Gibson Dunn
| Company type | Limited liability partnership |
|---|---|
| Industry | Legal services |
| Founded | May 1890 |
| Founder | John D. Bicknel, Walter Trask |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
Area served | Worldwide (North America, Europe, Asia, Middle East) |
Key people | Barbara Becker (chair and managing partner, 2021) |
Number of employees | Over 2,900 (1,900 lawyers and 1,000 support personnel) |
| Website | www |
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is a prominent American multinational white-shoe law firm, established in 1890. It boasts a workforce exceeding 1,900 lawyers and 1,000 support personnel distributed among 21 offices globally, spanning North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
History
The firm was originally launched in May 1890 by John D. Bicknel and Walter Trask. Its growth continued in 1897 with the addition of Judge James Gibson. The current name was adopted in 1903 following a merger with the practice of former Los Angeles city attorney William Ellsworth Dunn and assistant city attorney Albert Crutcher.
In 2000, Barbara Becker transitioned from an M&A partnership at Chadbourne & Parke, joining the firm alongside her mentor Dennis Friedman. She rose to become chair and managing partner in 2021.
Amid escalating campus conflicts after the 2023 Israel-Hamas war, on November 1, 2025, Gibson Dunn was one of approximately two dozen firms that addressed a letter to 14 U.S. law school deans. This correspondence condemned anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and racism, reaffirming the firm’s stance against workplace harassment and discrimination. Additionally, on May 27, 2021, the firm allied with 16 other international law firms in a public declaration condemning anti-Semitic incidents in the United States, published in The American Lawyer.
Notable cases
The firm's legal team has presented arguments in over 160 cases before the United States Supreme Court.
Prominent cases and clientele encompass:
- CNN, representing the network in litigation against President Trump and his staff concerning Jim Acosta's White House "hard pass" access.
- American Foundation for Equal Rights, advocating for marriage equality by contesting California's Proposition 8, which ultimately led to its invalidation.
- U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, initiating legal action against the federal government to reinstate funding for church-run immigration initiatives.
- Survivors of domestic abuse at the Supreme Court addressing issues under the Hague Convention on international child abduction.
- Apple, Inc., defending patent infringement claims against Samsung (Apple v. Samsung), including obtaining a preliminary injunction that halted Galaxy Nexus sales in the U.S., though this was later overturned following trial. The firm also represented Apple in Epic Games v. Apple, concerning App Store policies and the removal of Fortnite.
- Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's founder, in a $17 billion contract dispute with Paul Ceglia; the suit was dismissed, and Ceglia was prosecuted for fraud.
- Engagement in cases related to homeless encampments, notably representing West Side Community Organization amid the COVID-19 crisis; partner Randy Mastro faced public backlash and acts of vandalism.
- George W. Bush, in Bush v. Gore, contesting Florida’s 2000 presidential election outcome; partner Theodore Olson argued the case and subsequently served as solicitor general.
- Theodore B. Olson also achieved victory in Citizens United v. FEC (2010), which permitted unlimited corporate expenditures in political campaigns.
- Intel, defending against multibillion-dollar antitrust claims brought by AMD and the European Union.
- NBC Universal, involved in a 2009 contractual dispute with Conan O'Brien.
- Viacom, pursuing a billion-dollar copyright infringement lawsuit against Google and YouTube, which was resolved through settlement in 2014.
- Governor Chris Christie retained Gibson Dunn attorney Randy Mastro for inquiries relating to the Fort Lee lane closure scandal; the firm encountered criticism regarding its documentation methods.
- Pro bono representation of plaintiffs in Haaland v. Brackeen, challenging the Indian Child Welfare Act and raising issues about potential weakening of federal tribal safeguards.
- VMware, in connection with its $61 billion acquisition by Broadcom.
- Pioneer Natural Resources, involved in its $59.5 billion purchase by ExxonMobil.
- Hewlett-Packard, advising on its £7 billion offer for Autonomy Corporation.
- Kraft, handling its $19.7 billion bid for Cadbury.
- Heineken, assisting with its $7.6 billion acquisition of Mexican brewing giant FEMSA.
- Partnering with the Center for Individual Rights and Election Law Center in Davis v. Guam, successfully overturning Guam’s race-based voting restrictions.
- Advising International Paper on matters involving PFAS ("forever chemicals").
- Defending Dole Food Company against multibillion-dollar tort claims alleging pesticide-related sterility among farmworkers; courts dismissed numerous claims following exposure of fraud and conspiracies aimed at extorting billions via fabricated allegations.
Criticism
In 2023, a San Francisco District Court imposed sanctions on the firm, mandating a payment of $925,000 due to its role in complicating and inflating litigation costs for plaintiffs involved in a consumer privacy case against Meta Platforms.
The year 2024 saw ProPublica reveal Gibson Dunn's defense of fossil fuel corporations while invoking free speech arguments to suppress dissent. The firm has initiated multiple lawsuits targeting opponents of the industry and has represented leading fossil fuel entities such as the American Petroleum Institute, Energy Transfer, Enbridge, ConocoPhillips, Occidental, and Chevron in a $27 billion environmental litigation in Ecuador.
Recognition
- Law360: Gibson Dunn has earned the title “Firm of the Year” on ten occasions, including most recently in 2024—setting a record in the award’s 15-year history. Additionally, in 2024, it secured Practice Group of the Year honors across ten categories like Appellate, Trials, Competition, White-Collar, Environmental, Cybersecurity & Privacy, and Securities. The Appellate Practice Group previously received this distinction in 2020, 2021, and 2023.
- The American Lawyer: The firm stands out as the only recipient of the biennial “Litigation Department of the Year” award four times (2010, 2012, 2016, 2020). It has been featured on The American Lawyer “A-List” nine times (2013–2014, 2016, 2019–2021, 2023–2025), a list based on criteria including financial success, pro bono contributions, diversity initiatives, and associate satisfaction.
- Chambers USA 2025: Gibson Dunn achieved 130 Band-1 rankings—comprising 43 practice areas and 87 individual attorneys—totaling 425 listings, marking the second-largest number of Band-1 recognitions among law firms.
- Global Investigations Review: The firm’s investigations division has maintained the #1 global ranking in the “GIR 30” for seven straight editions from 2018 through 2024.
- Vault: For seven consecutive years (2019–2025), Gibson Dunn has secured a position within the Top 10 of the Vault Law 100. Regionally, it holds #1 in the Mountain States, #2 in Southern California, #4 in Texas, and #5 in Washington, DC.
Notable firm alumni
- Preet Bharara, former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
- Aileen Cannon, judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, recognized for overseeing the federal criminal trial involving former President Donald Trump.
- Gregg Costa, judge serving on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
- Tom Cotton, United States Senator representing Arkansas.
- Stuart Delery, previous White House Counsel.
- Miguel Estrada, prominent Supreme Court litigator and former nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
- Charlie Falconer, ex-Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice under Prime Minister Tony Blair.
- Josh Hawley, United States Senator from Missouri.
- James C. Ho, judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
- Ron Kirk, former United States Trade Representative and first African American to hold that position.
- Theodore Olson, former United States Solicitor General.
- Jennifer H. Rearden, judge at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
- Eugene Scalia, previous United States Secretary of Labor.
- William French Smith, former United States Attorney General.
- Róbert Ragnar Spanó, ex-President of the European Court of Human Rights.
- Robert D. Sack, judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
- Ken Starr, former United States Solicitor General and Independent Counsel during the Clinton investigation.
- Lawrence VanDyke, judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
- Justin R. Walker, judge serving on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
- Debra Wong Yang, past U.S. Attorney for California’s Central District.