Taylor DeScenzo is an associate in the Dallas office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and a member of the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group.

Taylor earned her law degree cum laude from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. In law school, she made Dean’s List and was a staff editor for Washington University Law Review, a teaching assistant for the law school’s Legal Writing Program, and President of the Women of Color Law Society. She also served as a student attorney in the law school’s Post-Conviction Relief Clinical Practicum. She received the Immigration Law Charles Trobman Memorial Award, the Honor Scholar Award, and upon graduation was presented with a Certificate in Recognition of Academic Excellence.

Taylor graduated summa cum laude from Pepperdine University with a Bachelor of Arts in English: Writing and Rhetoric and Creative Writing. At Pepperdine, Taylor was a member of the Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society.

Prior to practicing law, Taylor worked for the Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership, working with local governments, non-profit organizations, and residents to promote and support broad-based civic involvement. She participated in the Davenport Institute’s Certificate Program where she received a Professional Certificate in Advanced Public Engagement.

Taylor is admitted to practice in the State of Texas.

Chara Sherwood is a solicitor in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and a member of the firm’s Real Estate and Finance Practice Groups.

Chara advises both sponsors and creditors on domestic and cross-border finance transactions across the real estate sector. Her experience includes acting on senior/mezzanine, syndicated, acquisition, investment and development financings of single and portfolio properties.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Chara was an associate in the real estate finance department of another leading London law firm.

Emily Cardone is an associate in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Dallas office. She practices in the firm’s Litigation Department at both the trial and appellate levels.

Before joining Gibson Dunn, Emily served as a law clerk to the Honorable Diane P. Wood of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Emily received her J.D. with highest honors from the University of Texas School of Law, where she was named the Grand Chancellor of her graduating class in recognition of having the highest GPA in the class after two years. She served as a Featured Content Editor for the Texas Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif.

Emily is a member of the State Bar of Texas. She is also admitted to practice before the Seventh Circuit.

Brendan D. Galloway is an associate in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.  He is a member of the Firm’s Real Estate Practice Group.

Brendan represents a variety of clients, including prominent private equity funds, portfolio companies, REITs and publicly listed companies, in matters relating to the acquisition, financing, development, management, and disposition of commercial real estate. He has experience advising on transactions involving industrial, office, hotel, multifamily, retail, and life-science assets. Brendan also advises clients on real estate matters in connection with mergers and acquisitions and public-to-private transactions.

Brendan earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2017 where he was the managing editor of the Journal of Business Law. He graduated from the University of Rochester with a double major in Political Science and Piano Performance in 2012.

Before joining Gibson Dunn, Brendan was a real estate associate in the New York offices of Latham & Watkins LLP and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.

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

Michael Martinez is an associate in the Dallas office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He currently practices in the firm’s Litigation Department.

Michael earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was the online editor of the Virginia Law Review, a representative for the Student Bar Association, and a member of the Latin American Law Organization.

Before law school, Michael attended the University of Miami, where he graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Religious Studies.

Michael is admitted to practice in the State of Texas.

Veronica Altabef is an associate in the Dallas office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. She currently practices in the firm’s Litigation Department.

Veronica earned her law degree with Honors from the University of Chicago Law School, where she served as an Articles Editor for The University of Chicago Law Review. Veronica earned her Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors from Stanford University.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Veronica served as a law clerk for the Honorable Dennis Jacobs of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the Honorable Sidney A. Fitzwater of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

Veronica is a member of the State Bar of Texas.

Robert DiBenedetto is an associate in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He currently practices with the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group.

Robert earned his Juris Doctor magna cum laude from New York Law School, where he was a staff editor on the New York Law School Law Review and President of the Dispute Resolution Team. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Politics in 2018 from the University of Maryland, College Park.

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

Teddy Okechukwu is an associate in the Washington D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where he currently practices in the firm’s Litigation Department.

Prior to joining the firm, Teddy clerked for the Honorable Carl E. Stewart of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Honorable Benita Y. Pearson of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Prior to clerking, Teddy earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School in 2022, where he served as a member of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. He also earned a Master of Science in Social Policy from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice. He received his undergraduate degree in Public Policy from Duke University and a Master of Management Studies from Duke University, The Fuqua School of Business.

Between college and law school, Teddy was a relationship manager at a large software company.

Teddy is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Wayne Barsky is a partner in the Century City office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and for more than twenty years was co-chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group. Wayne focuses on patent litigation and appeals for clients in the life science, pharmaceutical, and technology industries, and has extensive trial and appellate experience in federal courts throughout the country and in matters before the U.S. International Trade Commission. Wayne has represented clients in more than 100 patent infringement actions.

For example, in a decade-long, high-profile biologics case that concluded in late 2021, Wayne led the Gibson Dunn trial and appellate teams that successfully defended Pfizer and Merck-Serono in a five-week jury trial where Biogen was seeking in excess of $5.4 billion in damages for alleged infringement of a patent pertaining to the use of recombinant interferon beta for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and other diseases. The jury unanimously invalidated Biogen’s patent, resulting in the single largest defense verdict in patent litigation history.

