Benchmark Litigation, the only legal directory researching and reporting exclusively on trial lawyers and litigation firms and departments, has again named Gibbs & Bruns LLP a “Top 10 Boutique” and also ranked the firm in its top category of “Highly Recommended” firms in Texas.
Benchmark also features 13 of the firm’s trial lawyers in the 2019 edition of the directory.
With a bench that is 13 partners deep, Houston powerhouse Gibbs & Bruns commands attention from the legal market nationwide; peers, and some humbled opponents, from New York to California weigh in to confirm they are taking notice. “Gibbs & Bruns continues to be a pain in our ass,” bemoans one peer humorously. “They are very tenacious – much more so than I’m comfortable with.” Another confirms, “You’re not ever just going to be get Gibbs & Bruns to go away with a minimum settlement. They will always fight for everything they can get.”
Clients also offer vocal support, with one addressing them as “the highest quality lawyers, experts in the RMBS and oil and gas space, aggressive and creative, with significant negotiation skills.” The firm has had what many agree is an extremely successful year with major victories in the mortgage-backed securities arena for teams of institutional investors seeking reimbursement from Bank of America, JP Morgan, and Citigroup. Over the past four years, the firm has secured a series of well-publicized and favorable settlements with each bank, valued at $8.5, $4.5, and $1.1 billion, respectively.
In March 2018, the firm, and specifically lead counsel Kathy Patrick and Scott Humphries, further enhanced that list when it reached a settlement with the Plan Administrator for Lehman Brothers Holdings and the other Debtors in the Lehman bankruptcy proceeding on behalf of 14 institutional investor clients. The agreement obligated Lehman to make a binding offer to the trustees of 244 RMBS trusts issued by Lehman (or into which Lehman contributed mortgages) to settle mortgage repurchase claims. The court ruled that the trusts’ claims would be allowed in the amount of $2.38 billion.
“Everything is ‘billion’ with a ‘B,’” quips a peer. ‘They sure know how to put the screws to the institutions, and they win ‘em big.” This team is currently engaged in an ongoing securities fraud action against Petrobras on behalf of institutional investors arising out of the massive “Lava Jato” or (“Car Wash”) bribes-for-contracts scandal that has embroiled Petrobras and scores of Brazilian politicians.
A client offers glowing commendations for Patrick. “While all of the attorneys we have worked with at this firm have been knowledgeable, responsive and effective on our behalf in cost, effort, time and results, Kathy Patrick one of the best attorneys that we have had the pleasure of working with. She is amazingly communicative, even with large client groups, and a pleasure to work with. Any client working with Kathy gets to see a first-rate attorney in action, and, frankly, cannot help learning from the experience.”
Partners Robin Gibbs and Kathy Patrick are named on the 2019 list of “Top 100 Trial Lawyers.” Kathy Patrick is also named to the directory’s “Top 250 Women in Litigation.”
Along with Robin and Kathy, partners Barrett Reasoner and Scott Humphries are named “Local Litigation Stars.”
Partners Sam Cruse, Mark Giugliano, Aundrea Gulley, Ashley Kleber, Ayesha Najam and Brian Ross are named ” Future Stars.”
Along with Ashley and Ayesha, partners Anthony Kaim and Laura Kissel were named to the “40 & Under Hot List.”
