JD Journal » Kirkland & Ellis

Kirkland and Ellis Bonuses bring with them a Happy Holiday

jim — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 02:32:10 +0000

Kirkland & Ellis associates began receiving phone calls earlier in the week telling them about their year-end bonuses for 2011. The majority of the associates at the law firm claim that they will be receiving bonuses that are shattering the market. One source from the firm said the following:

“It is mad money. Huge year for everyone here.”

The firm relies on a black box bonus structure. A black box bonus structure means that the bonuses are based on individual associate performances and hours worked for the year. Plenty of associates are chatting about their year-end bonuses, which seem to be much, much higher than the ones issued by Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP. Even more impressive is the fact that some of the Kirkland & Ellis associates are saying they are making more than they would have made at Quinn Emanuel, which is a feat in and of itself.

There is one catch to the year-end bonuses handed out by Kirkland & Ellis. That one catch is that the year-end bonuses are inclusive of any spring bonuses. This means that Kirkland & Ellis might not hand out spring bonuses in 2012, even if there are other firms doing so.

Kirkland & Ellis values those who bill a ton of hours to clients, which is an excellent sign of the riches that can be found at the top of the Kirkland & Ellis bonus scale. Below are a couple of sources from within the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis who decided to talk with Above the Law.

The first source is a junior associate who billed 2,700 hours in 2011 and is receiving a bonus close to $40,000. “Wasn’t expecting anything close to this high. Almost four times the Cravath scale is awesome.”

The second source is a junior associate who billed clients reasonable hours in 2011. “I’m getting almost twice the New York market. Still very pleased that I turned down multiple lock-step V10s to come here.”

Kirkland & Ellis reportedly are handing out their bonuses in two categories: the first is merit bonus and the second hours bonus. Associates were told that the two bonuses reflect the top of the market bonuses and any expected spring bonuses other firms might hand out, which means Kirkland & Ellis probably will not hand out spring bonuses.

Another source from within Kirkland & Ellis went on to say: “[s]ome other people mentioned that they were told that this is inclusive of any ‘spring’ component (but it didn’t come up on my call).”

Yet another source said that spring bonuses might be paid in 2012: “No news re: spring bonuses, but if the market pays them, I am sure K&E will follow suit.” This past spring, Kirkland & Ellis did pay spring bonuses to its associates.

Law Firm Kirkland Ellis Commits $2.75 Million to Stanford Law School to Fund Scholars’ Program and Annual Forum

rebneely — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:03:04 +0000

Stanford Law School recently announced law firm Kirkland & Ellis LLP has committed $2.75 million over five years to the law school. The funds, which were made possible through the firm’s foundation and through individual partners’ contributions, will fund a scholars program, honoring the law school’s top first-year students, as well as a yearly forum on important legal issues for students, alumni, and the Bay Area business and law community.

Stanford Law School Dean Larry Kramer was quoted as saying in a press release at Kirkland Ellis’s website: “This generous support from Kirkland & Ellis will enable Stanford Law School to continue to transform legal education and prepare the next generation of leaders through innovative, interdisciplinary and international programs, new and expanded forms of clinical education, and a renewed commitment to public service.”

The newly established Kirkland & Ellis Scholars Program will recognize first year law students who have performed at the very highest level. Each year, six first-year students will be designated Kirkland & Ellis Scholars, based on overall scholastic achievement across a variety of courses. Now, students may win awards in individual courses. These awards, known as “book prizes,” will help determine who among the first-year class deserve recognition with the highest honor, the Kirkland & Ellis Scholar designation. The award is unique at the law school.

Kramer was quoted as saying of the program: “The Kirkland & Ellis Scholar designation symbolizes the highest standard of achievement. It is an honor that students will covet and it will benefit them in their pursuit of career and public service goals.”

The Kirkland & Ellis Law Forum offer panel discussions and symposia on emerging legal issues of interest to the business community. Stanford Law School faculty, Kirkland & Ellis attorneys and other legal and business thought leaders from academia, private practice, government, and the public sphere will participate in the discussions.

