The firm is best known for its litigation practice, which has been named the top "Litigation Department of the Year" in the United States by The American Lawyer in several biannual rankings, most recently in 2019. The firm is also known for its land use and real estate practices. The firm's attorneys have argued more than 100 cases before the United States Supreme Court. Some of the firm's notable cases include:
The firm represented Apple, Inc. in its patent infringement suit against Samsung relating to the Galaxy Nexus smartphone, and won an injunction in June 2012 blocking the sale of the Galaxy Nexus phone in the United States. The injunction was vacated in October 2012 based on the results of the trial.
The firm is representing Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, in a $17 billion contract dispute with purported seed money financier Paul Ceglia.
The firm is defending Intel against several multibillion-dollar antitrust lawsuits filed by AMD and the European Union.
The firm is representing CNN in its lawsuit against President Trump and many of his staff on the basis of Jim Acosta's right to a "hard pass", a clearance to enter the White House.
The firm is representing Chevron in its long-running, $27 billion environmental dispute in Ecuador.
The firm is representing the Dole Food Company in a multibillion-dollar toxic tort suit in Nicaragua involving allegations of farmworker sterility stemming from Dole's use of certain pesticides. After the firm uncovered substantial evidence of fraud and a conspiracy between the plaintiffs and Nicaraguan judges to extort Dole out of billions with manufactured claims, courts in the United States dismissed multiple related suits against Dole and refused to enforce several Nicaraguan judgments.
The firm represented Viacom in its billion-dollar copyright infringement lawsuit against Google and YouTube in Viacom International Inc. v. YouTube, Inc.. After multiple rulings at the District Court and Appellate Court, the case was settled in 2014.
Governor Chris Christie hired Gibson, Dunn attorney Randy Mastro to conduct an internal investigation of the circumstances surrounding the Fort Lee lane closure scandal and representing the Governor in a later federal investigation. The firm was later criticized by U.S. District JudgeSusan Wigenton for its methods of record keeping, and accused the firm of "opacity and gamesmanship."
The firm advised Kraft in its $19.7 billion bid for Cadbury.
Gibson attorneys advised Heineken in its $7.6 billion buyout of Mexican brewing conglomerate FEMSA.
Political contributions
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Gibson Dunn was one of the top law firms contributing to federal candidates during the 2012 election cycle, donating $1.45 million, 55% to Democrats. Since 1990, Gibson Dunn contributed $6.15 million to federal campaigns.
Controversy
In an article published by the Amazon Defense Coalition FDA, in August 15, 2018, on the digital media platformCorporate Social Responsibility wire it stated: "The law firm engaged in practices based on the Gibson Dunn marketing playbook which involves what the firm calls the “kill step” to defeat the enforcement in the U.S. of civil money judgements obtained from foreign courts.The article states: The “kill step” usually involves accusing opposing counsel of “fraud” and other misconduct to try to intimidate them into withdrawing, thereby leaving the corporation’s victims defenseless and unable to continue with their cases."
Notable attorneys and staff
Preet Bharara, former associate and high-profile U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 2009 to 2017.
Robert C. Bonner, former Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Miguel Estrada, acclaimed U.S. Supreme Court practitioner and former nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
James C. Ho, Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