Wayne is a Chambers & Partners ranked attorney who is consistently recognized by leading publications. IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals has recognized Wayne every year since 2016. In 2023, they ranked Wayne as a Gold Tier Individual for litigation, describing him as one of “best partners to have when the stakes are high in patent battles.” He has been recognized as a Patent Star since in the 2015 edition of the Managing IP Handbook. LMG Life Sciences has named him as a “Life Sciences Star” since 2012, as the “General Patent Litigator of the Year” in 2021, and recognized him for the “Patent Impact Case of the Year” in 2018. The Los Angeles Business Journal has recognized Wayne as “Most Influential IP Attorneys in Los Angeles” in 2021, one of the “Top 50 Litigators in Los Angeles” in 2022, and the Daily Journal has listed him on their “Top Intellectual Property Lawyers” list many times, most recently in 2022. In 2019, Benchmark Litigation listed him as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in the country, a “National Star” in Intellectual Property, and a California “Litigation Star.” In addition, Wayne has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of Litigation – Intellectual Property and Litigation – Patent and has been recognized by the publication since 2008.

Additional exemplary engagements include the following matters:

• Coherus Pharmaceuticals v. Amgen(alleged infringement of formulation patents for adalimumab);
• Shire Pharmaceuticals & NPS Pharmaceuticals v. Amgen(litigation pertaining to etelcalcitide for treatment of secondary parathyroidism);
• Atlas IP v. St. Jude Medical(judgment in favor of St. Jude Medical in patent litigation pertaining to implantable defibrillators);
• Novo Nordisk v. Caraco, Sun Pharma, et al (ANDA litigation pertaining to repaglinide and metformin for treatment of Type II diabetes);
• In Re Columbia University Patent Litigation(representation of Columbia in patent litigation against Amgen, Immunex, Biogen and others pertaining to Columbia’s patent portfolio on pioneering inventions involving the genetic transformation of mammalian cells);
• Israel Bio-Engineering Project v. Amgen, Immunex, et al.(representation of Serono (now Merck-Serono) in patent litigation pertaining to tumor necrosis factor binding proteins and novel therapies for rheumatoid arthritis);
• Medgraph v. Medtronic(judgment in favor of Medtronic in patent litigation pertaining to remote patient health monitoring technology; unanimously affirmed by Federal Circuit);
• General Electric Medical Systems v. Resonance Technology(representation of GE in patent litigation pertaining to magnetic resonance imaging);
• Johnson & Johnson and Ethicon v. Inamed Corporation(representation of J&J and Ethicon in patent litigation against Inamed pertaining to bariatric surgical devices and methods);
• Beneficial Innovations v. Viacom, et al. (lead counsel for Viacom, Amazon.com, Scripps Networks, and Expedia in patent litigation pertaining to internet advertising);
• Walker Digital Litigations(representation of numerous media, social networking and game publishing companies—including Activision, Atari, EA, Zynga, Turner, Warner Bros., Sega, and Ubisoft—in three separate patent infringement lawsuits filed by Walker Digital pertaining to encryption and online payment systems);
• Everglades Interactive v. Crowdstar, et al. (representation of EA, Rockyou, LOLapps, Electronic Arts, Zynga, and others in patent litigation pertaining to internet-based social games);
• In Re Certain Semiconductor Chips with Minimized Chip Package Size and Products Containing Same (lead counsel for Tessera Technologies in three separate ITC investigations and related district court proceedings against various companies, including Motorola and Qualcomm, alleging infringement of certain semiconductor patents);
• Balthaser v. Network Solutions (representation of eleven social networking and game publishing companies in patent infringement action);
• American Video Graphics v. Electronic Arts, Sega, Atari, et al.(selected to defend Electronic Arts, Sega, Atari, LucasArts, Vivendi, Activision, and other major electronic publishers in software patent litigation brought in the Eastern District of Texas, asserting infringement by more than 1,000 video game titles representing more than a billion dollars in revenue);

Active in community and pro bono affairs, Wayne is a former Chairperson, and member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors, of the Public Counsel Law Center, the nation’s largest pro bono law office. Wayne serves on the Board of the American Jewish Committee, Southern California Region, and with his family volunteers at the Turning Point Shelter in Santa Monica, California. Wayne has also served the Los Angeles Superior Court system as a Judge pro tempore.

Wayne is a recipient of the 2010 Learned Hand Award from the American Jewish Committee and was named Litigation Lawyer of the Year by the Century City Bar Association in 2013.

Wayne has been a member of the adjunct faculty at USC Gould School of Law, where he developed and taught a course in Patent Law & Litigation, and serves as a member of the Executive Committee, and is a past Chairperson, of the USC IP Institute. Wayne is a past member of the Board of Governors of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, and the Judge Paul R. Michel Intellectual Property American Inns of Court.

