Will Summers

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher is plotting a major scaling up of its London office to up to 500 lawyers in the next five years. According to sources with knowledge of the strategy, this could see the office more than double in size from its current headcount of around 215 fee earners, including those who straddle London and other offices. One person with knowledge of the firm said the aim was to bring its London headcount closer to that of its New York office. Insiders said the firm’s plans for a new London office are designed to meet the expansion effort. In September, Law.com reported that the firm has agreed to take around 140,000 sq ft at 1 Exchange Square in Central London, according to sources—significantly larger than its current Temple area offices. The firm has continued to build out its London bench this year with a series of strategic hires, several of whom arrived with additional lawyers in tow. In March, Chris Howard and Presley Warner joined from Sullivan & Cromwell, strengthening the firm’s business restructuring and reorganisation practice. They arrived with one counsel and one senior associate. That same month, James O’Donnell joined after 11 years at DLA Piper—where he served as global co-chair of investment funds—bringing with him an of counsel. In May, James Cameron joined the London office from Milbank as a partner in the finance practice and as co-chair of the transportation and space practice. Also in May, real estate partner Hayden Cameron arrived from A&O Shearman. The firm further expanded its transactional capabilities in October with the hire of M&A partner Simon Tysoe from Latham & Watkins. In 2024, private equity partner Will Summers joined from White & Case, alongside former Jones Day lifer and M&A partner Will McDonald. Commenting on London, chair and managing partner of Gibson Dunn, Barbara Becker said: "Our London growth has been transformative. The strength and depth of our London offering now mirrors the exceptional platform we have built globally. "We have strategically expanded our transactional capabilities—particularly in private equity, M&A, infrastructure, finance, bankruptcy and restructuring, and real estate—while leveraging our established disputes practice to attract and promote top-tier talent. Crucially, this growth reflects not just lateral recruitment but our investment in elevating homegrown talent." The strategy reflects strong confidence in London’s high-end transactional and disputes markets, where U.S. firms continue to exert significant influence. It also comes amid intensifying transatlantic competition. Law.com data shows that U.S. firms have doubled the volume of London office space they’ve transacted over in the past five years, while U.K.-founded firms have expanded far more cautiously. Since 2020, 18 Am Law 200 firms have committed to new London offices, compared with just eight among the U.K. top 50—during a period in which U.S. firms increased square footage by 50%, while U.K. firms collectively contracted by nearly 30%. For U.S. firms, London is increasingly viewed as both a crucial counterweight to domestic operations and a fiercely contested battleground for top talent. Gibson Dunn’s trajectory suggests it intends not only to compete in that arena, but potentially to redefine the scale of what a U.S. firm’s London presence can be.

Dec 2

2 min

Gibson Dunn announced today that Mark Manson-Bahr has joined the firm’s London office as a partner in its Real Estate Practice Group. Mark is ranked Band 1 for Real Estate Finance by Chambers UK 2025, which describes him as being “at the forefront of the market,” and as a Leading Partner for London Property Finance in Legal 500 United Kingdom 2025. Commenting on his arrival, Eric Feuerstein, Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Real Estate Practice Group, said: “Mark is best in class and widely regarded as one of the best real estate debt lawyers in Europe. We’re delighted to have him join us.” “I am thrilled to join Gibson Dunn’s global real estate platform. Their clients are an integral part of the global real estate landscape. Working with Rob Carr in London, and colleagues throughout Europe and the U.S. is an opportunity I cannot pass up. I can’t wait to get to work for our clients,” said Mark. Gibson Dunn’s Real Estate Practice Group is widely considered one of the best in the world: it was named a 2024 Real Estate Group of the Year by Law360 and is the Chambers USA 2024 Group of the Year for Real Estate: USA – Nationwide. The London team has worked on some of the most high-profile real estate financings in recent years, including the £1.2 billion financing of 100 Bishopsgate and advising Canary Wharf Group on its £610 million financing of its retail portfolio with clients and funds managed by Apollo. Gibson Dunn has significantly expanded its transactional practices in London. Real estate partner Hayden Cameron joined the office in recent weeks, and other recent joiners include M&A partner Will McDonald, private equity partner Will Summers, and finance partners Kavita Davis and David Irvine. About Mark Manson-Bahr Mark is a real estate finance specialist who represents lenders and sponsors for investment in, and the development of, commercial real estate. He works across the capital stack, in all commercial real estate sectors, including data centres, office, PRS, hotels, cold storage, the care sector and student accommodation. Mark also has extensive experience in real estate restructuring across Europe, working with both consensual and court-based approaches. He joins Gibson Dunn from a leading U.K. firm where he spent his entire career, and where he was Global Head of Real Estate Finance. Download PDF

Jun 2

2 min

Law.com International~~Partner Will Summers has shared his outlook for the M&A market with Law.com International, anticipating a strong rebound in the second half of 2025.~~Will pointed to the strength of the debt finance markets, noting continued demand for new issuance across the broadly syndicated loan and high-yield bond markets, as well as from private credit, providing liquidity to support new M&A activity.~~“After a busy August we are expecting a resurgence in M&A dealmaking in the second half of the year, with a strong pipeline, particularly in tech, healthcare, energy, infrastructure, aerospace and defence, and services,” he said.~~Download PDF~~

