Kirkland & Ellis

Kirkland & Ellis
Name	Kirkland & Ellis
Founded	1909
Headquarters	Chicago, Illinois
Num offices	15
Num attorneys	3,500+
Practice areas	Litigation; Corporate; Intellectual Property; Tax; Restructuring; Private Equity
Key people	Jonathan Glaser; Joshua S. Lipton
Company type	Limited liability partnership

Kirkland & Ellis is a global law firm headquartered in Chicago known for its work for corporations, private equity firms, and high‑stakes litigants. Founded in the early 20th century, the firm has developed a reputation for transactional work, litigation, and restructuring across major financial centers. Its clients and matters intersect with leading institutions, regulatory frameworks, and major deals that shaped New York City finance, Chicago industry, and global corporate law.

History

The firm traces origins to practitioners active during the Progressive Era in Illinois who later influenced litigation in federal courts such as the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and matters before the United States Supreme Court. Through the 20th century the firm expanded alongside developments in Wall Street securities practice, mergers associated with firms in New York City, and counsel to businesses involved with the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Growth accelerated in the late 20th and early 21st centuries with expansions to markets including London, Hong Kong, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, mirroring trends in cross‑border private equity, leveraged buyouts, and bankruptcy work that involved tribunals and regulators such as the Delaware Court of Chancery, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, and foreign arbitral forums.

Practice areas and notable work

The firm maintains large practices in corporate transactions, private equity, litigation, intellectual property, tax, and restructuring. Corporate work has included representations in major mergers and acquisitions linked to deals involving firms associated with Blackstone Group, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, The Carlyle Group, Apollo Global Management, and other private equity sponsors. Litigation engagements have intersected with matters in venues like the Northern District of California, the Southern District of New York, and proceedings before the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice Antitrust Division concerning acquisitions tied to corporations such as Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Amazon, Google, and AT&T transactions. Intellectual property matters have related to portfolio disputes involving entities like Qualcomm, Intel, Apple Inc., Samsung Electronics, and IBM. Restructuring and bankruptcy work has involved high‑profile corporate reorganizations including those associated with Lehman Brothers, energy sector restructurings tied to Enron‑era reforms, and insolvencies with creditors such as JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs. The firm’s tax and benefits practice has advised on cross‑border tax planning linked to jurisdictions including Ireland, Luxembourg, and Switzerland.

Notable attorneys and leadership

Leadership over recent years has included partners and chairs who previously served in roles connected to appellate litigation and corporate practice, with alumni who moved into government and finance. Former attorneys and alumni have taken positions at institutions including the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, major investment banks like Morgan Stanley and Citigroup, and academic posts at Harvard Law School and Yale Law School. Senior litigators and deal partners have appeared before tribunals such as the Delaware Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and have represented clients in transactions involving corporations like ExxonMobil, BP, Chevron, Toyota, and General Motors. Leadership recruitment and lateral hires have sometimes come from firms such as Cravath, Swaine & Moore, Sullivan & Cromwell, and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.

Controversies and criticism

The firm has faced criticism over representations and litigation strategies in matters that drew public scrutiny, including work for large corporations and private equity sponsors whose transactions triggered debates in legislatures and regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Congress and state attorneys general offices like those of New York and California. Critiques have spotlighted ethical questions raised in high‑stakes bankruptcy contests adjudicated in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, and in cases invoking principles from landmark decisions such as Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly and Ashcroft v. Iqbal. Media coverage by outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Financial Times has chronicled contentious aspects of litigation posture and fee arrangements in some engagements. The firm has also been involved in debates over law firm recruiting and compensation practices similar to controversies at peer firms like Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

Corporate structure and finances

Organized as a limited liability partnership, the firm operates offices across North America, Europe, and Asia, and reports revenue and profit per equity partner metrics that rank it among the largest global firms alongside Latham & Watkins, DLA Piper, and Allen & Overy. Its financial model emphasizes high‑value transactional fees from private equity and corporate clients, supplemented by contingency and litigation recoveries. The firm’s hiring, partner compensation, and lateral recruitment strategies mirror market dynamics seen at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Debevoise & Plimpton, with significant investment in associate training and facilities in financial centers such as London, Hong Kong, and San Francisco.

Pro bono and diversity initiatives

The firm reports engagement in pro bono matters including civil rights and asylum work before tribunals like the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and advocacy connected to organizations such as American Civil Liberties Union litigation and immigration clinics at law schools including Columbia Law School and University of Chicago Law School. Diversity and inclusion programs have sought to increase representation through recruiting from institutions such as Howard University School of Law, Georgetown University Law Center, and Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and by participating in bar associations like the National Bar Association and the Asian American Bar Association. The firm’s initiatives echo industry efforts at firms including Morgan, Lewis & Bockius and Hogan Lovells to expand pro bono impact and diversity metrics.

Category:Law firms of the United States