Kirkland & Ellis
 | |
No. of offices | 15 |
|---|---|
No. of attorneys | 2,500 |
| Key people | Jeffrey C. Hammes, Chairman of the firm's Global Management Executive Committee |
| Revenue | US$3.165 billion (2017)[1] |
| Date founded | 1909 (1909) |
| Company type | Limited liability partnership |
| Website | www.kirkland.com |
Kirkland & Ellis LLP is an international law firm founded in Chicago in 1909.
Chicago office at 300 North LaSalle
Contents
1 Firm history
2 Notability
3 Notable attorneys and alumni
4 Political contributions
5 Endowed professorships
6 References
7 Further reading
8 External links
Firm history
London office at 30 St Mary Axe, popularly known as the Gherkin
In 1909, two young attorneys, Stuart G. Shepard and Robert R. McCormick, teamed up to form the Chicago-based partnership that would eventually become Kirkland & Ellis. McCormick was the grandson of Joseph Medill, the founder of the Chicago Tribune. McCormick was an "innovative and forceful lawyer"[2] who had also served with distinction in World War I. By 1920, McCormick had become so active in the business affairs of the Chicago Tribune that he left the firm to take over as the Tribune's publisher.
As a consequence of McCormick's outspoken, crusading editorial policy, the Tribune soon required the services of a first-class trial lawyer to defend against a slew of defamation cases. McCormick turned to Weymouth Kirkland, who had joined the firm in 1915. Over the course of his career, Kirkland attracted some of the firm's largest clients. Often described as a brilliant trial lawyer, he served as chief counsel to the Tribune and other newspapers in various cases that became landmarks in free speech and libel law.[2]
Kirkland's partner, Howard Ellis, was a pivotal contributor to the firm's early history. Ellis joined the firm as a young associate in 1915. Ellis assisted Kirkland in many of his most famous trials, in which they defended clients such as Standard Oil Company, the Associated Press, and the Chicago Board of Trade, among others. The duo made legal history in a landmark libel suit brought by Henry Ford in 1919, during which Ellis pioneered the defense of fair comment, which is today a basic right of free speech.
In 1938, Kirkland and Ellis hired young trial lawyer Hammond E. Chaffetz from the U.S. Department of Justice. Chaffetz is noted for ushering in the "modern era of the firm".[2] A skilled lawyer and leader, Chaffetz employed a personal touch in his recruiting efforts, often taking outstanding law students to dinners and on walks to bring them into the firm. In his six decades at the firm, Chaffetz's techniques were noted for helping the firm grow to about 780 lawyers, making it one of the 30 largest in the country.[3] Kirkland currently has offices in Beijing, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Munich, New York, Palo Alto, Paris, San Francisco, Shanghai and Washington, D.C.[4]
In recent years, Kirkland has stood out as the most consistently growing Am Law 200 firm. The firm's revenue increased by 147 percent over the last 10 years.[5] Between 2009 and 2016, Kirkland was one of nine Am Law 200 firms to have posted growth in six of the seven years in revenue, revenue per lawyer, profit per lawyer, and profit per equity partner.[6] Of those nine, Kirkland posted the best cumulative growth in each of those four areas.[6] In September 2016, Kirkland & Ellis hired all of the attorneys from the firm Bancroft PLLC.[7] In 2017, the firm grew revenue by 19 percent.[8]
New York office at 601 Lexington Avenue
Notability
The American Lawyer named Kirkland the 2018 Law Firm of the Year.[9] Kirkland is the world's highest-grossing law firm, with US$3.165 billion in revenue.[1]
Kirkland is the third-most-profitable law firm in the world, with an estimated profit per equity partner of US$4.701 million.[1] The firm pays a base salary of US$190,000, with above-market bonuses, for first-year associates.[10] Kirkland was ranked second in the 2017 ATL Power 100 law firm rankings.[11]Vault ranks Kirkland as the most prestigious firm in Chicago and the number-one firm in the U.S. for private equity, restructuring and business outlook.[12]
- Represented BP in relation to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill;[13] notably scored a summary judgment ruling in favor of BP that it had no duty to report the Deepwater Horizon oil spill under the U.S. Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
- Represented Volkswagen in relation to the Volkswagen emissions scandal[14]
- Represented General Motors in relation to the General Motors ignition switch scandal[15]
- Defended Nike, Inc. against trademark infringement claims regarding the Jumpman logo, protecting $2 billion in annual business for the company[15]
- Scored a $93.8 million jury award for pharmaceutical giant AbbVie Inc. in a royalty dispute with MedImmune[15]
- Represented MedTronic in a billion-dollar patent suit win against Atlas IP, LLC[15]
- Scored a $73.6 million trade secrets misappropriation jury award against Caterpillar Inc. in favor of supplier Miller UK Ltd., believed to be the largest verdict of its kind in Illinois[16]
- Represented Heinz co-owner 3G Capital in a $55 billion merger with Kraft Foods to create The Kraft-Heinz Company, the third largest food and beverage provider in the U.S.[17]