Aug 20

1 min

Chambers UK~~Gibson Dunn was recognized with 14 firm and 31 individual rankings in the 2026 edition of Chambers UK.~~The firm was recognized in the following categories:~~•              Asset Finance: Aviation Finance – UK-wide~~•              Capital Markets: Equity – UK-wide~~•              Competition Law – London~~•              Corporate/M&A: £800 million and above – London~~•              Information Technology & Outsourcing – London~~•              Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas – UK-wide~~•              Infrastructure – UK-wide~~•              International Arbitration: Commercial Arbitration – UK-wide~~•              International Arbitration: Investor-State Arbitration – UK-wide~~•              Investment Funds: Investor Representation – UK-wide~~•              Private Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above – UK-wide~~•              Real Estate: £150 million and above – London~~•              Real Estate Finance – UK-wide~~•              Tax – London~~The following partners were recognized in their respective practice areas:~~•            Alison Beal – Information Technology & Outsourcing – London~~•            Sandy Bhogal – Tax – London~~•            Alice Brogi – Infrastructure – UK-wide~~•            James Cameron – Asset Finance: Aviation Finance – UK-wide~~•            Rob Carr – Real Estate Finance – UK-wide~~•            James Cox – Employment – London~~•            Federico Fruhbeck – Infrastructure – UK-wide; Private Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above – UK-wide~~•            Ben Fryer – Tax – London~~•            Christopher Harris – International Arbitration – UK-wide~~•            Joel Harrison – Information Technology & Outsourcing – London; Data Protection & Information Law – UK-wide~~•            Chris Haynes – Capital Markets: Equity – UK-wide~~•            Christopher Howard – Restructuring/Insolvency – UK-wide~~•            David Irvine – Leveraged Finance: Big Ticket – London~~•            Tom Jackson – Asset Finance: Aviation Finance – UK-wide~~•            Mark Leverkus – Asset Finance: Aviation Finance – UK-wide~~•            Michelle Kirschner – Financial Services: Non-contentious Regulatory – UK-wide~~•            Penny Madden – International Arbitration – UK-wide~~•            Mark Manson-Bahr – Real Estate Finance – UK-wide~~•            Ali Nikpay – Competition Law – London~~•            James O’Donnell – Investment Funds: Investor Representation – UK-wide~~•            Piers Plumptre – International Arbitration – UK-wide~~•            Ben Shorten – Projects: Mainly International – UK-wide~~•            Lisa Stevens – Restructuring/Insolvency – UK-wide~~•            Will Summers – Private Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above – UK-wide~~•            Dee Taylor – Competition Law – London~~•            Simon Tysoe – Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas – UK-wide~~•            Presley Warner – Leveraged Finance: Big Ticket – London~~•            Hannah Watson Fanin – Investment Funds: Investor Representation~~•            Rebecca West – Asset Finance: Aviation Finance – UK-wide~~The guide was published on October 16, 2025.~~Download PDF~~

Oct 16

2 min

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher is plotting a major scaling up of its London office to up to 500 lawyers in the next five years. According to sources with knowledge of the strategy, this could see the office more than double in size from its current headcount of around 215 fee earners, including those who straddle London and other offices. One person with knowledge of the firm said the aim was to bring its London headcount closer to that of its New York office. Insiders said the firm’s plans for a new London office are designed to meet the expansion effort. In September, Law.com reported that the firm has agreed to take around 140,000 sq ft at 1 Exchange Square in Central London, according to sources—significantly larger than its current Temple area offices. The firm has continued to build out its London bench this year with a series of strategic hires, several of whom arrived with additional lawyers in tow. In March, Chris Howard and Presley Warner joined from Sullivan & Cromwell, strengthening the firm’s business restructuring and reorganisation practice. They arrived with one counsel and one senior associate. That same month, James O’Donnell joined after 11 years at DLA Piper—where he served as global co-chair of investment funds—bringing with him an of counsel. In May, James Cameron joined the London office from Milbank as a partner in the finance practice and as co-chair of the transportation and space practice. Also in May, real estate partner Hayden Cameron arrived from A&O Shearman. The firm further expanded its transactional capabilities in October with the hire of M&A partner Simon Tysoe from Latham & Watkins. In 2024, private equity partner Will Summers joined from White & Case, alongside former Jones Day lifer and M&A partner Will McDonald. Commenting on London, chair and managing partner of Gibson Dunn, Barbara Becker said: "Our London growth has been transformative. The strength and depth of our London offering now mirrors the exceptional platform we have built globally. "We have strategically expanded our transactional capabilities—particularly in private equity, M&A, infrastructure, finance, bankruptcy and restructuring, and real estate—while leveraging our established disputes practice to attract and promote top-tier talent. Crucially, this growth reflects not just lateral recruitment but our investment in elevating homegrown talent." The strategy reflects strong confidence in London’s high-end transactional and disputes markets, where U.S. firms continue to exert significant influence. It also comes amid intensifying transatlantic competition. Law.com data shows that U.S. firms have doubled the volume of London office space they’ve transacted over in the past five years, while U.K.-founded firms have expanded far more cautiously. Since 2020, 18 Am Law 200 firms have committed to new London offices, compared with just eight among the U.K. top 50—during a period in which U.S. firms increased square footage by 50%, while U.K. firms collectively contracted by nearly 30%. For U.S. firms, London is increasingly viewed as both a crucial counterweight to domestic operations and a fiercely contested battleground for top talent. Gibson Dunn’s trajectory suggests it intends not only to compete in that arena, but potentially to redefine the scale of what a U.S. firm’s London presence can be.

Dec 2

2 min