Jeffrey C. Hammes, Chairman of Kirkland’s Global Management Executive Committee was quoted as saying: “We’re very pleased to support Stanford Law School and excited about these new programs. The opportunity to recognize student excellence and to provide a forum for sharing thought leadership on emerging matters that may challenge and reshape the business and law community fit well with Kirkland & Ellis’s culture and mission.”

Established in 1893, Stanford Law School is one of the nation’s leading institutions for legal scholarship and education, and has worked to establish a new model for legal education that focuses on rigorous interdisciplinary training, hands-on experience, global perspective and focus on public service. The Law School employs more than 50 faculty and hosts over 500 students who are working towards their Juris Doctor (J.D.) or other graduate legal degrees.

Global law firm Kirkland & Ellis LLP has over 1,500 attorneys, representing clients in a broad range of matters, including complex litigation, dispute resolution and arbitration, and corporate mergers and acquisitions. The firm has offices in Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Munich, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Shanghai and Washington, D.C.

‘Not Guilty’ is the Plea of Former Kirkland & Ellis Partner in Tax Fraud Case

EmploymentCrossing — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 00:20:12 +0000

A former senior partner with the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis, Theodore L. Freedman was indicted yesterday for tax fraud up to the tune of over $2 million. He plead not guilty to all charges. If found guilty he might be jailed for up to 3 years each for all four of the charges against him. He was represented in court by Robert Cleary of Proskauer Rose.

Read the full article here:
Ex-Kirkland & Ellis Partner Pleads Not Guilty to Tax Fraud

Howrey Takes Another Big Hit

joshua — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 18:31:58 +0000

17 construction lawyers have jumped ship as the disintegration of Howrey continues. 15 lawyers, led by partner and construction practice co-chair John Heisse, have moved to Pillsbury. The moves are spread out over four office. The other co-chair, Andrew Ness, moved to Jones Day in San Francisco along with one other partner. Jones Day picked up another seven construction partners from Howrey last month.

The lights haven’t gone out yet, but recent reports indicate that there is a rather rotund woman warming up her vocal chords. Morrison & Foerster also picked up a Howrey attorney yesterday, and in the last several days Paul Hastings, Sheppard Mullin and Kirkland & Ellis have all been destination firms for Howrey lawyers making a clean escape.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:35:45 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Tuesday, September 21st. Here’s a quick look back at yesterday’s stories.

Brooks Kushman Diversity Officer Phyllis Golden Morey was honored among “2010 Women In Law”…

Fish & Richardson was chosen as an elite “National Tier 1″ IP law firm by U.S. News & World Report…

Fourteen attorneys in the Texas offices of McKool Smith were recognized in the 2010 Texas Super Lawyers…

Highly regarded litigator and advisor Elizabeth P. Papez joined Winston & Strawn…

Mintz Levin earned high marks in the U.S. News Law Firm rankings…

Sidley Austin bolstered its international trade practice…

McKool Smith was recognized in the 2010 “Best Law Firms” rankings…

Highly Regarded Litigator and Advisor Elizabeth P. Papez Joins Winston & Strawn

joshua — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 17:34:31 +0000

Highly regarded litigator and advisor, Elizabeth P. Papez, will join Winston & Strawn as a partner, the firm announced today.

Papez recently served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the U.S. Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel and as law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. She was also a former appellate and commercial litigation partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, and is experienced in Executive Branch and private practice. Additionally, her perspective on the judiciary and top-level appellate work is rare.

As Deputy Assistant Attorney General from 2007 to 2009, Papez advised senior officials at the White House and Executive Branch agencies on a wide range of legislative, regulatory, and enforcement matters concerning financial regulation, national security, intellectual property, and other areas now governed by, among other things, the recently-amended False Claims Act (FCA), the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Financial Reform Act, the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (PPACA or Health Reform Bill), and the Foreign Investment & National Security Act (FINSA). She also testified and briefed members of Congress on matters concerning pharmaceutical and intellectual property regulation, government contracting, and whistleblower rights, and represented the United States in several federal appeals before working on a wide range of current legal issues and trends at the Supreme Court.

