IEL Elite

Overview

Jason C Schwartz in Washington DC and Katherine V A Smith in Los Angeles co-lead the highly regarded employment team at Gibson Dunn, which is spread between the US and Europe, with additional experts in Hong Kong. Notably, peers laud the team’s abilities in high-end employment work in the US.

The promotion of Megan Cooney (Orange County) and Tiffany Phan (Los Angeles) to partnership on 1 January 2022 has further enhanced the firm’s US offering.

In addition, the firm has welcomed whistleblower expert Harris M Mufson and Danielle J Moss, a go-to lawyer for clients in the emerging technology, health, and wellness sectors, as new partners in New York in the past year. Both arrived from Proskauer Rose.

Clients hail from a host of sectors, including TMT, education, oil and gas, life sciences, and manufacturing.

Specialisms

The department is adept at taking on the full spectrum of issues impacting workforces. In particular, the team offers a substantive track record in high-stakes litigation, including at both trial and appellate levels. This prowess extends to class actions relating to discrimination, harassment, and pay equity.

The group’s considerable ability in highly sensitive matters also includes internal investigations. In addition, team members are adept at supporting companies in audits, as well as in matters before the US National Labor Relations Board.

On the advisory side, the department regularly handles reorganisations and downsizing projects, public and private M&A, and relationships with unions. Expertise spans transfers of undertakings, and outsourcing arrangements – as well as cross-border projects.

Further areas of activity include restrictive covenants and trade secrets, data privacy, ERISA and other employee benefits, health and safety, and senior executive hiring and termination.

Other key names

• James Cox (UK)
• Nataline Fleury (France)
• Mark Zimmer (Germany)

Experts based in...

France, Germany, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, and the United States.