Kirkland & Ellis - The Inside View

You can’t accuse the first law firm to reach $4 billion in revenue of being lazy. Kirkland is anything but, and it attracts those who can match its levels of ambition and motivation. “I wanted to join a firm that doesn’t tie progression to class year,” declared one associate, and progression does come quickly at Kirkland for those who want it, as this source explained: “During OCIs, I thought the firm’s claim that I’d get better opportunities here than at other firms was just a recruiting pitch, but it’s actually true. The senior associates I interviewed with at other firms hadn’t even been to trial. I’ve been here 18 months and been to trial three times already.” Associates also get the backing from those above to take those next steps (or leaps, we should say) in their development: “Partners have gone to bat for me, telling clients that I’m capable of doing the work they need.”

“Its reputation as an industry leader can’t be ignored."

Which practices lie at the heart of all this entrepreneurial activity? Well, Kirkland initially made its name in litigation, but rapidly upped its game in private equity and restructuring around ten years ago. These days, Kirkland has earned six top tier-rankings in Chambers USA for these two practices alone: “Its reputation as an industry leader can’t be ignored, which is why I lateraled here. I interviewed with a well-known venture capital firm and when I told them I had an interview with Kirkland, they told me I’d be silly not to take the job if I got it.” But this isn’t a firm that excels in these areas alone: Kirkland has picked up no fewer than 96(!) rankings in our sister guide, earning acclaim for everything from environment and IP to real estate and tax. It isn’t just the ChicagoHQ that’s recognized, either: Kirkland secures ample praise across its US offices and Chambers Global positions the firm as a world leader with regard to its twin strengths of private equity and restructuring work.

Kirkland is one of the top ten firms when it comes to headcount in the US, with over 2,000 lawyers spread across 11 offices (it has a further seven international bases). Kirkland’s Bay Area offices (San Francisco and Palo Alto) were home to the highest number of associates on our list, followed closely by New York and DC. The remaining associates had joined the Houston, Chicago, Dallas, LA, Boston and Austin offices. When it comes to practice areas, the transactional department was by far the most populated, accounting for 70% of the associates on our list. Litigation came in at second place, while the dedicated IP litigation and restructuring departments took on a handful each.

The Work

Newbies choose one of Kirkland’s four core practices once they arrive at the firm: transactional, litigation, restructuring or IP. Across all four, the firm uses what it calls an 'open assignment system' (basically a free-market system), which of course has pros and cons: “It can be hard to say no to partners and could be an issue if you can’t self-motivate, but on the flipside, if you don’t like working with someone you never have to work with them again.” This system also means associates can build their skill set as they wish: “I got lots of trial experience early on, but lacked some legal writing skills, so now I choose writing-focused projects.” For those who are struggling, designated individuals are at hand to aid with workload and integration.

"Associates follow people not practices.”

The litigationdepartment “prides itself on having attorneys work as generalists, which means associates follow people not practices.” One source had been involved in securities, white-collar crime and antitrust cases, while another told us the firm is building out its Congressional and internal investigations practice: “We’ve had some pretty big lateral hires from a well-known DC firm lately,” explained an associate. IP litigation falls under the wider litigation umbrella and is divided into two subgroups: soft and hard IP. The former concerns trademark and copyright matters, while the latter focuses on patent litigation and trade secret misappropriation cases.

IP sources praised their senior colleagues for awarding them tons of responsibility: “Only 10% of my work has been doc review. Even as a first-year, most of my time was spent drafting and second-chairing depositions. Now I’m a third-year, I’m taking my own depositions.” Those working in the broader litigation department felt the same: “The work I do here is equivalent to what senior associates at other firms do. It’s not like first-years only do X and second-years only do Y.” Others had handled discovery, communicated with the client and opposing counsel, and argued motions: “On 60% of my cases, the only person above me is a partner.”

Litigation clients: Goldman Sachs, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), zero-emission car manufacturer Nikola. Representing Boeing in investigations by the DOJ and the SEC concerning the 737 MAX aircraft following two fatal crashes.

Corporate work falls under four core groups: M&A, capital markets, fund formation and debt finance. Rookies work across these groups before declaring a specialty around the third year: “We’re mostly a private equity firm, so a lot of my work is focused on leveraged buyouts or take-private transactions involving PE clients.” Another told us that they “concentrate on M&A. Different offices have different focuses: we typically work on software transactions here in the Bay Area, but Texas usually deals with natural gas and oil.” Irrespective of the subject matter, interviewees get client contact from day one: “Often my counterpart at the client will reach out to me rather than the partner, because they feel more comfortable talking to someone with the same level of experience.” Our interviewees here enjoyed managing and liaising with different teams: “Lots of different practices are involved in these transactions: I love seeing why the IP folks made the comments they did, and why the labor attorneys did what they did.” Day-to-day tasks see associates editing purchase agreements, marking up term sheets, and spearheading due diligence reports: “What I love is that at the end of the week I’ve got a long list of things I’ve accomplished. Intellectual growth is a real thing here.”