As a litigator at Kirkland from 2000 to 2007, Papez represented corporate clients in appellate, commercial, and regulatory matters involving federal and state constitutional questions, complex commercial and procedural issues, antitrust, securities, and bankruptcy-related disputes, corporate and consumer fraud, contract, and product claims, and trade and telecommunications regulation. Prior to entering private practice, Papez served as a research analyst in the National Security and International Affairs Division of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and as law clerk to the Honorable Danny J. Boggs on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

In today’s press release at PR Newswire, Thomas Frederick, chair of Winston’s Litigation Department, was quoted as saying: “Elizabeth brings a truly exceptional blend of experience and legal skills gained from her positions in both the public and private sectors.”

Papez earned her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she was editor of the Harvard Law Review and articles and symposium editor of the Harvard Journal of Law & Technology. She earned a B.S., summa cum laude, from Cornell University.

Winston & Strawn LLP is an international law firm with more than 900 attorneys among 14 offices in Beijing, Charlotte, Chicago, Geneva, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, New York, Newark, Paris, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Washington, D.C. The firm serves the needs of enterprises of all types and sizes, in both the private and the public sector.

Paul Hastings Adds Biotech Litigation Team

joshua — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:13:13 +0000

Paul Hastings bolstered its litigation practice with partner Gerald Flatterman, formerly of Kirkland & Ellis, and of counsel’s Melanie Rupert and Chrstine Willgoos.

Flatterman will serve in the firm’s New York office. His practice focuses on patent litigation in the life sciences sector, including biotech, pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

“Gerald’s market-leading reputation and significant experience…will enhance the firm’s growing IP practice,” said Jamie Wareham, global chair of Paul Hastings Litigation practice. “His addition advances our development of a high-end IP practice that leverages our broad footprint in the U.S. and our strong positions in Europe and Asia.”

Rupert and Willgoos both have biotech backgrounds with a focus on patent litigation in the pharmaceutical and medical devices industry. They will also serve in the firm’s New York office.

Paul Hastings, Janofsky & Walker is a global firm with offices in Asia, Europe and the United States.

Butler Rubin Saltarelli & Boyd LLP Hires New COO

joshua — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:10:24 +0000

Michael P. Motyka, a highly skilled law firm manager with experience at three Chicago law firms, has joined the Chicago-based law firm Butler Rubin Saltarelli & Boyd LLP as its Chief Operating Officer.

Motyka is replacing COO Steven W. Smitham.

Motyka will be responsible for a variety of strategic initiatives, day-to-day operations, and management oversight of other firm administrators.

Before joining Butler Rubin, Motyka held positions as Manager of Illinois Offices at Dykema Gossett PLC, as Office Administrator in the Chicago office of Perkins Coie and as Manager of the Legal Assistant Department at Kirkland & Ellis.

Formed in 1980, Chicago based Butler Rubin is a well-known litigation boutique assisting clients nationally and internationally in the core practice areas of reinsurance and commercial litigation, including antitrust, competition law and opt-out antitrust litigation; business reorganization, bankruptcy and insolvency; class action; and products liability and mass tort matters.

Former Kirkland IP Partner To Launch Own Firm

eric — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:13:34 +0000

Bloomberg: In a bizarre series of events, former Kirkland & Ellis partner John Desmarais has founded his own intellectual property firm, Desmarais. The firm’s mandate: to enforce patents owned by Desmarais and his other clients. This December, Desmarais bought a portfolio of some 4,500 patents from the microchip manufacturer Micron Technology. The portfolio is owned by the former Kirkland attorney’s company Round Rock Research, LLP.

The move, for the former defense attorney, is a dramatic one. He will now be prosecuting cases against infringers instead of defending the purported wrong doers. Also, his new company is the second largest of its kind, a type of holding entity which does not develop new technology but speculates in patent portfolios.

BP Retains Kirland & Ellis To Aid In Spill Defense

eric — Tue, 18 May 2010 20:45:58 +0000

In the face of a myriad of law suits resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster, British Petroleum has retained Chicago based firm Kirkland & Ellis, reports the Chicago Tribune. According to a Tribune source’s comment, the pending legal battles, which involve plaintiffs in over five states and range from shrimpers to shareholders, will make the Exxon Valdez litigation look like a small-claims court session. The Valdez litigation spanned nearly two decades.

No doubt, the fees both plaintiffs’ firms and defense counsel will rack up in the ensuing litigation will break records as well.

