Patrick Dunican to Assume Position of Executive Chairperson of Gibbons P.C.

Dunican’s Current Role as Chairman and Managing Director To Be Divided in Two

Patrick C. Dunican Jr., Chairman and Managing Director of Gibbons P.C., has announced his intention to transition his role to Executive Chairperson, effective February 1, 2022. Over the nearly two decades Mr. Dunican has served in these two roles, they have so increased in complexity and responsibility that he has determined they would be more effectively performed by two people. Affirming that judgment, Gibbons has begun the process of identifying a new Managing Director, also effective February 1.

The Executive Chairperson and Managing Director will work cooperatively to execute the firm’s strategic business plan. To that end, Mr. Dunican will serve as the chief public spokesperson for Gibbons and, in consultation with the Managing Director, develop and implement platforms to advance new business generation, practice development, firm expansion, client relations, marketing and public relations, and various special strategic and operational projects.

Mr. Dunican states, “After leading Gibbons through the challenges caused by a once-in-a-century pandemic, I feel the time for this transition is right both for me personally and for the firm, as we successfully emerge from the past 18 months and move forward. I intend to work closely with the new Managing Director as together we position the firm to continue its growth and outstanding service to our wonderful clients.”

Mr. Dunican has been instrumental in building Gibbons into one of the region’s most prominent and successful law firms, with more than 300 employees and eight offices across New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Washington, DC, and Florida. Among numerous other accomplishments under his direction, the firm expanded its geographic footprint down the East Coast, established itself as New Jersey’s premier government affairs law firm by revenue, maintained its status among the finest litigation firms in the United States, and grew its corporate practice to make Gibbons a “go to” firm in New Jersey for complex corporate transactions. The firm also became a unique player in the higher education space and established the Gibbons Institute of Law, Science & Technology at Seton Hall Law School. Throughout, Mr. Dunican ensured that Gibbons expanded its community presence and remained a first-class corporate citizen, while making Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) a real and tangible pillar of the firm’s mission.

“Because of my affiliation with Gibbons, I have been given more accolades and honors than ten people can amass in a lifetime, but there will be no greater honor in my life than having been the Managing Director and Chairman of the Great Gibbons law firm,” Mr. Dunican continues. “It is time to hand over the Managing Director reins.”

Gibbons has created a Transition Committee charged with identifying among the firm’s many qualified Directors a candidate to succeed Mr. Dunican as Managing Director. That process is expected to be completed shortly. Once a new Managing Director is elected, that person will shadow Mr. Dunican until assuming the role on February 1, 2022.

Testimonials from the Gibbons Executive Committee

“I have worked closely over the years with Patrick as he has led Gibbons to its present position in the regional legal market. The good news is that Patrick is not leaving, but will now be able to devote his energy and outstanding talent and leadership to major strategic issues and projects.”
— Frank T. Cannone, Chair of the Corporate Group

“I have known Patrick for 33 years, first as law school classmates and then as colleagues and friends standing side by side at the Great Gibbons firm. His accomplishments on behalf of the firm over the past 18 years are countless. I thank him for his tireless dedication and service to the firm and its incredible people. I know he will continue to do great things in his new role as our Executive Chairperson. Thank you, Patrick!”
— Kim M. Catullo, Chair of the Products Liability Group and Administrative Director of the New York Office

“Since Patrick was elected Managing Director in 2004, the firm has enjoyed significant increases in profitability, as well as expanded in size and geographic reach. That Patrick was able to maintain focus and enthusiasm all these years is a testament to his skill and character. While I completely understand Patrick’s decision to try to enjoy a bit of life that running a firm 24/7 does not allow, I am glad that he will continue in a newly defined leadership role that will continue to draw on his insights and vision for the firm. Patrick became Managing Director at a time when the firm needed strong but flexible leadership, and the firm is now much better for the service he provided.”
— Philip W. Crawford, Director in the Products Liability Group

“I have chaired the firm’s Intellectual Property Group during Patrick’s tenure as Chairman and Managing Director, and he has always been not only supportive of my vision for the practice but also open and insightful when I’ve proposed strategies for making that vision a reality. I very much look forward to working with him in his new role, which fits him perfectly.”
— David E. De Lorenzi, Chair of the Intellectual Property Group

“When I assumed the role of Chair of the Financial Restructuring & Creditors Rights Group at the firm in 2002, Patrick placed his complete trust in me as a practice group leader. Over my 17-year tenure in that position, I knew he supported me and the practice group, especially in its expansion into the Wilmington, Delaware venue, where the vast majority of middle market business bankruptcies have been filed for decades. Patrick’s leadership skills are reflected in the many accolades, honors, and awards he has received over the years. His transition into an Executive Chairperson position is a win-win situation for him and the firm, which will continue to benefit from his years of experience and his vast knowledge of the firm’s assets. I wish him continued success, health, and happiness in his new role.”
— Karen A. Giannelli, former Executive Committee Member, Director and Former Chair of the Financial Restructuring & Creditors’ Rights Group

“I first met Patrick in 2005. At that time, Gibbons was interested in expanding its Philadelphia presence by acquiring the Hecker, Brown, Sherry & Johnson firm – a firm where I had worked for nine years. Hecker, Brown had received similar interest from numerous firms around the country, but none had been able to establish themselves as a solid ‘fit’ for our attorneys and staff. Patrick demonstrated that he was a true ambassador for the Gibbons firm and conveyed a clear vision of cohesion and unity that immediately resonated with each one of us. Over a period of months, Patrick introduced us to the Gibbons culture and attorneys and made us feel a part of the firm long before the acquisition was finalized. He then ensured that our transition to the firm was seamless and painless. Patrick made us feel like vital members of the Gibbons firm, not employees in the Philadelphia office.

