Gibson Dunn Nabs Three Morgan Lewis Partners

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher said Monday that a three-partner group is joining the firm in Washington, DC, from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, bringing their tax disputes practice with them, reported Reuters.

Sanford Stark, Saul Mezei and C. Terrell Ussing joined Morgan Lewis seven years ago as part of a mass move from now-defunct Bingham McCutchen. Stark, who recently served as a deputy practice group leader for Morgan Lewis’ tax group, is joining Gibson Dunn as a co-chair of a newly formed global tax controversy and litigation practice.

Stark will co-lead the practice along with Michael Desmond, who previously served as chief counsel of the Internal Revenue Service. According to Desmond, Gibson Dunn has been looking to build a standalone tax controversy and litigation practice since he joined the firm in May.

“We are positioning ourselves to assist clients in what I see will be increased focus by the government and by regulators and the IRS on examinations and tax controversy matters for the probably near to mid to long term,” Desmond said. He said he expects the firm to have around five to 10 partners working with the new practice.

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