Speeches
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
Singapore Office Opening Celebration
Remarks by Ambassador Patricia Herbold
September 29, 2008
Thank you, Ken, for welcoming me to your opening celebration. In turn, I am delighted to welcome Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher to the Singapore business community, which is home to an estimated 1500 U.S. companies. Many of those businesses have regional operations as well, so you are joining a vibrant business sector.
As Ken suggested, Gibson Dunn is one of the oldest and most respected law firms in the United States. Something you may not know is that Gibson Dunn also has a history of involvement across the U.S. political spectrum and with all three branches of the U.S. government. Some of the firm’s current lawyers, as well as alumni of the firm, have served in a wide range of government positions -- as judges, in various government agencies, at the White House and in Congress.
One of the Firm's most prominent lawyers, Ted Olson, has served as private counsel to both President George W. Bush and former President Ronald Reagan. Ted also served in President Bush's administration as Solicitor General, the government's top lawyer in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. He returned to the firm in 2004.
Gibson Dunn has also earned respect internationally. Just this year, former Lord Chancellor Charles Falconer, a member of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's cabinet, joined Gibson Dunn's London office to work with the firm's Disputes Resolution Group. In addition to its premier dispute resolution practice, Gibson Dunn is widely regarded as having top-tier corporate and litigation practices, including in the areas of Mergers and Acquisitions, capital markets, global finance, energy and infrastructure, and private equity.
In industry surveys and major publications, Gibson Dunn is consistently listed among the world's top law firms. They ranked among the top 10 firms:
…in American Lawyer magazine's 2008 A-List, which features the most elite US law firms;
… in a survey of more than 200 general counsels when asked to choose the law firms they would most like to have on their side; and,
… for client service and satisfaction in a survey of in-house counsel at major companies.
Naturally, with those credentials, Gibson Dunn represents some powerful corporations. But, the firm also has as clients the poor and those underserved by the legal system. Community service and pro bono work are an important part of the fabric of the Firm. Last year, the Firm donated more than 72,000 hours of pro bono legal work.
With its distinguished history, Gibson Dunn is a terrific addition to the business community here. I am pleased to welcome the Firm to Singapore.