Emma Eisendrath is an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where she practices in the firm’s litigation department.

Emma served as law clerk for Judge Andrew D. Hurwitz on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She earned her J.D. from The George Washington University School of Law, where she graduated second in her class, was elected to the Order of the Coif, and served as a Notes Editor for The George Washington Law Review.  She received her undergraduate degree with highest honors in Politics from Oberlin College.

Emma is admitted to practice in Washington, D.C., as well as in the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Matt Hoffman is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He practices in the firm’s Litigation Department and is a member of its Insurance and Reinsurance, Labor and Employment, Environmental Litigation and Mass Tort, and Class Actions Practice Groups. 

Matt specializes in civil trials in both federal and state courts, with a principal focus on complex insurance and reinsurance disputes. He has successfully represented some of the world’s leading insurance companies in a wide variety of coverage litigation. Currently, he is serving as the national coordinating counsel for a national insurer dealing with sexual abuse coverage claims. His exceptional achievements have earned him the prestigious “Insurance MVP” distinction from Law360.

Matt has extensive experience in labor and employment cases, environmental and mass tort litigation, products liability, product recall, consumer fraud class actions, unfair competition, legal malpractice defense, and arbitration (both domestic and international). His litigation experience includes work for companies in the insurance, food and beverage, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, medical device, automotive, education, telecommunications, health care, and utility industries. Recently, Matt has handled a number of high profile sexual abuse and sexual harassment cases.

Matt also has significant expertise in American Indian Law and litigation against Native American tribes in federal, state, and tribal courts across the United States.

Matt has tried numerous civil jury and non-jury cases to successful conclusions in California and throughout the country, and has arbitrated disputes before the London Court of International Arbitration, the CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution, and the American Arbitration Association.

Representative Insurance and Reinsurance Cases

• National coordinating counsel for leading insurer regarding coverage for sexual abuse claims. This involves representing the insurer in high profile litigations across the country (which cases often involve dozens of insurance policies spanning several decades), and coordinating coverage positions across the multiple jurisdictions to ensure consistency and a cohesive strategy.
• Won summary judgment in favor of leading insurer regarding insurance coverage for government opioid lawsuits against a pharmaceutical distributor. The Ninth Circuit affirmed the judgment on appeal, finding that the insurer had no duty to defend the opioid lawsuits because the suits alleged the pharmaceutical distributor engaged in deliberate conduct that was not an accident. This decision was the first of its kind among the federal courts of appeal and will play a significant role in ongoing coverage litigation relating to thousands of opioid lawsuits.
• Won summary judgment for a leading insurer in complex coverage action involving thousands of bodily injury claims against a dialysis products manufacturer and dozens of primary and excess policies stretching across more than a decade.
• Represented reinsurer in coverage dispute with cedent regarding asbestos and environmental contamination claims under several reinsurance treaties.
• Won summary judgment for trust company in connection with embezzlement by former employee, whereby the District Court imposed a constructive trust over life-insurance proceeds for which policy premiums were paid with the fraudulently obtained funds.
• Defended major insurance company against a national U.S. bank claiming mortgage insurance claims were wrongfully denied and successfully prosecuted sanctions trial against same U.S. bank for destruction and alteration of evidence.
• Represent excess carrier and reinsurer in evaluating exposures under various casualty liabilities policies issued to oil and gas companies, including leading joint defense group in regards to claims for coverage to recover losses arising from groundwater contamination.
• Represented excess carrier and reinsurer in evaluating potential exposures on excess liability insurance written for all major pharmaceutical manufacturers. Advised on coverage issues relating to numerous policyholders and represented excess carrier and reinsurer in arbitration proceedings arising from claims under several excess insurance policies.
• Favorable settlement for leading insurer in an insurance and reinsurance dispute alleging mishandling of workers’ compensation claims, and bad faith premium manipulation

Representative Labor and Employment Cases

• Defended private school against multiple lawsuits alleging negligent hiring, retention and supervision and ratification of sexual abuse of students by a former teacher. Achieved favorable settlement.
• Defending university against dozens of lawsuits in multiple jurisdictions alleging negligent hiring, retention and supervision of university doctor accused of sexual abuse.
• Represented music mogul and his portfolio of businesses in arbitration involving allegations of sexual abuse, sexual harassment, hostile work environment, retaliation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Achieved favorable settlement.
• Dismissal with prejudice of lawsuit against celebrity client alleging sexual battery and sexual harassment.
• Represented leading microchip company in lawsuit against former CEO for breach of his severance agreement.
• Defended manufacturer in class action lawsuit alleging wage and hour violations of the California Labor Code and PAGA claims. Achieved favorable settlement.

Representative Cases Involving American Indian Law and/or Native American Tribes

• Won dismissal of dozens of COVID-19 business interruption insurance cases brought by Native American tribes in federal, state, and tribal courts, including a victory in the Oklahoma Supreme Court in one of the first COVID-19 insurance case to reach a state’s highest court.
• Representing multinational health insurance and services company in multiple federal cases brought by Oklahoma tribes alleging violations of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA).
• Defended Arizona Department of Gaming in lawsuit alleging violations of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). Achieved favorable settlement.
• Representing client in several federal court challenges to the exercise of tribal court jurisdiction over non-tribal members.