Founded in 1909, Kirkland & Ellis is an international law firm headquartered in Chicago. The firm has additional offices in Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Munich, Palo Alto and San Francisco.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:18:25 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Monday, March 29, and here’s a look back at Friday’s news to start off the new week.

Jones Walker has opened a new office, in an unusual place…

A Minnesota law firm has uncovered documents linking the Pope to the sexual abuse scandals rocking the church…

Akin Gump acquired a liberal lobbying firm…

A telemarketing company has been found in violation of the Do Not Call Registry and banned from making any more calls…

DLA Piper has established a presence in Turkey…

Weil Gotshal led the legal world in Mergers and Acquisitions for the first quarter of this year…

Greenberg Traurig picked up 3 lawyers from Kirkland & Ellis in London…

A Pennsylvania court has refused to grant a divorce to a gay couple married in Massachusetts…

and President Obama announced another US Attorney nominee…

Greenberg Traurig Adds to London Office

joshua — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:31:09 +0000

Greenberg Traurig Maher, the London arm of Greenberg Traurig, has added two shareholders and an associate to its UK restructuring practice. Joining the firm as partners are Paul Atherton and Jason Salman; and Helena Potts joins as associate.

All three arrive from Kirkland & Ellis. Atherton brings experience in restructuring, corporate recovery and insolvency. He has represented financial institutions as well as directors, creditors, debtors and insolvency practitioners on a variety of global restructuring matters.

Salman has experience in restructuring matters, having focused on intricate financial restructurings, acting for corporate debtors, financial creditors, directors and insolvency practitioners.

Greenberg Traurig Maher was established in 2009 by Greenberg Traurig. The firm represents UK-based and multinational clients in many different sectors, including chemicals, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, energy, real estate, financial services, information services, automotive, entertainment, retail and communications.

Morning Roundup

sara — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:03:13 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Tuesday, February 23, and here’s a look back at yesterday’s stories…

Steve Epstein joined Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson as a partner…

Albert P. Halluin, Senior Counsel at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, passed away in a plane crash last Friday…

Kirkland & Ellis reported increases in profits and revenues in 2009…

Mayer Brown reported decreases in profits and revenues in 2009…

British law firm Ashurst asked more partners to leave and closed it’s India office…

Northwestern University School of Law topped The National Law Journal’s annual rankings…

K&L Gates global development partner Janice Hartman has overseen the rapid expansion of the firm…

Winston & Strawn outlined associate salaries in a memo…

Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear were named one of the top intellectual firms in the nation by MIP Magazine…

Rosemary Becchi joined Patton Boggs Washington, D.C. office as a partner…

Revenues and profits decreased at Howrey in 2009…

Revenue and Profits Up at Kirkland & Ellis

sara — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:41:36 +0000

Kirkland & Ellis reported that gross revenues increased by 2% in 2009, from $1.4 billion in 2008 to $1.428 billion. Net revenue increased by 16%, from $580 million to $674 million. Profits per equity partner at the firm increased by 1% from $2,468,085.11 in 2008 to $2,495,000 in 2009.

In 2009 the firm’s ranks increased overall by 6%, from 1,333 to 1,411 attorneys. The number of partners increased to over 10%, from 545 to 602. Last year Kirkland & Ellis also laid off staff and associates in its New York and Washington, D.C. offices last year.

Founded in 1909, Kirkland & Ellis is an international law firm headquartered in Chicago. The firm has additional offices in Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Munich, Palo Alto and San Francisco.

Kenneth Starr Named President of Baylor University

sara — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:16:42 +0000

Baylor announced today that Kenneth Starr has been chosen as the university’s 14th president. Starr will assume the office on June 1st. Since 2004 Starr has been the Dean of the Pepperdine University School of Law in Malibu. Starr earned his BA at George Washington University in 1968. He earned an MA from Brown University in 1969 and his law degree from Duke University Law School in 1973. Starr was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. From 1989 to 1993 Starr was the Solicitor General of the United States. He also served as Counselor to the U.S. Attorney General.

He is well known as the Independent Counsel in the Whitewater investigation and Monica Lewinsky scandal involving President Bill Clinton in the 1990s.

