Michael Best is pleased to announce the addition of Darren G. Gibson as a Partner in the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Group and Co-Chair of Michael Best’s Higher Education Industry Team, based out of the Austin Office. Gibson joins Michael Best with a proven track record and extensive expertise in labor and employment law, further strengthening the firm’s capabilities in this growing practice area.
Gibson is an advocate and trusted advisor to higher education institutions and private businesses. He has vigorously defended clients in restrictive covenant and trade secret litigation, discrimination and retaliation claims, and class and collective actions, among others. Gibson has a strong courtroom presence, successfully arguing numerous cases to trial, and regularly handles temporary injunction hearings and appeals. In addition, Gibson conducts workplace investigations across the country, investigating allegations against senior executives and leaders.
“We are thrilled to welcome Darren to our team,” said Brian Paul, Chair of Michael Best’s Labor & Employment Practice Group. “In particular, Darren's deep knowledge and experience counseling universities and higher education institutions on compliance and labor and employment matters is particularly valuable to our practice and complements well our established national higher education practice. Darren’s expertise will enhance our ability to provide top-tier legal counsel to clients, and Darren will provide vital leadership in our Texas markets and across the firm as a whole.”
“Michael Best offers a unique and exciting opportunity to grow both my practice and the firm, as a whole, by providing clients exceptional service across a wide range of practice groups and markets,” said Gibson, who has a particular focus representing higher education and healthcare institutions. As Co-Chair of the firm’s Higher Education practice, Gibson will help guide Michael Best’s representation of universities with regard to labor and employment matters, Title IX litigation, and conducting investigations into sexual harassment and sexual misconduct. Gibson is board-certified in labor and employment law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
“Darren’s experience and strategic insights will be a tremendous asset to the Austin Office,” said Commissioner George P. Bush, Managing Partner of Michael Best’s Austin office. “We look forward to working with Darren and leveraging his skills and knowledge to provide highly valued service to the Texas market and further expand our team here.”
Prior to joining Michael Best, Gibson served as a Partner at a prominent labor and employment law firm, where he represented a diverse array of clients, from universities to large corporations, across various industries. Gibson also worked at the Texas Office of the Attorney General, where he defended state agencies and universities in employment litigation and class actions. Before coming to Texas, Gibson was a senior associate in New York City, where his practice focused on securities litigation, internal investigations, and business disputes in the accounting and financial services industries.
Gibson earned a J.D. from Harvard Law School, cum laude, and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kentucky, summa cum laude. He is admitted to practice in Texas and New York, as well as several federal courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th and 9th Circuits.