also regularly named a Leading Individual by Legal 500 Latin America in, International Firms: Compliance and Investigations. In 2019, Latinvex named Mr. Warin one of Latin America’s Top 100 Lawyers in the category of FCPA & Fraud. The Washingtonian Magazine named Mr. Warin one of Washington’s “Top Lawyers” in White Collar Criminal Defense for 2024, and he was previously named from 2018–2022. BTI Consulting named Mr. Warin to its 2020 “BTI Client Service All-Stars” List.

Global Investigations Review ranked Mr. Warin’s group No. 1 in its GIR 30, its “annual guide to the world’s leading firms to turn to during the lifecycle of an investigation and its aftermath,” for the fourth consecutive year. The publication noted that Gibson Dunn “is the premier firm in the investigations space and has an unrivaled FCPA practice.” In 2016 Who’s Who Legal and Global Investigations Review named Mr. Warin to their list of World’s Ten-Most Highly Regarded Investigations Lawyers based on a survey of clients and peers, noting that he was one of the “most highly nominated practitioners,” and a “’favourite’ of audit and special committees of public companies.” Best Lawyers® named Mr. Warin the Lawyer of the Year in 2026 for Bet-the-Company Litigation in Washington, D.C., in 2020 and 2016 for White Collar Criminal Defense in Washington, D.C., and he is named among Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Litigators in America” guide for 2023, 2025, and 2026.

Mr. Warin has handled cases and investigations in more than 40 states and dozens of countries. His clients include corporations, officers, directors and professionals in regulatory, investigative and trials involving federal regulatory inquiries, criminal investigations and cross-border inquiries by dozens of international enforcers, including UK’s SFO and FCA, and government regulators in Germany, Switzerland, Hong Kong, and the Middle East. His credibility at DOJ and the SEC is unsurpassed among private practitioners – a reputation based in large part on his experience as the only person ever to serve as a compliance monitor or counsel to the compliance monitor in three separate FCPA monitorships, pursuant to settlements with the SEC and DOJ: Statoil ASA (2007-2009); Siemens AG (2009-2012); and Alliance One International (2011-2013). He has been hired by audit committees or special committees of public companies to conduct investigations into allegations of wrongdoing in a wide variety of industries including energy, oil services, financial services, healthcare and telecommunications.

Mr. Warin’s civil practice includes representation of clients in complex litigation in federal courts and international arbitrations. He has tried 10b-5 securities and RICO claim lawsuits, hostile takeovers and commercial disputes. He has handled more than 40 class action cases across the United States for investment banking firms, global corporations, Big 4 accounting firms, broker-dealers and hedge funds.

Early in his career, Mr. Warin served as Assistant United States Attorney in Washington, D.C. As a prosecutor, he tried more than 50 jury trials and was awarded a Special Achievement award by the Attorney General. Mr. Warin was awarded the Best FCPA Client Service Award by Main Justice in 2013 and he joined the publication’s FCPA Masters list. He was named a Special Prosecutor by the District of Columbia Superior Court in 1988.

Mr. Warin graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he was Editor of Law and Policy in International Business. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude from Creighton University, where he was student body president. He served as a law clerk for United States District Court Judge J. Calvitt Clarke, in the Eastern District of Virginia. He has been a member of the American Bar Association’s White Collar Criminal Law Committee since 1988 and served as president of the Assistant United States Attorneys Association. Mr. Warin has been selected to serve on insurance company panels for securities class actions. He is currently a member of the Board of the International Association of Independent Corporate Monitors.

Significant Representations include:

