Patrick C. Dunican Jr.

Patrick C. Dunican Jr. is a nationally recognized law firm leader who was highlighted in 2010 by Law360 as one of the nation’s most innovative law firm managing partners. Mr. Dunican has been named for three consecutive years to NJBIZ’s “Power 100” list of the 100 most powerful people in New Jersey business. In 2007, he was named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Ernst & Young, for his work building and leading a dynamic and growing professional services company.

In 2004, at the age of 36, Mr. Dunican was elected Managing Director of Gibbons. Since that time, he has led the growth of the firm into a major Mid-Atlantic regional powerhouse by establishing a corporate management model and defining the firm’s future by achieving significant overhead cost reductions.

Under his leadership, Gibbons has realized significant growth propelling the firm into the AmLaw 200 in 2007. Two years later, Gibbons was one of only 20 firms nationwide to be named to The National Law Journal’s inaugural “Midsize Hot List” which recognized firms with fewer than 300 lawyers that have found innovative ways to position themselves.

A litigation attorney, Mr. Dunican is listed in New Jersey Super Lawyers for business litigation and as one of the top 100 attorneys in New Jersey. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America for commercial litigation, has been named in New York Super Lawyers for business litigation, is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and was named to “40 under 40” lists in both NJBIZ and the New Jersey Law Journal.

Mr. Dunican serves as the Chair of Seton Hall Law’s Board of Visitors and the Chair of the Board of Visitors’ Strategic Planning Committee. For his work as Co-Chair of the Seton Hall Law Rising Campaign, he was named the Law School’s Distinguished Alumnus in 2011. He also serves on the Iona College Board of Legal Trustees, and was honored with the college’s Legacy Award in 2013.

In 2013, he served as the Grand Marshal of the Newark St. Patrick’s Day Parade, raising more money for more charities than ever before in the parade’s 78 year history. Mr. Dunican is also the Second Vice President of the New Jersey State Bar Foundation, a founding member of the Irish American Bar Association of New Jersey and is on the Board of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and the President’s Council of Valley Hospital Foundation.

His focus on marketing and branding initiatives has earned Gibbons a place as the only law firm featured in Steve Adubato’s book - You are the Brand.

Under his leadership the firm has also achieved recognition for:

 

• Advancing women in the law - ranked one of the country’s Best Law Firms for Women by Working Mother, one of only 11 firms to appear on the list every year since its inception
• Corporate giving - named “Corporate Citizen of the Year” for “Gibbons Cares,” the firm’s corporate giving program, NJBIZ (2008)
• Associate satisfaction - ranked 67th nationwide, and 17th among the Am Law Second Hundred firms, American Lawyer (2011)
• Technology - ranked 2nd nationwide for technology program and among the top five firms for quality of technology support, American Lawyer (2010)
• Innovative women’s programs - earned the Catalyst Award (only the third law firm to ever earn this prestigious award) (2009)
• Diversity - appointed the firm’s first Chief Diversity Officer, expanded its Diversity Initiative to include a Supplier Diversity component, an innovation for law firms, and ranked nationally by the Minority Law Journal and MultiCultural Law

Mr. Dunican has focused on training, retaining and attracting talented attorneys and employees by working closely with his management team to develop policies and procedures to ensure that the firm is “Doing Good While Doing Well.” This includes offering the “Gibbons Experience,” an extensive and generous benefits package to all employees, donating more than $1 million annually to worthy organizations through “Gibbons Cares,” developing the firm’s internal training and mentoring programs for attorneys - the “Gibbons Academy” and “Gibbons Leadership Academy,” and founding the firm’s sustainability and environmental program - “Gibbons Goes Green.” He has also focused on continuing and building upon the firm’s existing Women’s and Diversity Initiatives.

Seton Hall University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1991)
Editor-in-Chief, Seton Hall Law Review, 1990-1991

Iona College (B.A., 1988)

State of New Jersey 1991

State of New York 1992

United States District Court of New Jersey

United States District Court for the Southern District of New York

United States District Court for the Northern District of New York

United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York

United States District Court for the Western District of New York

United States Supreme Court

United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Second Vice President, New Jersey State Bar Foundation (Treasurer, 2011-2012, Secretary, 2009-2011, Trustee, 2007-2009)

Chair, Board of Visitors, Seton Hall University School of Law (Vice Chair 2009-2013)

Trustee, Iona College Board of Legal Trustees (2013 - present)

Board of Directors, New Jersey Performing Arts Center

Council of Trustees, New Jersey Performing Arts Center

Member, President’s Council, Valley Hospital Foundation

Founding Member, Irish American Bar Association

Trustee, The Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey

Member, Best Lawyers Advisory Board

Member, New York State Bar Association

Member, Bar Association of the City of New York

Member, American Bar Association

Member, New Jersey State Bar Association

Member, Essex County Bar Association

Member, Association of the Federal Bar for the District of New Jersey

Fellow, American Bar Foundation

"'Smart Growth' at Gibbons," Profiles in Diversity Journal, March/April 2013

"Patrick Dunican to Lead 2013 Newark March," Irish Voice, February 13-19, 2013 (Patrick C. Dunican Jr., Featured)

"Leadership 101: Training Programs to Develop Your Firm's Next Generation of Leaders," Law Practice Today, September, 2012

"CEO Leadership In Action," Profiles in Diversity Journal, March/April 2012

"Gibbons Celebrates Its 85th Anniversary: Diversity & Women's Initiatives Are Key Aspects to the Firm's Brand," MultiCultural Law, 2011 Edition

"Ending the Revolving Door Syndrome in Law," Seton Hall Law Review, Volume 41, No. 3, 2011 (Luis J. Diaz, Patrick C. Dunican Jr.)