Other Representative Trials and Litigation

• Defended U.S. food manufacturer in a mass tort action involving allegations by hundreds of homeowner plaintiffs that odors from client’s manufacturing facility constituted a legal nuisance that resulted in personal injuries and property damage. Obtained complete defense verdict in ten-week jury trial.
• Won motion to dismiss for major food manufacturer in an Alien Tort Statute case alleging that the company aided and abetted the use of child slave labor in its supply chain.
• Won summary judgment for the University of Southern California in a federal civil rights lawsuit brought by former students against the university and the Los Angeles Police Department regarding the response of university security and LAPD officers to a college party.
• Represented New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and the State of New Jersey in federal action brought by the NCAA, MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL alleging violation of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). Won Supreme Court ruling that PASPA was unconstitutional, allowing legal sports gambling in New Jersey.
• Complete defense verdict following bench trial for national commercial mortgage lender in two consolidated nationwide securities class actions. Represented same mortgage lender in a separate class action, which was settled favorably during trial.
• Defended oil company in a lawsuit brought by City Attorney for the City of Los Angeles alleging that odor and other emissions from its oil production facility have caused debilitating health effects in the community.
• Summary adjudication of trespass, bodily injury, and punitive damages claims in a toxic contamination case, resulting in plaintiff dismissing the lawsuit within hours after the granting of summary adjudication was announced.
• Defended shopping mall against claims for antitrust violations, tortious interference, and unfair competition arising from alleged contacts with potential tenants of a competing shopping mall. The antitrust and unfair competition claims client were dismissed at trial, and the remaining claim was settled after a jury verdict.
• Dismissal with prejudice of multimillion-dollar legal malpractice lawsuit on behalf of national law firm.
• Won denial of permanent injunction against medical device manufacturer notwithstanding prior verdict of patent infringement.
• Defended major U.S. pet food manufacturer in multi-district litigation involving over 200 consumer class actions alleging food contamination.
• Represented medical device manufacturer in arbitration involving licensing dispute with competitor medical device manufacturer.
• Favorable settlement for manufacturer of commercial piping in consumer class action alleging unfair business practices.
• Favorable settlement of trade secrets dispute for medical device manufacturer.
• Represent numerous U.S. food and beverage manufacturers in consumer class actions alleging violations of California’s Unfair Competition and False Advertising Laws.

Education and Background

Matt earned his law degree from Harvard University in 2003, where he was a member of the Board of Student Advisors and instructed first year law students in legal research and writing. He received a B.A. degree cum laude in Political Science and Russian from Duke University in 1995 and was a member of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC).

Prior to attending law school, Matt served as a U.S. Naval Intelligence Officer, with tours at the Pentagon (1998-2000), Miramar (1996-1998) and Rota, Spain (1995). During his service, Matt participated in Operation Southern Watch in the Arabian Gulf aboard the U.S.S. Constellation, conducted counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean, and trained at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (“Top Gun”). He received both the Navy Commendation Medal and the Navy Achievement Medal and completed his Navy service in March 2005 at the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

Matt is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, a trial lawyer honorary society, and the Complex Commercial Litigation Institute. He also is a member of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers and Veterans Bar Association.

Amer S. Ahmed is a partner in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He is a member of Gibson Dunn’s Litigation; Appellate and Constitutional Law; and Media, Entertainment and Technology Practice Groups. Amer’s practice focuses on representing institutional and individual clients in a variety of high-profile litigation matters at the investigatory, trial, and appellate levels, ranging from witness preparation to product-liability actions, white-collar criminal defense, and commercial disputes. He has been recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America (2025).

Amer has recently helped secure the reversal on appeal of a multi-million dollar punitive damages verdict in a failure-to-warn case, as well as the dismissals of a billion-dollar ERISA case in New York federal court and RICO allegations in California. Amer also has significant experience handling defamation lawsuits as counsel for both defendants and plaintiffs. In addition, he engages in substantial pro bono and volunteer efforts at Gibson Dunn, resolving satisfactorily a copyright-infringement suit brought on behalf of a Brooklyn-based artist and obtaining asylum in the United States for a Syrian refugee.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn in August of 2012, Amer spent seven years as an associate at Williams & Connolly LLP, where he handled a variety of complex litigation matters, including the representation of pharmaceutical companies in product-liability suits, administrative challenges to agency action, false-advertising allegations, defenses to libel claims, and criminal appeals. He successfully defended The Washington Post against a defamation lawsuit in federal court, and a consumer-products company against deceptive-advertising claims in California. While at Williams & Connolly, Amer also served as a Co-Chair of the Legal Aid Society’s annual Generous Associates Campaign and was recognized by the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs for his stewardship of a volunteer teaching program at an inner-city public school.