• Negotiated Department of Justice and SEC resolutions for one of the largest banks in the FX and Libor investigations.
• Represented Petrobras, Brazil’s state-owned energy company, in its unique resolution with the Department of Justice and the SEC.
• Conducted the independent resolution of an investigation of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.
• Defended audit of Israel’s largest bank in negotiating a deferred prosecution agreement for tax related charges.
• Negotiated a criminal resolution for an international global oil company arising out of the Deep Water Horizon Gulf of Mexico spill.
• Defended executives of a top technology company and obtained dismissal of a derivative lawsuit alleging options backdating.
• Defended the nation’s third-largest telecommunications company in a criminal investigation conducted by Southern District of New York U.S. Attorney’s Office and achieved a declination of prosecution.
• Served as FCPA counsel for first non-US compliance monitor for Siemens in connection with one of the largest ever FCPA resolutions.
• Represented the Audit Committee of a $2 billion hospital chain against allegations of financial misrepresentations. Convinced the SEC and U.S. Attorney’s Office not to take any enforcement actions against client.
• Represented the Audit Committee of Fortune 50 energy company relating to allegations of earnings management.
• Represented client in the longest-running securities class action in the history of Washington, D.C. and achieved a modest resolution.
• Defended the president of a hardware supply company in a criminal price fixing case. The jury acquitted our client after a three week trial in St. Louis, Missouri.
• Served as FCPA compliance monitor pursuant to a deferred prosecution agreement with SEC and Department of Justice.
• Obtained numerous dismissals of lawsuits brought against the NASDAQ Stock Market and FINRA/NASD organization for more than 20 years.

Selected Speaking Engagements:

• Presenter at Gibson Dunn webcast, “Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions Enforcement and Compliance Update” (February 2023)
• Presenter at Gibson Dunn webcast, “Negotiating Closure of Government Investigations: NPAs, DPAs, and Beyond” (2019 – 2021)
• Presenter at Gibson Dunn webcast, “The False Claims Act- 2021 Updates: Financial Services Sector” (2018 – 2021)
• Presenter, “Ethics, Compliance & Inclusion,” Notre Dame University School of Law Program on Corporate Compliance and Enforcement (March 2021)
• Panelist, “C5’s 15th Annual Fraud, Asset Tracing & Recovery Conference,” (March 2021)
• Presenter at annual Gibson Dunn webcast, “Challenges in Compliance and Corporate Governance” (2004 – 2021)
• Presenter at Gibson Dunn webcast, “White Collar Enforcement Outlook 2021 – Sanctions/Export Controls, AML and Healthcare Fraud” (February 2021)
• Presenter at Gibson Dunn webcast, “FCPA 2020 Year-End Update” (January 2021)
• Presenter at Gibson Dunn webcast, “Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions Enforcement and Compliance in 2020 and Beyond” (December 2020)
• Presenter at annual Securities Docket webcast, “Navigating Dodd-Frank’s Whistleblower Provisions and the FCPA” (2017 – 2021)
• Presenter at annual Gibson Dunn webcast, “FCPA Trends in the Emerging Markets of China, Russia, India, Africa and Latin America” (2011 – 2021)
• Presenter at Gibson Dunn webcast, “GDPR’s First Five Months: Emerging Trends and Implementation Challenges (October 2018)
• Presenter at Gibson Dunn webcast, “Ten Years After Siemens: The Evolving Landscape of Global Anti-Corruption Enforcement” (September 2018)
• Co-Chair, Global Investigations Review 5th Annual Live New York International Conference (September 2018)
• Panelist, “Trends in Telecommunications Enforcement,” at ACI’s 9th Global Forum on Anti-Corruption (July 2018)
• Panelist, “Regulators Roundtable,” at PLI’s Internal Investigations 2018 program (June 2018)
• Presenter at Gibson Dunn webcast, “The False Claims Act- 2018 Mid-Year Update: Financial Services Sector” (August 2018)
• Panelist, “Corporate Compliance Roundtable,” at University of Virginia, Darden School of Business (May 2018)
• Presenter at Gibson Dunn webcast, “Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions Enforcement and Compliance in 2018 and Beyond” (May 2018)
• Panelist, “Ask the Experts: Q&A with ACI’s Global Anti-Corruption Advisory Board,” at ACI’s 20th Anniversary New York Conference on FCPA (May 2018)
• Presenter, “Lessons Learned from High Profile Investigations and Prosecutions,” at ABA Criminal Justice Section’s 2018 Spring Meeting (April 2018)
• Panelist, “No Turning Back: 40 Years of the FCPA and 20 Years of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention,” New York University School of Law Program on Corporate Compliance and Enforcement (November 2017)
• Presenter, “The Increasingly Global Scale of Investigations/Parallel Investigations,” Association of Corporate Counsel-National Capital Area Investigations Boot Camp (November 2017)
• Presenter, University of Virginia School of Law Corporate Compliance Roundtable (November 2017)
• Moderator, “FCPA Investigations and Enforcement: Developments and Updates,” at Practising Law Institute’s White Collar Crime 2017: Prosecutors and Regulators Speak Conference (October 2017)
• Presenter at Global Investigation Review’s 4th Annual Live New York International Conference (September 2017)
• Panelist, “Predictions, Prognostications and Plans: The New Legal and Regulatory Environment – Assessing Effective Compliance”, University of Virginia School of Law Corporate Compliance Roundtable (May 2017)
• Speaker at PwC Annual Client & Analyst Risk Summit, Boston, MA (April 2017)
• Co-Presenter at Statoil DPI Summit, “Compliance: Where is it Heading?”, in London, UK (March 2017)

