Will Mcdonald joins Gibson Dunn's London office

On December 2, 2024, Gibson Dunn announced that Will McDonald has joined the firm’s London office as a partner in its Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Practice Group. McDonald brings extensive experience in advising on complex cross-border M&A transactions, with a particular focus on U.K. public M&A matters. His deep expertise is further enhanced by his two-year secondment at the U.K. Takeover Panel, where he played an instrumental role in regulating over 250 transactions, including the £71 billion takeover of SABMiller by Anheuser-Busch InBev, the largest deal in U.K. corporate history.

In a statement about McDonald’s arrival, George Sampas, Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s M&A Practice Group, noted that McDonald’s experience in high-profile mergers and acquisitions would be invaluable to the firm's London team. Sampas highlighted McDonald's unique insights gained from his time at the U.K. Takeover Panel, which will be especially beneficial in handling U.K. public M&A deals. McDonald’s move is part of Gibson Dunn’s continued expansion in London, following recent hires in the transactional practice area, including private equity partner Will Summers and finance partners Kavita Davis and David Irvine.

McDonald expressed enthusiasm about joining the firm, citing Gibson Dunn’s reputation for excellence in the M&A field and its global network of private equity and M&A lawyers. He also mentioned that he was eager to contribute to the firm's growing transactional team in London, which has attracted several top-tier legal professionals in recent years.

McDonald is recognized as a Recommended Lawyer in Legal 500 United Kingdom for his expertise in London: M&A Upper Mid-Market and Premium Deals. His experience spans multiple industries, including defence, aerospace, technology, real estate, and natural resources. McDonald graduated with first-class honours in History from the Universities of Edinburgh and Washington.

Gibson Dunn’s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group is globally renowned, regularly handling some of the largest and most complex deals. The firm has earned recognition as a leader in M&A, with recent high-profile matters such as advising VMware on its $92 billion merger with Broadcom and guiding Pioneer Natural Resources in its $64.5 billion merger with ExxonMobil.

This strategic hiring of Will McDonald further strengthens Gibson Dunn’s position as a key player in the competitive M&A landscape, particularly in the U.K. public M&A market.