- Represented The Macerich Co. in its successful defense against a $23.2 billion unsolicited offer from Simon Property Group[18]
- Represented Baxalta in connection with British biotechnology giant Shire's $30 billion unsolicited takeover bid[19]
- Represented Molson Coors Brewing in its $12 billion deal to purchase SABMiller’s stake in their MillerCoors joint venture as part of AB InBev’s takeover of its No. 2 rival[20]
- Represented Piedmont Natural Gas in a $4.9 billion sale to Duke Energy[21]
- Represented Teva Pharmaceutical Industries in its $40.5 billion acquisition of the generic drug business of Allergan, after representing Bill Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management and Valeant Pharmaceuticals on their failed $55 billion hostile bid for the entire company.[22]
- Represented Jeffrey Epstein in a case of sex-trafficking with minors.[23]
- Regularly represents Bain Capital in various controlling interest private equity transactions.
Notable attorneys and alumni
Brett Kavanaugh - Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Robert Bork - former Judge of the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and former Solicitor General under President Richard Nixon[24]
Michael J. Garcia - Associate Judge of the New York Court of Appeals
Jeff Wall - Principal Deputy Solicitor General and former acting Solicitor General
Paul Clement - former Solicitor General under President George W. Bush
Ken Starr - Whitewater special prosecutor and former Solicitor General under President George H. W. Bush
William P. Barr - 85th United States Attorney General under President Donald Trump and former 77th United States Attorney General under President George H.W. Bush.[25]
Pat Cipollone - incoming White House Counsel under President Donald Trump
Neil Eggleston - former White House Counsel under President Barack Obama
Alex Azar - Secretary of Health and Human Services
Alexander Acosta - Secretary of Labor under President Donald Trump
John R. Bolton - National Security Advisor under President Donald Trump[26]
Erica MacDonald - United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota
Brian Benczkowski - Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division
Beth Ann Williams - Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy
Steven Engel - Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel
Jeffrey A. Rosen - Deputy Secretary of Transportation and nominee to be Deputy Attorney General
Steven G. Bradbury - General Counsel of the Department of Transportation
Nathan Sales - Coordinator for Counterterrorism
Mark Filip - former Judge of the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and former Deputy Attorney General under President George W. Bush
Viet D. Dinh - Chief Legal Officer at 21st Century Fox,[27] former Assistant Attorney General under President George W. Bush and chief architect of the USA PATRIOT Act
Robert S. Khuzami - Deputy United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York,[28] former Director of the Division of Enforcement of the Securities and Exchange Commission and former General Counsel of Deutsche Bank
Timothy Muris - former Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission under President George W. Bush
Jay Lefkowitz - former Special Envoy for Human Rights in North Korea and Director of Cabinet Affairs under President George W. Bush
Dallin H. Oaks - member of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Christopher Landau
Political contributions
Kirkland, through its employees, was a top-20 contributor to Barack Obama in 2008, giving at least $493,735.[29] The firm's attorneys leaned heavily (77%) Democratic in their political contributions during the 2008 election cycle, which were substantial ($579,976 as of 10/29/07).[30]
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Kirkland, through its employees, was one of the top law firms contributing to federal candidates during the 2012 election cycle, donating $2.49 million, 59% to Republicans.[31] By comparison, during that same period Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld donated $2.56 million, 66% to Democrats,[31] while oil conglomerate ExxonMobil donated $2.66 million, 88% to Republicans.[32] Since 1990, employees of Kirkland & Ellis have contributed $9.83 million to federal campaigns.[33]
Endowed professorships
The firm has endowed professorships in its name at four of the leading law schools in the United States:
- $1,500,000 endowment of the Kirkland & Ellis Professor of Law Chair at Harvard Law School (currently Michael Klarman).[34]
- $1,250,000 endowment of the Kirkland & Ellis Professor of Law Chair at Northwestern University School of Law (currently David A. Dana).[35]
- $1,175,000 endowment of the Kirkland & Ellis Professor of Law Chair at the University of Michigan Law School (currently Sherman J. Clark).[36][37]
- $1,000,000 endowment of the Kirkland & Ellis Professor of Law Chair at the University of Chicago Law School (currently Eric Posner).[38]
References
^ abc "Kirkland Overtakes Latham as World's Biggest Firm by Revenue"..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ abc "Kirkland & Ellis LLP > Firm History". www.kirkland.com. Retrieved 2016-12-12.