Sidley Austin Salary Thaw and Double Raise

joshua — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:01:20 +0000

After issuing another round of paychecks at 2008 salary levels, Sidley Austin today announced its 2010 compensation plan. Salaries have been thawed and associates will be getting a double bump in salary, putting them back to where they would have been if they had never been frozen in the first place. Unlike some of the firms Sidley considers peers, however, associates will not be getting a “make whole” bonus. Kirkland & Ellis along with Latham & Watkins paid their associates a bonus equal to the amount the salary thaw cost them last year.

Still, there’s plenty to be happy about with today’s announcement. It puts Sidley back among those leading the market for salaries and may put pressure on firms that thawed salaries but didn’t move evenyone up two levels, or firms that cut salaries before thawing them.

Jacobi Joins McDonald Hopkins IP Practice

joshua — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:35:30 +0000

Joseph Jacobi, a former partner at Kirkland & Ellis, has joined the Chicago office of McDonald Hopkins as a member of its litigation department and intellectual property practice.

Jacobi’s IP litigation experience includes patent, trade secret, trademark and copyright litigation matters. He has also litigated before the U.S. International Trade Commission.

McDonald Hopkins is a business advisory and advocacy law firm with offices in Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit and West Palm Beach.

Jennifer McIntyre Joins Boeing as Chief Counsel

sara — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:04:30 +0000

Former deputy general counsel for the U.S. Department of Transportation Jennifer Brosnahan McIntyre has joined Boeing as their chief counsel for Washington Operations. At Boeing McIntyre will supervise lobbying, regulatory and administrative law activities. At the Department of Transportation McIntyre dealt with litigation, regulation, legislation and policy issues. Previously she worked in the White House counsel’s office as an associate counsel to the president. She worked at firm Kirkland & Ellis from 1999 until 2002. McIntyre is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. According to McIntyre, she chose to work at Boeing because of their fantastic reputation and their support of the armed services.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:50:28 +0000

Good morning everyone! I hope you had a terrific weekend. Today is Monday, January 25, and here’s a look back at Friday’s news.

The plaintiff’s have rested their case in the prop 8 trial, and the defense will begin today…

Cooley Godward thawed out salaries, and we look at the current state of the market rate…

McCarter & English brought on Richard Lucash as special counsel…

A Kirkland & Ellis partner is the new general counsel at Phillip Morris…

Penn State has a new general counsel….

David Antzis was reeleceted as managing partner for Saul Ewing…

Sonnenschein partners saw a 3 percent drop in profits last year…

The FBI issued a warning regarding a scam targeting law firms…

Lamba Legal is representing a gay couple in a suit against the Office of Personnel Management…

Duke and the University of Colorado are offering a degree in entrepreneurial law…

And six attorneys in Winston-Salem have formed a new firm…

Morning Roundup

joshua — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:51:26 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Monday, December 28, and here’s a look back at the news from last week.

Kirkland & Ellis paid out bonuses…

Newly released records detail Rothstein’s non profit activities…

Cravath confirmed that no new partners will be named this year…

A dozen lawyers have left Dickstein Shapiro….

A federal appelate court has upheld a large judgement against Microsoft….

and Weil Gotshal’s bonuses are out…

Associate Bonuses Announced at Kirkland & Ellis

aostler — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:46:15 +0000

Kirkland & Ellis is wildly popular with its associates most of the time but things may have changed a bit this year. Associates received their bonuses this week.

No standardized scale has been announced but some details have begun to trickle out. Some associates are reporting bonuses lower than the Cravath scale, and other reports indicate that to get to the Cravath levels associates need to have at least 2000 billable hours. Attorneys with the firm received their bonus information this week via email. If you have more specific information for us on the K&E bonuses, please send us an anonymous tip here.