Amer graduated from Columbia Law School where he was named a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and served as an articles editor of the Columbia Law Review. He published his academic note, The Last Twist of the Knife: Encouraging the Regulation of Innovative Surgical Procedures, 105 Colum. L. Rev. 1529 (2005). Amer received his Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology, with distinction, from Stanford University, where he was a President’s Scholar and was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society.

Amer is Co-chair of Gibson Dunn’s New York Diversity Committee and a member of the Global Diversity and Professional Development Committees. He is admitted to practice in the State of New York and the District of Columbia, as well as in the Supreme Court of the United States; the United States Courts of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Second Circuit, and Fourth Circuit; the United States District Court for the District of Columbia; and the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

Krissy Lissette is an associate in the Los Angeles office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. She currently practices in the firm’s Litigation Department.

Krissy graduated from Georgetown University Law Center’s evening program in February 2024, where she was on the Dean’s List. While in law school, Krissy worked in litigation-support consulting. Krissy was also a member of the Appellate Advocacy team and served as a legal writing and research law fellow for the first-year legal writing program.

Prior to law school, Krissy received her B.S. in Business and Enterprise Management, with a minor in history, from Wake Forest University in 2018.

Krissy is admitted to the State Bar of California and is admitted to practice law before the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

Jason Kenny is an associate in the Dallas office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He currently practices in the firm’s Litigation Department.

Jason earned his J.D. cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School. While at Michigan, he was a student attorney in the law school’s Human Trafficking Clinic, served as co-Vice President of the Michigan Law Texas Club, and was a teaching assistant in the law school’s Legal Practice Program.

Before law school, Jason attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Government with Highest Honors.

Jason is admitted to practice in the State of Texas.

Nicholas Whetstone is an associate in the firm’s Orange County office, where he practices in the Litigation Department.

Nicholas graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2022 and is a member of the Order of the Coif. While in law school, he was an Editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review and worked as a judicial intern for the Honorable Kathaleen McCormick on the Delaware Court of Chancery and the Honorable Sandra Ikuta on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Nicholas was also a teaching assistant to former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California with dual majors in Accounting and Business Administration.

Prior to law school, Nicholas worked as an economic consultant, supporting expert witnesses on issues of commercial disputes, forensic accounting, regulatory compliance, and company valuation. He is a Certified Public Accountant in California.

Nicholas is admitted to practice in the State of California.

Sacha Harber-Kelly is a partner in the Dispute Resolution Group of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher’s London office, where he specialises in global white-collar investigations, related litigation and compliance. He has extensive litigation, investigation and advisory experience on behalf of both companies and individuals in a broad range of service and industry sectors including financial services, oil and gas, extractives, legal services, telecommunications, sport, media, real estate, consumer products and manufacturing.

Sacha is a member of City of London Law Society Corporate Crime Committee. He is ranked as a leading individual for Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime in The Legal 500, 2022/2023/2024/2025, recommended as a Global Leader for Business Crime Defence: Individuals and Corporate in Who’s Who Legal 2022/2023 and is ranked by Chambers UK 2020-2024 for Financial Crime: Corporates (London). In addition, he is recognised in Euromoney’s White Collar Crime Expert Guide 2021. Commentators say:

• “He is very measured and bright.” Chambers U.K. 2023
• “Sacha Harber-Kelly,… remains a key name for complex financial crime prosecutions, criminal and regulatory investigations…” The Legal 500, 2022/23.
• “Former Serious Fraud Office prosecutor Sacha Harber-Kelly is the name to know in London.” Global Investigations Review, GIR 100 2022
• “He is extremely diligent and in particular understands cross-border issues, such as the different approaches between authorities.” Chambers UK 2021.
• “Sacha Harber-Kelly is a massive asset to the team. His background coming from the SFO gives him huge insight into fraud investigations, which is invaluable for the client.” The Legal 500 2021/22
• “He provides focused and dynamic advice to his clients.” Chambers UK 2021/22
• “Sacha Harber-Kelly is a master of detail, whilst remaining calm even in the most difficult circumstances’. The Legal 500 2020/21
• ‘Sacha Harber-Kelly has the ability to see through a mass of detail and law and keep a keen eye on what matters and what will help achieve the right outcome’. The Legal 500 2020/21
• Well regarded from his time at the SFO, Sacha Harber-Kelly MBE draws market-wide recognition for his expertise in financial crime matters. “He is practical, knowledgeable and a joy to work with.” Chambers UK 2020

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn Sacha was a prosecutor and case controller at the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) where he was involved in the investigation and prosecution of international corporate corruption cases since 2007. He has worked extensively with a range of other enforcement authorities in the U.K., U.S. and beyond, including the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ), the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), the U.K. National Crime Agency, HM Revenue Commissioners (and its forerunner agencies) and the Financial Conduct Authority.