Selected Professional Articles:

• “Dropping the Pilot – DOJ’s Toned-Down Corporate Enforcement Policy Reduces the Burden on Business and Could Improve Information Sharing”, (with M. Kendall Day and Daniel Chung), Global Investigations Review Practitioner’s Guide to Global Investigations Half-Year Update (July 2019)
• “Navigating Cross-Border Investigations Involving Switzerland”, (with Jason Smith and Susanna Schuemann), Global Investigations Review (July 2019)
• “Trends In DOJ Nonprosecution, Deferred Prosecution Deals”, (with M. Kendall Day and Melissa Farrar), Law360 (January 2019)
• “Co-operating with the Authorities: The US Perspective”, (with Winston Chan, Pedro Soto and Kevin Yeh) Global Investigations Review’s Practitioner’s Guide to Global Investigations Volume I: Global Investigations in the United Kingdom and the United States (January 2019, March 2018)
• “Corporate NPA and DPA: All in the Nuance”, (with Michael Diamant and Melissa Farrar) International Financial Law Review (March 2018)
• “Privilege – Introduction” and “Privilege – United States”, (with Daniel Chung and Audi Syarief) Global Investigations Review’s Know How (November 2016)
• “Six Trends in 2015 FCPA Enforcement”, (with John Chesley and Stephanie Connor), Wall Street Lawyer (February 2016, Volume 20, Issue 2)
• “Refusing to Settle: Why Public Companies Go To Trial In Federal Cases”, (with Julie Rapoport Schenker), Georgetown American Criminal Law Review (Volume 52, No. 3, Summer 2015)
• “2015 Mid-Year FCPA Update”, (with John W.F. Chesley and Stephanie Connor), Westlaw Journal Government Contract (August 2015)
• “A Practical Guide to the Use of the Commissioned Public Report as an Effective Crisis-Management Tool”, (with Oleh Vretsona and Lora E. MacDonald), Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics and Public Policy (June, 2015)
• “Senator Warren, Let the ‘Cops’ Do Their Jobs”, The Hill (April 2015)
• “2014 Year-End Update on Corporate Non-Prosecution Agreements and Deferred Prosecution Agreements”, (with Michael Diamant and Melissa Farrar). Westlaw Journal Government Contract (March 2015), and Bloomberg BNA (February 2015)
• “The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: Enforcement and Compliance”, (with Michael Diamant and Elizabeth Goergen Silver) Bloomberg BNA Securities Practice Series Portfolio (No. 285, 2014)
• “Reexamining the Notion that Public Companies Cannot Fight Criminal Charges,” (with John W.F. Chesley and Sean Sandoloski), Financier Worldwide (October 2014)
• “Renewing the Call for Compliance Defense to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act,” (with Daniel Chung), Corporate Disputes Magazine (July 1, 2014)
• “How to use company data efficiently to detect fraud and corruption,” (with Michael Diamant and Oleh Vretsona), Financier Worldwide (August 2013)
• “Five Themes for General Counsel to Monitor with Respect to Dodd-Frank Whistleblowers and the FCPA,” (with John W.F. Chesley), The FCPA Report (October 3, 2012)
• “Understand The Risks,” (with Michael Farhang and Elizabeth Goergen), IFLR (February 2012)
• “How to Deal with Business Corruption Risks in Mexico,” (with Michael Farhang and Elizabeth Goergen), International Financial Law Review (January 30, 2012)
• “FCPA: Who is A Foreign Official?,” (with John W.F. Chesley and Jeremy Joseph), Compliance Reporter (August 8, 2011)
• “Somebody’s Watching Me: FCPA Monitorships and How They Can Work Better,” (with Michael Diamant and Veronica Root), University of Pennsylvania Journal of Business Law (2011)