Corporate clients: Bain Capital Private Equity, The Carlyle Group, Apollo Global Management. Represented Blackstone during its $1.6 billion acquisition of Interior Logic Group.

Career Development

“Kirkland has a reputation for being full of bulldog lawyers,” declared one associate, who didn’t waste any time sugar-coating things. Luckily, “that perception is incorrect. This is a place where people are willing to teach, so you can figure out how to be a lawyer in real time.” Everyone gets a partner and an associate mentor, with the latter on hand to answer “stupid questions, like how to book travel.” Although some sources felt they’d been “thrown in the deep end,” they agreed that “everyone is really good at answering questions. Whenever I tell someone I don’t know how to do something, they always show me what to do.”

There’s also a budget for mentors and mentees to grab a bite to eat together: “I was really close with my mentor, but they left the firm. It doesn’t matter, because after a few months here you build a rapport with other people, so you naturally reach out to them instead.” Opportunities for mentorship also arise in the affinity groups. Insiders did warn: “This isn’t a place that does hand-holding. It’s up to you to reach out to your mentors because they’re so busy. I’ve noticed that those who don’t take advantage of mentorship don’t tend to stick around long because they’re not integrated.” We heard that partners “expect that you want to drive your own career and be willing to reach out to people. It’s a bottom-up approach as opposed to a top-down one.”

"These events aren’t just for us to socialize, they’re also to help us get ahead.”

Interviewees reckoned the firm uses affinity group events to help associates get new skills: “The firm is business-savvy, so these events aren’t just for us to socialize, they’re also to help us get ahead.” In a recent retreat hosted by the firmwide Pride group, juniors received further insight into how billing works.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Each office has a number of affinity groups, which include a representative for each class year. These folks get together once a month to discuss issues in their class and come up with solutions. The firm also has a dedicated global DE&I taskforce, which puts on regular events: “We’re all in subgroups like recruitment and law school outreach.” These subgroups plan events once a quarter. For example, the attorney engagement team hosted a dumpling-making class to celebrate Lunar New Year. “The firm is trying to host more events and learning opportunities – they’ve been really focused on it, especially as part of its response to the BLM movement.”

One insider was full of praise for the firm’s DE&I efforts: “The firm has revolutionized the way I think about diversity and empowerment. They show me how to take the next step. I feel celebrated for my differences, which is not what I expected.” With regard to statistical representation, Kirkland is in the top quartile of all firms we cover for its number of female partners, and is right in the middle when it comes to representation of minority ethnic attorneys. Interviewees did point to underrepresented and diverse individuals taking on prominent roles as well: “One of my biggest cases is being led by two women attorneys and there are a number of high-level LGBT+ partners. The firm has been doing a lot to promote and celebrate diverse figures, and did so recently when a partner won a fantastic pro bono judgment.”

Hours & Compensation

Billable hours: no requirement 

As any BigLaw attorney worth their salt will tell you, “work is often the priority in your life.” Although there isn’t an official billing target at Kirkland, some of our sources were finishing the year with 2,400 hours: “Have I missed out on things? Yes, but I’m very serious about my ambitions here.” This sort of mindset has bred a somewhat competitive atmosphere at the firm: “People here always strive to be better, which means people want to bill more than their peers.” The good news is that there are some checks in place: “I took on way too much in my first year and my partners noticed it, so they took me off some cases to help me out. I can feel my skills developing as I work, which staves off any boredom or burnout.” Another source gave us a handy analogy for the thrill of billing: “It’s like being a long-distance runner. It’s shit when you’re in the middle of the run, but you feel amazing afterwards.”

The firm, unsurprisingly, pays top-of-the-market salaries (it matched the latest Cravath raise) and is a market leader for bonuses. The allocation process is “pretty opaque,” but associates thought their performance review scores and hours were all factored in: “They also look at how much of a citizen you’ve been to the firm, which includes business development and pro bono activities.”

Pro Bono

Attorneys must do at least 20 hours of pro bono a year (the firm does actually make sure everyone does this!) and there’s no cap on how much they can take on: “The hours count equally with billable work, because the firm understands that pro bono is a great way to build skills more quickly than on billable matters.” Litigators, for example, used this work to develop their trial skills: “Chargeable clients aren’t usually willing to pay for a junior to cross-examine a witness at trial or take a deposition, but pro bono clients are.” One associate, for example, was able to conduct an asylum hearing in front of an immigration judge. Once associates have that sort of experience under their belt, billable clients are more willing to let them do that work.

