Kirkland & Ellis

Kirkland holds Band 1 rankings in Chambers USA for Private Equity, Corporate/M&A, Litigation, Restructuring, and Capital Markets. The firm ranks #1 globally for private equity deal volume, representing the largest sponsors including KKR, Bain Capital, and numerous other major funds. Its restructuring practice handles the most complex Chapter 11 cases, and its litigation department spans trial work, intellectual property, and appellate advocacy. Kirkland's capital markets team is deeply integrated with its PE practice, handling the financing side of leveraged transactions.

Kirkland uses an open assignment system that gives associates significant autonomy in choosing partners to work with and managing their own workloads. The firm encourages self-starters and rewards initiative. Despite a reputation for intensity, Chambers Associate reports that associates are generally positive about the culture and describe colleagues as approachable and collaborative, particularly within individual practice groups. Associates are expected in the office three days per week. The summer class is approximately 457 associates, the largest in BigLaw, reflecting the firm's scale.

Notable alumni include Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, former U.S. Attorney General William Barr, and former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement. Kirkland's partnership model, which emphasizes eat-what-you-kill compensation for partners and lean staffing on matters, has been both widely admired and debated across the legal industry.