Prior to joining the SFO he was partner and head of the Professional and Financial Regulation Unit in a specialist criminal defence practice in London. As a criminal defence lawyer for almost 15 years, Sacha successfully defended numerous fraud, money laundering and tax evasion trials and other serious and complex organised crime.

During his time at the SFO he was involved in a number of ground breaking cases, including:

• Leading the SFO’s then largest ever single investigation consisting of a multi-disciplinary team of over 70 lawyers, investigators, and accountants and engaged with numerous international law enforcement agencies including the USDOJ. The corporate aspect of this investigation was concluded by way of a DPA in January 2017, with what was then the largest ever penalty outside of the USA and was the U.K.’s first tripartite global enforcement;
• Successfully prosecuting the first U.K. DPA, also the first resolution of charges under the transformative new offence in the Bribery Act of corporate failure to prevent bribery, which included extensive engagement with USDOJ, SEC and Financial Conduct Authority on regulatory and AML matters;

A series of other innovative achievements as the Investigative Lawyer or Prosecutor include:

• Central involvement in each of the U.K.’s simultaneous global corporate corruption resolutions whether by prosecution, civil asset recovery or DPA;
• Prosecution of both the first individual and the first multinational company in the U.K. for overseas corruption (which included engagement with USDOJ, SEC and OFAC);
• Prosecuting successfully the U.K.’s first contested overseas corruption case; and
• Deploying the first SFO co-operating offender.

Sacha has worked both independently and in collaboration with the USDOJ in directing the scope and methodology of independent monitoring and compliance remediation imposed as part of bilateral global settlements. In this context he has received reports, assessed companies’ remediation and ultimately signed off successful completions. Sacha has experience of leading teams that have assessed compliance programmes in particular testing adequacy and implementation in the context of the Bribery Act.

Sacha’s extensive experience of investigating and prosecuting global white collar crime means that he has regularly worked with overseas law enforcement agencies on nearly every continent as a method of securing overseas evidence. As such Sacha is able to counsel clients on the use by U.K. enforcers of foreign evidence or intelligence gathering avenues assessing consequent risks in individual cases.

Other achievements include:

• Sacha was appointed to lead the SFO’s engagement in the cross governmental working group which devised the DPA legislative framework, and subsequently appointed to draft the DPA Code of Practice – the primary document setting out how prosecutors will operate the DPA regime.
• Sacha has fulfilled a series of high-profile speaking engagements on behalf of the SFO on corporate investigations, settlements, DPAs and asset recovery, both domestically and internationally, to high-level audiences including the USDOJ, OECD and the United Nations.
• Sacha led the team awarded as Prosecution Team of the Year by the Attorney General of England and Wales, 23 November 2016 in recognition of its work securing the first DPA and failure to prevent corruption enforcement. In 2017 the team he led and which concluded the January 2017 DPA was shortlisted for the same award.
• Sacha was honoured by Her Majesty the Queen in the 2018 New Year’s Honours List with an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for services to the Serious Fraud Office, in particular in the investigation and prosecution of fraud, bribery and corruption.

Representative engagements include:

• Instructed by the compliance department of a multi-national company to conduct an internal investigation in respect to fraud allegations.
• Instructed to investigate financial misconduct, health and safety breaches, corruption and corporate governance weaknesses in the sports sector, including whistle blower allegations.
• Instructed by multinational companies with respect to multi-jurisdictional bribery investigations.
• Conducting an internal investigation and advising a multi-national company in the authorised and regulated sector with respect to Proceeds of Crime Act obligations.
• Conducting due diligence and advising on Bribery Act, Proceeds of Crime Act and Criminal Finance Act risks in numerous M&A transactions across various industries and service providers including in the authorised and regulated sectors.
• Advising multi-national companies and law firms on anti-bribery and money laundering compliance and procedures including third party due diligence processes and international sports event sponsorships.
• Advising a multi-national company on its dawn raid response policy and processes across multiple jurisdictions.
• Advising on document production orders and notices, in particular with respect to privilege, scope and relevance.
• Brought civil fraud proceedings, including injunctive relief and committal proceedings against a law firm and its senior partner.

Representative speaking engagements include:

• “The New Normal of Global Enforcement – Recent Developments and Trends”, International Compliance, Legal Risks and Corporate Integrity, C5, Frankfurt, January 2018.
• “Regulatory Developments and the Challenges for D&Os”, D&O Liability Insurance Forum, C5, London, April 2018.
• “Managing bribery and anti-corruption: from investigation to enforcement, compliance to conclusion”, Commercial Disputes Resolution Business Crime Symposium, London, June 2018.
• “The Enforcement Landscape – Past Lessons and Future Prospects”, C5 Anti-Corruption Conference London, June 2018.
• “Insights and the Realities of Cross-Border Investigations”, C5 Anti-Corruption Conference, London, June 2019.
• “Lessons learnt from latest enforcement cases – a focus on compliance programme effectiveness”, Anti-Money Laundering Professionals, London, October 2019.
• “The UK Bribery Act Year in Review: Important Updates on Enforcement Trends, DPAs, Multi-Jurisdictional Coordination and Priorities Moving Forward – An interview of Lisa Osofsky, Director, SFO”, C5 Virtual Anti-Corruption London Conference, 15 September 2020.