Immigration matters are common at the firm, with associates across the US volunteering at immigration clinics. Others had helped pro bono clients to expunge criminal records or advised on landlord/tenant matters. Following George Floyd’s death, Kirkland got involved in a police reform matter surrounding an investigation into a police department: “I’ve interviewed a ton of people at the civil rights division of the DOJ,” a source shared with us. 

Pro bono hours:

• For all US attorneys: 122,000
• Average per US attorney: 34.5

Culture

One interviewee was taken aback by what they discovered when joining Kirkland: “When I was in law school I thought firms were full of older people sitting around, but that’s not the case at Kirkland. Partners here are in their 40s and 50s, which means there’s an energetic, entrepreneurial vibe.” Those sound like buzzwords, but other interviewees backed up that source: “Kirkland rewards people who know what they want. They follow the ‘ask and you shall receive’ mindset.” For example, associates wanted partners to start hosting town halls, which they’re now doing.

‘Sociable’ was another word that often came up when we spoke with juniors about the culture, but this came with a caveat for quieter, more retiring types: “Relationships develop at social events so you can make a name for yourself pretty quickly if you keep involved, but if you don’t you’ll struggle.” Work isn’t the only topic of discussion at socials, however; the Bay Area puts on ‘morale dinners’ where attorneys order food into the office and “talk about anything but work.”

"The highlight of my day was opening care packages the firm sent."

It’s no secret that the firm has financial resources at its disposal, “and the firm hasn’t been shy about using them to help associates in the pandemic.” Attorneys were given $1,000 to spend on food, then another $1,000 a few months later to spend on a vacation: “During the peak of quarantine the highlight of my day was opening care packages the firm sent. I’ve had at least 30 since COVID started.” As the BLM movement gained momentum, Kirkland sent gifts created by Black-owned businesses.

Sources also highlighted Kirkland’s ‘Plus One Initiative,’ which allows associates to bring a plus one to all kinds of events, like sports games and comedy clubs: “It’s the firm’s way of saying, ‘We don’t just appreciate you, we appreciate your partner, too.’ It makes it a lot easier to work long hours when my partner has a positive view of Kirkland!” Incidentally, the firm sends attorneys a link to a gift page for various holidays such as Mothers' Day: “I got my mom a really nice watch that I didn’t even have to pay for!” It’s not just the adults that Kirkland looks after: the firm also regularly sends gift packages to attorneys’ children too: “My son went crazy when his box arrived.” All in all, sources reckoned the firm had done a great job of looking after them during the pandemic. Looking forward, attorneys and staff will be required to work in the office three days a week from March 2022.

Get Hired 

 The first stage: recruitment on and off campus 

OCI applicants interviewed: 1,861 

Interviewees outside OCI:  880 

Kirkland conducts OCIs at around 51 top law schools across the country, as well as at 12 regional/diversity job fairs. To give you an idea of the firm’s recruiting scope, in 2021 the firm interviewed over 1,800 OCI applicants and 800 non-OCI applicants across the US. Generally, the number of students interviewed across campuses varies. 

The interviews themselves are usually conducted by one or two attorneys. Hiring partner Lauren Casazza tells us: “We seek 2L students with a record of outstanding academic achievement, strong communications skills and a desire to assume early responsibility. We look favorably upon law review and moot court experience, and other indicators of intellectual curiosity and drive.”  

Top tips for this stage: 

“Candidates should be prepared to showcase their substantive legal knowledge, explain their interest in the firm, and confidently communicate with their interviewer.” – hiring partner Lauren Casazza 

Callbacks 

Applicants invited to second stage interview:  1,900 

Around 40% of the initial applicants are invited for callback interviews at the firm. Each student will interview with between four and seven Kirkland attorneys. According to Casazza, at this point, interviewers are trying to “get a sense for whether candidates will be able to multitask, dig in to their work and juggle competing demands in a professional, collegial manner.” Casazza also highlights: “We are looking for candidates who will be good team members in our collaborative environment, who will hit the ground running with us for our clients, and who will add value to our organization as a whole.” 