"How Outside Counsel Can Provide – And Add – Value," The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, October 2011

"Think Before Laughing at 'Funny' Lawyer Jokes," NJBIZ, May 5, 2008

"Beyond the Billable Hour," GC NY, November 14, 2005 (Patrick C. Dunican Jr., Stephen R. Reynolds)

Interviewed in No Objection to Devoting Resources Toward Pro Bono Efforts, NJBIZ, January 21, 2013

Interviewed in Iona College Alumni Profiles, Iona Alumni Magazine, Fall/Winter 2012

Interviewed in "The Future of Business Development for New Jersey Law Firms in 2012," New Jersey Lawyer, April 2012

Quoted in "For Lawyer-Lobbyists, Acrimony in High Places Means Higher Income," New Jersey Law Journal, March 12, 2012

Quoted in "Innovations in Law Firm Marketing: Which Firms Are Doing Cool Things That Work?," The Legal Intelligencer, December 20, 2011 (Patrick C. Dunican Jr., Sean P. Mahoney)

Quoted in "Nature or nurture? What makes a perfect leader?," The Sunday Star Ledger, December 8, 2011

Quoted in "Gibbons P.C.: Building On an 85-Year Legacy of Excellence," Commerce, December 2011 (Christine A. Amalfe, Russell B. Bershad, Frank T. Cannone, David E. De Lorenzi, Dawn Afanador, Patrick C. Dunican Jr., David A. Filippelli, June M. Inderwies, Brian J. McMahon)

Quoted in "Gibbons, One Name Can Communicate So Much" in You Are The Brand, by Steve Adubato, Ph.D., 2011 (Dawn Afanador, Patrick C. Dunican Jr.)

Quoted in "In law, a changing forecast for summer hires," NJBIZ, July 11, 2011 (Patrick C. Dunican Jr., Peter J. Torcicollo)

Interviewed in "In a Profession Guided by Precedents, New Jersey's Law Firms are Adapting to New Client Paradigms," Commerce, Summer 2011

Interviewed in "Gibbons Celebrates 85 Years," The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, April 2011

Quoted in "Firms learning to do more with fewer resources," NJBIZ, January 24, 2011

Quoted in "Women @ Work," Diversity Executive, January 17, 2010

Quoted in What Women Want, WomenLegal, June-August 2009

Quoted in "Committed to Inclusion," Legal Management, May 2009

Quoted in "Catalyst Award Winner: Gibbons P.C.," The Glass Hammer, April 16, 2009 (Patrick C. Dunican Jr., Ghillaine A. Reid)

Quoted in "Newark's Glass Half Full," New Jersey Business, March 2009

Quoted in "Ethnic Diversity Up, Gender Stays Flat," New Jersey Law Journal, September 22, 2008

Quoted in "Seeking Counsel From a More Diverse Legal Profession," New Jersey Business, September 2008

Quoted in "That nagging red light - but it's a keeper," New Jersey Lawyer, August 13, 2008

Interviewed in "How to Qualify as 'One of the Best Companies to Work for in America,'" The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, August 2008

Quoted in "Gibbons Rates as Workplace," New Jersey Law Journal, July 3, 2008

Quoted in "Does Your Business Have the 'Horsepower' for Long-Term Success?  Good Legal Advice Can Make the Difference Between First and Last," Commerce, Summer, 2008

Quoted in "Women Get a Boost Up That Tall Leadership Ladder," The Wall Street Journal, June 10, 2008

Quoted in "NJ's Top Law Firms Position Themselves to Meet the Challenges of Changing Times," New Jersey Business, April 2008

Quoted in "Gibbons P.C. - Reflecting on a Pivotal Year and Positioning for the Future," Commerce, March 2008 (Patrick C. Dunican Jr., Michael D. Aginsky)

Quoted in "Technology and Law Firms: Is Your Attorney Up to Speed?" New Jersey Business, February 20, 2008

Interviewed in "Gibbons, Inc.," New Jersey Lawyer, December 10, 2007 (Patrick C. Dunican Jr., June M. Inderwies, Michael D. Aginsky)

Quoted in "Alternative to opting out: Flex-time gains," New Jersey Lawyer, August 27, 2007

Quoted in "Making the Grade," New Jersey Law Journal, August 20, 2007

Interviewed in "Second Annual Law Firm Managing Partners Roundtable," Commerce, Summer, 2007