Charlie Falconer is an English qualified King’s Counsel and partner based in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s London office. The former UK Lord Chancellor and first Secretary of State for Justice spent 25 years as a commercial barrister, becoming a QC in 1991 and a KC in 2022. His practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, international arbitration and investigations.

In June 2003, he became the Lord Chancellor and the first Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs. He was called to the Bar (Inner Temple) in 1974 and was appointed Solicitor General in May 1997. Between 1974 and 1997 he was a commercial barrister, and was involved in many significant commercial, industrial and financial issues of the day.

In 1997 he joined the Blair government as Solicitor-General, moving a year later to the Cabinet Office, becoming involved in all the critical issues which faced the government from 1998 until the 2001 election.

In 2001, after the general election, he became Housing, Planning and Regeneration Minister and in 2002 he became Criminal Justice Minister. In both these jobs he was engaged in leading genuine public service reform, for example in relation to the planning system and the criminal justice system.

In 2003 he became Lord Chancellor. In conjunction with the then Lord Chief Justice he worked out a detailed new relationship between the judiciary and the executive, which was embodied in the Constitutional Reform Act 2005.

His reform included the creation, for the first time, of a Supreme Court for the UK, the creation of a commission to appoint judges, making a full-time independent judge the Head of the Judiciary for England and Wales, and introducing an elected Speaker for the House of Lords.

In 2007 he became the first Secretary of State for Justice bringing together courts, prisons and justice policy for the first time.

Chambers UK 2017 recommends Mr. Falconer for Litigation. He is described as “a very bright man with huge reserves of energy.” He is also recognised by The Legal 500 UK 2025 for Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail, Commercial Litigation, International Arbitration and Public International Law.

The Times has named Charles Falconer to The Times Law 100 (2012), its annual list of the 100 most influential lawyers in the UK.

Lord Falconer studied at Edinburgh Academy, Trinity College, Glenalmond and Queens’ College, Cambridge.

Patrick Doris is a partner in Gibson Dunn’s Dispute Resolution Group in London, where he specialises in global white-collar investigations, commercial litigation and complex compliance advisory matters.

Patrick’s practice covers a wide range of disputes, including white-collar crime, internal and regulatory investigations, transnational litigation, class actions, contentious antitrust matters and administrative law challenges against governmental decision-making.

Patrick handles major cross-border investigations in the fields of bribery and corruption, fraud, sanctions, money laundering, financial sector wrongdoing, antitrust, consumer protection and tax evasion.

Patrick’s recent commercial disputes experience has extended to advising corporations, UK public bodies and sovereign states in claims in courts and tribunals in the UK and around Europe. He has particular expertise in antitrust cases, human rights disputes and collective actions.

Patrick is recognised by The Legal 500 UK 2025 in the field of Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime. He is also ranked as a leading individual in the field of Administrative and Public Law, he is described as “highly attuned to client objectives, … [with] very good communication skills and clients love him.” In previous editions, clients have noted his: “…exceptional contribution to … work to decriminalise homosexuality worldwide”. Clients describe him as “totally committed, a great manager and really goes the extra mile” and “outstanding, has tremendous judgment, works exceptionally hard and always gives the impression that he is 100% dedicated to and focused on your case”. In 2022 Who’s Who Legal recognised Patrick as Future Leader in its Commercial Litigation guide. In addition, he is recognised by the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom as a leading lawyer for International Arbitration.

Patrick earned his Master of Laws (first class) in European Law in 1996; and received his Bachelor of Arts in Law in 1994 from Trinity Hall, Cambridge University. Before entering private practice, Patrick taught law at the University of Warwick and worked in the Criminal Division of the Law Commission of England & Wales, the UK government’s primary law reform body. Patrick speaks English, Spanish, French and Catalan, with recent experience of conducting investigations in each of those languages.

Selected Experience:

Patrick’s recent white collar investigations experience includes:

• Advising a major global investment bank in connection with an investigation into conduct worldwide resulting in major resolution with authorities in the United States under the FCPA.
• Advising a major global corporation in the business services sector in a multi-jurisdictional investigation into allegations of tax evasion, resulting in a major settlement with a European national tax authorities.
• Advising a major European investment bank in connection with multi-jurisdictional investigations relating to alleged manipulation of LIBOR and other benchmark rates and foreign exchange rates, including in connection with investigations before the European Commission and elsewhere.
• Representing a U.S. investment bank in connection with criminal investigations brought simultaneously in the U.S. (Department of Justice) and UK (Financial Conduct Authority and National Crime Agency) in relation to suspicions of insider dealing.
• Advising a leading U.S. operator in the financial sector in connection with an investigation into suspected OFAC and EU sanctions violations by third parties using facilities provided by the operator.
• Representing a leading online gambling operator in an investigation by the UK Competition & Markets Authority into alleged breaches of consumer protection laws.
• Representing a leading figure in the field of broadcasting in connection with the Leveson Inquiry into the culture, practice and ethics of the Press.