“During the 15 years that followed, Patrick delivered on his promise of expanding the Gibbons firm into Delaware, Washington, DC, and ultimately Florida. Under his leadership, we have proudly watched the firm receive regional and national accolades – not only for the exceptional legal service it provides, but also as a workplace where employees consistently value their careers and the opportunities that Gibbons offers. I am deeply thankful for the leadership Patrick has provided during my 15-year tenure with the firm and look forward to his continued leadership and mentorship as our new Executive Chairperson. As a result of his sustained efforts over nearly two decades, and his enthusiastic commitment moving forward, the future of the Great Gibbons law firm is indeed bright.”
— Alan R. Gries, Director in the Products Liability Group and Administrative Director of the Philadelphia Office

“I have had the privilege and honor to work side by side with Patrick for over two decades, first when he was the Administrative Partner of our New York office and then when he became Managing Director of the Great Gibbons firm. Patrick’s leadership style is unique and personal. In addition to the traditional leadership skills, his moral compass and his commitment and love for every single person at the firm have guided him in every decision. I am proud to have been at his side and look forward to the next chapter.”
— June M. Inderwies, Non-Voting Member of the Executive Committee and Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer of Gibbons P.C.

“Patrick has done an amazing job over the last 18 years, bringing the firm from a New Jersey-centric practice to a multi-state regional powerhouse. On a personal note, I want to thank Patrick for the hard work, sacrifices, and dedication he exhibits to help make the firm the wonderful place to work that it is today. When I joined the firm in 1987, it was a very different place in some respects but the core values have always remained the same, and Patrick not only understands that but embraces and fosters the Gibbons ethic of working hard, providing excellent legal services, and doing all of this as more than simply co-workers, but family. I look forward to continuing to work with Patrick in his role as Executive Chairperson to build on the successes that have made the Great Gibbons firm what it is today and can be tomorrow and beyond.”
— Douglas J. Janacek, Chair of the Real Property Group

“Patrick Dunican’s tenure as Managing Director of Gibbons was, to me, marked by his continued adherence to – and even strengthening of – the firm’s longtime commitment to doing good as it was doing well. I, as much as anyone else, benefitted from that, for Patrick continued to provide me with the opportunity that has been of the greatest importance to me in my career – to direct the John J. Gibbons Fellowship in Public Interest & Constitutional Law, in which I, working with two brilliant Fellows, take on the most challenging cases and most significant issues of our time, all in the name of our namesake, the great John Gibbons, who was so very proud of the Fellowship.

“Although it was not all he did to foster pro bono work, Patrick particularly stood by the Fellowship Program, however controversial its work; he nurtured it with unending support and loyalty to its work, and to its namesake. And he did so out of an unqualified commitment to doing what is right, to the notion that law is public service, to the ideal of the lawyer as an agent of social change toward the end of a better and more just world. All of this he did when others might not have, based upon his strong moral sense, his relentless professionalism, and, perhaps more than anything else, his compassion.

“In this sense, I owe it all to Patrick Dunican and I will never forget that or cease being grateful for who he is and what he has done for all of us who have been lucky enough to work at Gibbons during his tenure. We are beneficiaries of his judgment, his wisdom, and his values, and we are so grateful that he remains one of us even as he moves on to new challenges on our behalf. Thank you, Patrick.”
— Lawrence S. Lustberg, Co-Chair of the Commercial & Criminal Litigation Group and Director of the John J. Gibbons Fellowship in Public Interest & Constitutional Law

“Think about the level of strength and fortitude it takes to lead a firm like Gibbons, and then think about the kind of person you have to be to do it successfully – starting at age 36. This is what Patrick Dunican did, and he did it for 18 years. He helped to make Gibbons the regional powerhouse that we are today. His driving force and vision are why Bill Hatfield and I decided to move our environmental practice to Gibbons almost a decade ago. We are so grateful for his service and are excited for what the future holds for Gibbons under new leadership with his continued guidance and support.”
— Camille V. Otero, Chair of the Environmental Group

“I’ve had a front-row seat for the entirety of Patrick Dunican’s leadership as Chairman and Managing Director of the Gibbons firm. I have watched as the firm, under his direction, increased its revenues by more than 50 percent and its profitability by well over 100 percent. Patrick’s vision, combined with his innate ability to inspire those around him, have positioned our firm at the top of the New Jersey legal marketplace and provided a platform for continued success long into the future. Patrick has almost single-handedly turned Gibbons into a household name. I congratulate him on the new position and look forward to working with him in his new role as he continues to provide leadership and direction to our firm.”
— Peter J. Torcicollo, Co-Chair of the Commercial & Criminal Litigation Group

“Patrick Dunican transformed Gibbons P.C. from ‘the Crummy firm’ into a regional powerhouse with eight offices in five states and Washington, DC. His talent for marketing, leadership, and client service has been unparalleled for his 18 years as Managing Director of our firm. Countless lawyers’ careers have been launched because Patrick was their trusted advisor. Count me among them.”
— Kevin G. Walsh, Co-Chair of the Government & Regulatory Affairs Group