Interviewed in "First Annual Law Firm Managing Partners Roundtable," Commerce, Summer, 2006

Quoted in "Gibbons To See Its Name in Heights," New Jersey Law Journal, May 15, 2006

Quoted in "Gibbons Del Deo Buys Philly Firm, Bolstering Its PA Presence," New Jersey Law Journal, December 12, 2005

Quoted in "Gibbons Del Deo Merges with Hecker Brown," The Legal Intelligencer, December 9, 2005

Interviewed in "Gibbons Del Deo: A New Jersey Firm's Move Into New York and Beyond," The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, May 2004

Interviewed in "At 37, Gibbons' New Top Guy," New Jersey Lawyer, April 12, 2004

Quoted in "Firm Adopts Corporate Management Style," The Star-Ledger, April 9, 2004

Speaker, National Association of Women Lawyers, "The Pipeline to Equity Partnership: The Skills, Strategies and Stumbling Blocks Senior Women Lawyers Encounter on Their Path to Reach Equity Status, " New York, NY. July 19, 2012

Panelist, Flex-Time Lawyers LLC, "Law and Reorder - Best Law Firms for Women: 2011 Findings, Trends & Best Practices," New York, NY. October 12, 2011

Panelist, Legal Marketing Association Conference, "Elevating the Marketing and Business Development Function: Law Firm Leadership Panel," Orlando, FL. April 6, 2011

Panelist, Third National People of Color Conference, "Ending the Resolving Door Syndrome in Law," Newark, NJ. September 10, 2010

Panelist, American Bar Association, Summit for Women In-House Counsel, "Capture Your Power - Your Role in Advancing Women in the Legal Profession," Philadelphia, PA. April 28, 2010

Panelist, Catalyst Awards Conference, "Plenary Session, The Gibbons Women's Initiative: Driving Success Through Diversity Investment," New York, NY. March 31, 2009

Speaker, Seton Hall University, "Entrepreneurial Leadership: Innovations Get Better Every Year," February 24, 2009

Speaker, Seton Hall University, "Entrepreneurial Leadership: Innovative Strategies for Tough Times," South Orange, NJ. November 18, 2008

Panelist, Flex-Time Lawyers LLC, "Best Law Firms for Women: Findings, Trends & Best Practices," Philadelphia, PA. October 16, 2008

Faculty, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, "First Women in the Profession Summit," Philadelphia, PA. June 18, 2008

Speaker, Hildebrandt Institute, "Retaining Women in the Legal Profession," New York, NY. March 5, 2008

Panelist, NorthStar Conference's Law Firm Leadership Institute For the Next Generation of Leaders Las Vegas, NV. March 21 - 22, 2007

Listed in New Jersey Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2013
Top 100 attorney in New Jersey, 2013

Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, 2013

Named to the Irish Legal 100, 2012

Listed in New York Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2012

Named the Distinguished Alumnus by Seton Hall University School of Law, 2011

Named one of NJBIZ's "100 Most Powerful People in New Jersey Business," January 31, 2011

Named one of "America's Most Innovative Managing Partners" by Law360, 2010

Recipient, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, 2007

Named one of NJBIZ's "40 Under 40"

Named one of New Jersey Law Journal's "40 Under 40", September 13, 2004

Distinguished Young Graduate, Seton Hall Law School Alumni Association, 2002

Gibbons Chairman and Managing Director Patrick Dunican Honored By Iona College With 2013 Legacy Award

NJBIZ Names Bill Palatucci And Patrick Dunican Among Its “POWER 100”

Gibbons Chairman Patrick Dunican To Be Featured on Caucus NJ With Steve Adubato

Eight Gibbons Attorneys Listed in New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

Patrick Dunican Named Grand Marshal of the 2013 Newark St. Patrick's Day Parade

New Jersey Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Ranks 69 Gibbons Attorneys as Leaders in Their Fields

Gibbons Chairman and Managing Director Patrick Dunican Again Named to NJBIZ “Power 100” List

Gibbons Apprenticeship Program Featured in Seton Hall Law at Work

Gibbons Chairman and Managing Director Patrick Dunican Appointed to the NJPAC Board of Directors

Gibbons Chairman and Managing Director Patrick Dunican Appointed a Trustee for the AFBNJ

Four Gibbons Attorneys Named to the 2011 Irish Legal 100

Gibbons Chairman and Managing Director Patrick Dunican Named to Best Lawyers® Advisory Board

Patrick Dunican Named Seton Hall Law School’s 2011 Distinguished Alumnus

Gibbons Chairman and Managing Director Patrick Dunican Named to NJBIZ "Power 100" List

Law360 Names Patrick Dunican One of “America’s Most Innovative Managing Partners”

Patrick Dunican Receives the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award

Patrick C. Dunican Jr. Interviewed by The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel Magazine

"At 37, Gibbons' New Top Guy"

Law clerk to the Honorable Clarkson S. Fisher, United States District Court for the District of New Jersey

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*No aspect of this communication has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Further information about methodologies for rating or selecting attorneys is available on our website’s Award Methodology page.