Barry
Berke
(Photo
by
JIM
WATSON/AFP
via
Getty
Images)
Prominent
trial
lawyer
Barry
Berke
—
also
known
as
“America’s
greatest
trial
lawyer”
—
is
leaving
Kramer
Levin
for
a
new
home
at
Gibson
Dunn,
where
he’ll
take
up
the
mantle
of
global
co-chair
of
the
Biglaw
firm’s
litigation
group.
Gibson
Dunn
brought
in
$3,074,016,000
gross
revenue
in
2023,
putting
it
at
No.
7
on
the
Am
Law
100
ranking.
As
noted
by
the
American
Lawyer,
Berke
is
taking
his
entire
first-chair
trial
team,
including
Dani
James,
Jordan
Estes,
Darren
LaVerne,
and
Mike
Martinez,
as
well
as
his
book
of
business,
with
him
to
Gibson
Dunn.
This
is
a
real
rarity
in
the
legal
profession.
“We
were
not
looking,”
Berke
said
of
his
decision,
“but
they
came
to
us
and
made
the
case
for
why
this
would
be
a
great
move.”
The
New
York
Times’
DealBook
has
additional
information
on
why
Berke
decided
to
switch
firms:
Berke
was
partly
attracted
to
Gibson
Dunn
because
of
its
commitment
to
its
litigation
practice.
Many
firms
now
use
the
business
more
as
a
broader
service
for
corporate
clients.
Gibson
Dunn
has
its
own
high-profile
track
record
in
litigation,
having
successfully
defended
same-sex
marriage
for
Californians
before
the
Supreme
Court
and
Walmart
in
a
gender
discrimination
lawsuit.“The
firm
was
very
clear
to
us
how
important
their
litigation
trial
practice
is,”
Berke,
60,
told
DealBook.
He
was
recruited
by
Orin
Snyder,
one
of
the
top
litigators
in
the
country.
Among
the
lawyers
he
will
work
with
is
Ted
Olson,
one
of
the
country’s
leading
appellate
and
constitutional
law
lawyers.
…Having
both
Berke
and
Snyder
will
help
cement
Gibson
Dunn’s
spot
as
a
top
litigation
shop,
and
will
solidify
its
leading
position
for
firms
doing
pro
bono
work.
Barbara
Becker,
Gibson
Dunn’s
chair
and
managing
partner
of
Gibson
Dunn,
welcomed
Berke
and
his
trial
team
with
open
arms,
“Our
firm’s
preeminent
litigation
platform
is
an
important
part
of
our
identity,
and
we
are
proud
to
welcome
Barry
and
the
team
as
we
continue
to
build
on
this
legacy.”
She
went
on
to
praise
the
outstanding
litigators,
saying,
“With
their
extensive
experience
across
a
wide
range
of
litigation
and
investigative
matters,
this
stellar
group
is
a
natural
fit
for
Gibson
Dunn.
We
are
thrilled
to
begin
our
work
together
in
service
of
clients
around
the
globe.”
Berke
is
perhaps
best
known
on
a
national
stage
for
his
roles
as
impeachment
special
counsel
and
chief
impeachment
counsel
during
the
2019
and
2021
impeachment
trials
of
former
President
Donald
Trump,
and
his
lateral
move
ahead
of
the
2024
election
could
not
be
more
timely.
It
is
highly
likely
that
the
results
of
the
election
will
be
challenged
in
court,
and
Berke
is
well
aware
of
that
fact.
“It
is
fair
to
say
that
people
are
very
focused
—
and
have
discussed
with
me
—
the
concerns
that
legal
issues
may
again
predominate
following
the
voting
on
Nov.
5,”
he
told
DealBook.
For
her
part,
Becker
said
the
timing
of
Berke’s
decision
to
come
to
Gibson
Dunn
was
merely
coincidental,
noting
that
in
the
wake
of
the
election,
“there
could
be
opportunities,
depending
on
how
things
shake
out.”
Congratulations
to
Barry
Berke
on
his
move
to
Gibson
Dunn.
Best
wishes
for
much
continued
success!
A
star
of
the
corporate
defense
bar
jumps
ship
[DealBook
/
New
York
Times]
Barry
Berke
and
Partner
Group
Exits
Kramer
Levin
for
Gibson
Dunn
[American
Lawyer]
Gibson
Dunn
Grows
its
Powerhouse
Litigation
Practice
with
Acclaimed
Trial
Lawyer
Barry
Berke
&
Elite
Team
[Gibson
Dunn]
Staci
Zaretsky is
a
senior
editor
at
Above
the
Law,
where
she’s
worked
since
2011.
She’d
love
to
hear
from
you,
so
please
feel
free
to
email
her
with
any
tips,
questions,
comments,
or
critiques.
You
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Threads
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