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Kirkland & Ellis

Our Survey Says

VAULT'S VERDICT:

In the world of BigLaw, Kirkland is about as big as it gets—and we are referring to more than its size. Despite representing some of the most influential clients in the world, Kirkland doesn’t have a reputation for being elitist in terms of hiring; that is, merits and accomplishments are weighed more than pedigree alone. Personality matters too, and the firm is looking for people, whether straight from college or a second career, ready to hit the ground running. The work is abundant, but the long hours are mitigated by a fair amount of flexibility and rewarded by high-quality assignments and substantive experience. The firm’s top compensation package also helps counterbalance the heavy workload. In a firm as large as Kirkland, it’s not surprising that associate reviews of firm culture reflect that associate relationships with fellow attorneys within practice groups are good, and in general, associates agree that the culture is generally collegial and respectful. Despite a focus on work, the firm makes an effort to sponsor opportunities to socialize, which is appreciated. Training is an area in which Kirkland excels, with multiple large-scale programs as well as ad hoc initiatives. Mentorship is, for the most part, associate-driven; formal programs exist, but in this BigLaw work environment, it’s up to associates to seek out and nurture relationships with more-senior attorneys. Technology is an area for improvement (as it is for most BigLaw firms), and wellness initiatives are plentiful but possibly underutilized. The firm excels in pro bono incentives, offering unlimited billable credit for pro bono hours, and diversity initiatives also qualify for billable credit.

Kirkland & Ellis

333 West Wolf Point Plaza
Chicago, IL 60654
Phone: (312) 862-2000

Firm Stats

Management Committee Chair: Jon A. Ballis
Firmwide Chairs: Stefan Atkinson, Chris Greco, Kim Hicks, Nisha Kanchanapoomi
Total No. Attorneys (2024):
3.5K - 4K
No. of Partners Named 2023:
208

Base Salary

Base Salary (2024)
YEAR 1: $225,000
YEAR 2: $235,000
YEAR 3: $260,000
YEAR 4: $310,000
YEAR 5: $365,000
YEAR 6: $390,000
Summer Associate: $4,326.92/weekly

Employment Contact

Please visit www.kirkland.com/careers for office-specific email addresses.

No. of U.S. Offices: 11

No. of International Offices: 8

Major Office Locations

Austin, TX
Boston, MA
Bay Area, CA (San Francisco and Palo Alto)
Chicago, IL
Dallas, TX
Houston, TX
Los Angeles, CA (DTLA and Century City)
Miami, FL
New York, NY
Salt Lake City, UT
Washington, DC
Beijing
Brussels
Hong Kong
London
Munich
Paris
Shanghai
Riyadh

Major Departments

Intellectual Property
Litigation
Restructuring
Transactional