Gibson Dunn's record partner round sets new high for London office

Gibson Dunn has announced 42 partner promotions in the firm’s largest partner class on record, with London accounting for about a quarter of the new intake.  

The City office’s 11 promotions mark its largest intake to date, representing more than a fivefold increase on last year’s two London promotions.

The new London partners:

• Valeri Bozhikov - Antitrust and Competition
• James Chandler - Tax
• Osvaldo Galeano - M&A
• Jonathan Griffin - Litigation
• Graham Haselgrove - Real Estate
• Tom Jackson - Transportation and Space
• Mark Leverkus - Transportation and Space
• Claire Shepherd - Antitrust and Competition
• Michael Skouras - Private Equity
• Matthew Squire - Business Restructuring
• Alana Tinkler - Antitrust and Competition

The promotions will take effect on 1 January 2026.

London in focus

The City promotions span competition, private equity, M&A, restructuring and litigation, giving a sense of steady, platform-wide growth rather than a single practice push. It is very much on brand for Gibson Dunn, reflecting a full-service model that has favoured balanced growth over big bets on one practice area.

The firm has also been actively making senior lateral hires this year, most recently a top-ranked A&O Shearman employment disputes partner and a prominent energy partner from Latham.

Growth in the City is clearly on the agenda in the City with the firm expanding its London trainee intake by 50% from September 2027, increasing numbers from 10 to 15.

Global expansion

The cohort spans 16 offices, with around 40% of new partners based outside the US, more than double last year’s share, adding to an expanding international footprint.

Overall, partner promotions have held steady at around 35 partners in recent rounds, making this year’s jump notable. Last year, the firm promoted only six partners outside of the US, less than 20% of the class.