^ Johnston, David Cay (2001-01-17). "H. E. Chaffetz, 93, Lawyer On Antitrust and Price Fixing". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-12-12.
^ "One of the country's highest-grossing law firms opens Boston office". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
^ "Wrecking Ball" (PDF). August 2018.
^ ab "Kirkland and Latham: Two Different Paths to Success | Law.com". Law.com. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
^ Lat, David (September 12, 2016). "Kirkland & Ellis Hires Paul Clement, Viet Dinh — And All Of Bancroft's Lawyers!". Above the Law. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
^ "What Is the 'New Normal' for Kirkland & Ellis? | Law.com". Law.com. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
^ "Kirkland & Ellis Named Law Firm of the Year at American Lawyer Industry Awards".
^ "Kirkland Has Spoken… Can We Now Declare The Salary Wars Over?". Above the Law. Retrieved 2018-06-15.
^ Shepherd, David Lat, Elie Mystal, Staci Zaretsky, Kashmir Hill, Marin, Mark Herrmann, Jay. "The ATL 2017 Power 100 Law Firm Rankings". Above the Law. Retrieved 2016-12-13.
^ "Kirkland & Ellis LLP". vault.com. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
^ "Meet the lead attorneys involved in the BP oil spill trial". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2016-12-12.
^ "Volkswagen hires BP oil spill lawyers to defend emissions cases". www.theguardian.com. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^ abcd "Litigation Powerhouse: Kirkland & Ellis LLP - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved 2016-12-12.
^ "Litigation Powerhouse: Kirkland & Ellis LLP - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved 2016-12-13.
^ "2015 Practice Group of the Year: M&A" (PDF).
^ "2015 Practice Group of the Year: M&A" (PDF).
^ "2015 Practice Group of the Year: M&A" (PDF).
^ "2015 Practice Group of the Year: M&A" (PDF).
^ "2015 Practice Group of the Year: M&A" (PDF).
^ "2015 Practice Group of the Year: M&A" (PDF).
^ Brown, Julie (November 29, 2018). "How a future Trump Cabinet member gave a serial sex abuser the deal of a lifetime". Miami Herald. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
^ "Kirkland & Ellis Fondly Remembers Former Partner Robert Bork".
^ Johnston, David (1991-11-21). "Barr Is Confirmed on Voice Vote As 77th Attorney General of U.S." The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-02-05.
^ "Trump Chooses Bolton for 3rd Security Adviser as Shake-Up Continues". The New York Times. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
^ Flint, Joe (2018-09-17). "Viet Dinh to Become Chief Legal Officer of the New Fox". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
^ "Ex-S.E.C. Official, Robert Khuzami, Joins Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office". Retrieved 2018-10-02.
^ "Sen. Barack Obama: Campaign Finance/Money - Top Donors - Senator 2008 - OpenSecrets". opensecrets.org. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
^ "Agribusiness". opensecrets.org. Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
^ ab "Lawyers & Lobbyists: Top Contributors to Federal Candidates, Parties, and Outside Groups". OpenSecrets.org. Center for Responsive Politics.
^ "Energy/Natural Resources: Top Contributors to Federal Candidates, Parties, and Outside Groups". OpenSecrets.org. Center for Responsive Politics. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
^ "Organizations: Kirkland & Ellis". OpenSecrets.org. Center for Responsive Politics. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
^ "Klarman, taking Kirkland & Ellis Chair, examines 'Racial Equality in American History' (video) - Harvard Law Today". Harvard Law Today. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
^ "Permanent". northwestern.edu. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
^ "Chicago firm endows Law School professorship". umich.edu. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
^ "Clark, Sherman J. - University of Michigan Law School". umich.edu. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
^ "Eric Posner". uchicago.edu. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
Further reading
Stewart, James (1983). The Partners: Inside America's Most Powerful Law Firms. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-671-42023-2.
External links
- Firm website