Top tips for this stage: 

“Be yourself, be prepared and be ready to explain why Kirkland is the place for you.” – hiring partner Lauren Casazza 

Summer program 

Offers: 1143 

Acceptances: 524 

In the same manner as full-time associates, summer associates get to work on substantive assignments through the firm’s famed open assignment system that empowers associates to choose the types of matters on which they work (see the Inside View feature on Kirkland for more details on that) with support and facilitation from each practice group’s attorneys and staff. The goal is to provide summer associates with information and experiences to help them see what it is like to be a Kirkland attorney and to help decide which practice group they prefer. In addition to specific assignments, summer associates are able to participate in the firm’s numerous interactive training programs that happen throughout the summer. There are also opportunities to shadow attorneys in negotiations, team meetings and client calls, and participate in trials, depositions, hearings, negotiations and deal closings. There is also the opportunity to network with attorneys and fellow summer associates though various social events. Typically, the expectation is that all summer associates will receive offers to join a particular core practice group and will return to the firm upon graduating.  

Top tips for this stage: 

“We see the summer associate program as a terrific opportunity to teach and provide on-the-job training for students who will be the future of the firm. Summer associates should view their time in the program as a chance to make early great impressions by doing exceptional work, demonstrating commitment and having a great attitude.” – hiring partner Lauren Casazza 

Interview with global management committee member Asheesh Goel

Chambers Associate: Are there any market trends that are currently shaping the work the firm is doing?

Asheesh Goel: The word of the year is ‘nimble’: our ability to coordinate partners in multiple practice groups across the planet has created amazing opportunities recently; for example, for example, since the beginning of the pandemic we have been retained to handle hundreds of investigations both internal and involving U.S. and worldwide regulators. The firm’s ability to construct the right team across offices and practices, even while working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, allowed us to continue to provide our clients with the highest level of service for all facets of their matters.

CA: What do you think the firm will look in a year’s time?

AG: Our focus remains on recruiting and retaining talent of all types worldwide, and finding creative ways work together. Diversity of ideology and thought is the difference between firms that are successful and those that aren’t. Our superstar lawyers are the ones who understand that and look for the opportunity to practice law at the highest level by thinking creatively. Our ability to offer that is a key part of our success. As a rule, we never try to grow just for growth’s sake. We’re strategic and opportunistic, which in part means we think about three buckets: practices, offices and lateral integration. We continue to experience high demand for our disputes and government investigations practice, and specifically within the cybersecurity area, so there could be additional investment there. It’s hard to know if we’re done with big-picture hiring for the next couple of years. I will say this: we are always focused on adding strength upon strength and doubling down on the areas where we’re strong and it enhances our service to our clients.

CA: How do you think the profession has changed since you started practicing?

AG: I’ve been practicing for 25 years which has spanned a good swath of change. The notion 25 years ago was that firms had institutional clients and the partners were stewards of those relationships. One of the changes I’ve seen in the legal industry is that clients today are very sophisticated in how they choose counsel. They no longer use the same firms just because they have always done so, which means our focus on delivering talent and value has never been more important. One thing we talk about with all our lawyers is that every day, regardless of their level, they have to think about whether they’re adding value to clients. There’s a much more fluid dialogue with clients; it’s no longer about just answering legal questions but about being partners with them. That’s been a key change in mentality.

Clients want associates and young partners to be front and center, especially in the private equity industry. Our clients want to get to know our talented young lawyers and our young lawyers really want to know the client, so that match is really important.

CA: Looking at your career so far, what advice would you give to students who are about to enter the legal industry?

AG: Firstly, I didn’t take a traditional path. I started my career at what was then called Sidley & Austin. Shortly after the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, I joined the Enforcement Division of the Securities & Exchange Commission, where I spent approximately four years. In 2006, I joined Kirkland & Ellis, expecting to spend the remainder of my career there. Much to my surprise, after less than three years, I had the opportunity of a lifetime – to help launch the Chicago office of Ropes & Gray. That was a really special experience and allowed me to scratch an entrepreneurial itch. After spending nine years there building a successful office and international investigations practice, I returned home to Kirkland with many of my closest friends from around the world to help run and continue to build a world-beating government enforcement defense practice. Having taken that unusual path, I would suggest three messages:

1) Skill-based learning is critical, because at the end of the day, the skills you learn are yours to keep forever. Going to an amazing law school but not learning anything won’t carry you forward. The fact you went to one will help you for a short period of time, then people will realize you don’t actually know anything.

2) Cultivate close, informal mentoring relationships. They don’t have to be with the partner in the corner office, because oftentimes those individuals either don’t have time or can’t really relate. Find people a few years senior to you. People who mentored me 20 years ago were often peers of mine, and many of them are now friends and clients. So developing relationships with people who steered you away from mistakes and helped you navigate the difficult times makes the job more sustainable. It all comes to down to the fact you have to do this job for a while to enjoy and succeed and it.

3) Don’t be afraid of opportunity. I have twin teenage boys and I tell them all the time, your ability to grab opportunity directly relates to your ability to work hard. If someone says: “Hey, I have a great opportunity for you,” but you’re nervous or busy, you should still say yes because those special opportunities only come once in a while.