A national powerhouse, Gibson Dunn’s scope of services extends beyond litigation, but in this disputes capacity, it has consistently displayed its prowess in almost every sub-practice area. The firm has extended well beyond its California roots and has gone on to claim a dominant position in every US locale in which it operates. “They are obviously smart litigators with a well deserved great reputation. We see them a lot,” testifies one peer. Another extols, “They are professional, zealous advocates. They handle DEI and employment issues deftly — they’ve got strong depth, especially in DC." Even in smaller jurisdictions, it is noted that Gibson Dunn goes all in. One example is Colorado, where a local peer confirms, “Out of all the national firms here, Gibson Dunn has invested the most in staying in Denver. It’s mostly labor and employment and investigations, but it’s still a strong and visible group.”
Perhaps nowhere is this demonstrated greater than the firm’s move into Texas, which it has implemented with aplomb, establishing itself as one of the top shops in both the Houston and Dallas markets. “Gibson Dunn does what they do,” sums up a local peer, “and they are very selective. They take only a few cases, and they work the hell out of them.” Another goes so far as to address them as “perhaps the strongest shop in Dallas right now, and they did it fast! There are a lot of great firms here that have been here much longer.” A multi-city Texas team of trial team composed of Trey Cox,
Colin Cox and Gregg Costa secured a resounding victory for Energy Transfer in a case that held that First Amendment rights did not extend to violent and destructive behavior. After more than three weeks of trial in North Dakota, a state court jury awarded over $660 million in damages against Greenpeace and its affiliates. Energy Transfer had argued that Greenpeace had facilitated trespass, nuisance, and civil conspiracy in relation to demonstrations held against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Costa and Trey Cox reside in Dallas, while Colin Cox sits in Houston. “Colin Cox is excellent,” insists a peer. “He was at a local firm, and candidly it was assumed by all that he would be the heir apparent for a more senior partner. When that didn’t happen, Colin left and went to Gibson Dunn to help build their Houston office, which he’s doing a great job with. He’s going to get more opportunities to shine there.” Dallas-based appellate star
Allyson Ho scored big in June 2024 when the US Supreme Court unanimously ruled to reverse the contrary decisions of three lower courts, handing client Truck Insurance Exchange a resounding victory in a case concerning allegations of widespread fraud among claimants seeking insurance recovery from a bankruptcy trust for asbestos injuries.
The firm continues to dominate in its native California. Los Angeles’
Theane Evangelis, whose practice traverses appellate, employment, media and entertainment, and class actions, won a victory on behalf of the City of Grants Pass, Oregon in a landmark case addressing whether the Eighth Amendment bars local governments from enforcing public-camping regulations after the Ninth Circuit held that it would be cruel and unusual to impose any punishment, no matter how small, for sleeping on public property if a person has no access to alternative shelter. Antitrust and class-action partner Sam Liversidge also receives peer plaudits. “My first time working with him on was [on a case regarding] HP but he was very good. He takes a bold position in trial.”
Brian Lutz in the San Francisco office is representing Meta (Facebook) in a high-profile securities class action and shareholder-derivative action arising out of misuse of user data by Cambridge Analytica, and Facebook’s $5 billion resolution of allegations by the FTC that Facebook violated a consent decree. After three orders dismissing the action, the Ninth Circuit reversed, with a dissent. Lutz convinced the US Supreme Court to review the Ninth Circuit’s opinion. “We work with Brian Lutz on this Meta stuff,” confirms a co-counsel. “He is fantastic and a true pleasure to work with.”
Gibson Dunn’s New York office is home to two of its “next-generation” stars in the intellectual property capacity.
Dr. Jane Love is noted by patent-focused peers as having “done a lot of work on the bio side,” and
Brian Rosenthal is noted for his work with in the tech space. “Brian represents Apple, and he’s fantastic.”
