Patrick Dunican Jr., a legendary figure in legal, business and political circles across New Jersey, is leaving Gibbons P.C., the firm announced.
Dunican, the firm’s longtime managing director who transition to the role of executive chairman in 2022, spent more than three decades at the firm, making a tremendous and lasting impact on the firm, the city of Newark and the state’s legal and business communities.
His last day was Wednesday.
“After 32 years with the great Gibbons law firm, I have decided it is time to find a new mountain to climb,” Dunican said. “While my decision to leave Gibbons is a bittersweet one, I look forward to remaining connected with the many, many colleagues and friends I have made in the extended Gibbons family, and I am enormously proud of everything I have helped the firm accomplish.”
Dunican was instrumental in building one of the region’s most prominent law firms, with Gibbons greatly expanding its geographic footprint and ultimately growing to eight offices across New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Florida and Washington, D.C.
A proud firm ambassador and tireless champion of the Gibbons brand, Dunican is credited with greatly raising the firm’s profile, which allowed Gibbons to enter new markets.
Early in his tenure, he guided the firm’s first strategic plan, identifying its key service differentiators, nurturing its already impressive litigation practices and developing other key practices to the point of prominence in their areas, such as its New York-style Corporate Practice and its heralded Government & Regulatory Affairs Group, which has been New Jersey’s top lawyer-lobbying practice by revenue for 15 consecutive years.
Throughout, Dunican modeled first-class corporate citizenship, expanded Gibbons’s community presence and sharpened its focus on diversity, equity & inclusion and environmental, social & governance initiatives. He has been recognized by scores of publications and organizations for his many contributions to the legal, business and broader communities.
Peter Torcicollo, who succeeded Dunican as managing director, said his impact will be felt for years to come.
“Having been at the firm about as long as he has been, and having worked as closely as we did in our 30-plus years here together, Gibbons will definitely be a different place without Patrick Dunican,” Torcicollo said. “But, I understand his decision, and I am confident that his future ventures will be equally successful, and his impact equally great.”
Dunican looked back and looked forward.
“I have said it many times before — there will be no greater professional honor in my life than having been the chairman and managing director of Gibbons,” he said. “As that time comes to an end, I am excited to explore the many potential paths ahead of me.”