Patrick’s recent commercial litigation experience includes:

• Representing a leading global corporation in the technology sector in connection with class action litigation commenced against it in the Competition Appeal Tribunal alleging abuse of a dominant position.
• Advising a major global technology company on the management of various antitrust-related class actions and related litigation brought against it in a number of countries worldwide, including multiple EU member states.
• Representing a leading online gambling operator in its successful defence of contested administrative law proceedings before the High Court and Court of Appeal in London in connection with allegations that it was facilitating the avoidance of industry-specific levies and unregulated provision of gambling services by its customers.
• Representing a sovereign state in litigation relating to allegations of corruption against a former public official.
• Representing a sovereign state in its successful defence of a multi-billion dollar expropriation claim before the European Court of Human Rights.
• Representing a group of U.S. journalists in proceedings brought against them in London by a subject of their work alleging defamation, breach of the GDPR, malicious falsehood and misuse of private information.
• Advising a Turkish conglomerate in connection with expropriation claims before the European Court of Human Rights.

Patrick’s recent compliance advisory experience includes:

• Advising one of the world’s leading investment banks on all aspects of its response to sanctions imposed in connection with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
• Advising a leading European oil & gas major on its global sanctions challenges, including in connection with the sanctions imposed by the UK, EU, U.S. and other jurisdictions in connection with the Ukraine crisis.
• Advising a FTSE 100 technology company in connection with the establishment of its global compliance framework, including arrangements regarding bribery and corruption, antitrust, AML, facilitation of tax evasion, conflicts of interest, gifts & hospitality, data privacy, modern slavery, procurement, management of third party risk generally, and related governance and reporting matters.
• Advising a leading global industrial in connection with the establishment of its GDPR compliance programme.
• Advising a global manufacturing company in connection with its response to a major cyber-penetration incident, including liaison with responsible national supervisory authorities.
• Conducting the global risk assessment necessary in connection with UK laws relating to prevention of facilitation of tax evasion for a “Big Four” audit and accounting firm.
• Advising a leading global card network on its suspicious activity reporting processes.
• Advising one of the world’s leading extractive corporations in connection with its overall global compliance operational and organisational model, and conducting a global review of its ABC compliance arrangements across operations spanning six continents.

Amy B. Carper is of counsel in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. She is a member of Gibson Dunn’s Real Estate Practice Group.

Amy has extensive experience in a wide variety of sophisticated transactions, including developments, financings (including construction, mortgage, mezzanine, and preferred-equity structures), leasing, joint ventures, sale-leasebacks, acquisitions (including by consensual deeds-in-lieu following workouts), dispositions, and loan workouts, relating to commercial office, retail, hotel, residential and mixed-use property types, on a single-asset and portfolio basis. She also commits time to pro bono legal work, and, in collaboration with the City Bar Justice Center of the New York City Bar Association, successfully represented a refugee in gaining asylum.

Before joining Gibson Dunn, she served as a Law Clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor from 2003-2004, when Justice Sotomayor was a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Amy has been recognized as a “Rising Star” and a “Super Lawyer” over numerous years in the Real Estate section of the New York Metro edition of Super Lawyers.

She served as a member of the New York City Bar Association’s Real Property Law Committee from 2008-2011.

Amy received her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, in 2002 from Duke University School of Law where she was an editor of the Duke Law Journal, a member of the Moot Court Board, and a semi-finalist in the Dean’s Cup Intramural Competition. She received her Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, from Duke University in 1997.

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

Publications:

• Author, “Protecting a Commercial Sublandlord from Its Subtenant’s Holdover,” N.Y. Real Property Law Journal, Spring 2009
• Co-Author, “Notices of Pendency: Protecting Sellers in Contracts for the Sale and Purchase of Real Property,” N.Y. Real Property Law Journal, Fall 2009

Natsumi Antweiler is an associate in the Dallas office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. She is a member of the Firm’s Litigation Department. Natsumi has experience in a wide variety of complex litigation matters, internal investigations, and trial practice. She has represented leading companies in high-stakes litigation across a wide array of industries, including banking, finance, oil & natural gas, media and technology.

Natsumi received her Juris Doctor summa cum laude from William & Mary Law School in 2019, where she served as Online Editor of the William & Mary Law Review. During law school, Natsumi interned for Judge Richard W. Goldberg of the US Court of International Trade.  Prior to law school, Natsumi served as an international operations coordinator for a Japanese, mercury-recycling company and worked at the United Nations Environment Programme. Natsumi graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in liberal studies from Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan.  She also holds a Masters in international law from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. She speaks Japanese and French.

Natsumi is admitted to practice before the Southern and Eastern District Courts of New York as well as New York and Texas state courts. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Natsumi was an associate in the Litigation Department of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York.