Kirkland & Ellis has 9 offices total, with 6 in the United States. They are best known for their litigation, bankruptcy, and intellectual property departments. They have a track record of high revenues and profits, topping $1.3 billion in revenues in 2007.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:34:33 +0000

Good morning everyone! It’s Tuesday, December 8, and here’s a look back at yesterday’s headlines…

Kirkland & Ellis is under new management…

A transgender teen is suing McDonald’s…

There’s a new round of layoffs at DLA Piper’s middle east offices…

and Mayer Brown has asked some of its incoming associates to voluntarily defer their start dates…

Changing of the Guard at Kirkland & Ellis

joshua — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:36:14 +0000

Kirkland & Ellis built its reputation on the backs of trial attorneys Thomas Yannucci, who has headed the firm’s worldwide management committee since 2001. He is being replaced by Jeffrey Hammes, a corporate attorney from the private equities practice who has been with the firm since 1985 and has helped Kirkland & Ellis expand their private equity practice beyond Chicago. He was also instrumental in establishing the firm’s foothold in northern California.

Firms Tighten up in Partnership Promotions

joshua — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:21:46 +0000

In a year that has been notable for salary cuts, layoffs, associate deferrals and smaller bonuses, it should come as no surprise that promotions to partner are also down across the board. Profits are down, and firms are reluctant to increase the number of slices of the shrinking pie. Although not every firm has announced this years promotions yet, plenty have.

Here’s a sampling of prominent firms that have announced a smaller partnership class this year compared to last year: Cleary Gottlieb, Latham & Watkins, Ropes & Gray, Proskauer Rose, Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, Skadden Arps, Davis Polk, Paul Hastings, Gibson Dunn, Mayer Brown, Kirkland & Ellis. The list of firms bucking the trend is much smaller and those that have promoted larger classes have promoted only marginally more partners while some of the firms with smaller classes have cut promotions by as much as half. Fried Frank for example promoted seven new partners, up from five the previous year, but did so in a year where its total number of attorneys shrank by 26%.

23 New Partners at Latham & Watkins

joshua — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:08:27 +0000

Latham & Watkins & Watkins promoted 23 of its associates to partner this week. With twelve promotions coming in corporate law and five more in finance, this could be viewed as a sign of optimism about the economic recovery. In addition, 13 associates were promoted to of counsel. & Watkins

Although this years class is smaller than the 30 promoted last year, it’s one of the largest classes we’ve seen so far this year. Only Kirkland & Ellis, who promoted 51 to partner in October, has had a larger partner class so far this year.

Latham & Watkins LLP is one of the largest law firms in the world, employing around 1,500 attorneys in the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm was started in Los Angeles in 1934 and has extensive California roots, but its largest office is now in New York City.

Thursday Roundup

joshua — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:02:13 +0000

This week the news is coming in spurts. Monday was a slow day, Tuesday busy, and Wednesday things slowed down again. If today stays true to form it should be another fast paced day so check back here often!

Here’s what happened yesterday…

Kirkland & Ellis announced layoffs…

There’s speculation that Justice Stevens may be getting ready to retire from the Court…

and Sonnenschein makes some cuts…

Kirkland to Layoff More than 20

joshua — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:50:12 +0000

Kirkland & Ellis piled on the bad news today with layoffs in their New York and Washington DC offices. More than 20 were let go in New York, and an unspecified number in DC. First and second year corporate lawyers were hit particularly hard. These layoffs come at the end of the associate review process and at least one person has said that lawyers not on track to become partners or non equity partners were asked to go. Does it strike anyone else as odd that Kirkland is ready to make that kind of decision based on one or two years of associate level work? Certainly no company wants to admit they are struggling but is it a crime in a weak economy to acknowledge that some layoffs are for purely financial reasons? It is worth noting that Kirkland hasn’t laid anyone off since this time last year and that a significant percentage of summer associates were given offers.

Law Firm Hirings & Firings

Erik Even — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:19:48 +0000

Recent laterals and layoffs in the legal sector:

Gary Hnath (not a typo) joins Mayer Brown as a partner from Bingham McCutchen, in the intellectual property and government/global trade practice groups. He is a former senior trial attorney at the US International Trade Commission. His JD is from Harvard Law School.

William F. Johnson joins Fried Frank as a partner in its government investigations and regulatory counseling practice. He was previously chief of the securities and commodities fraud task force in the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. He supervised the investigations in both US v. Bernard Madoff and US v. Marc Dreier. Johnson was also a senior counsel for the SEC. His JD is from the Washington College of Law at American University.

Robert Osborne rejoins Jenner & Block this September, from General Motors. He has been GM’s general counsel since September 2006. Osborne was a senior partner at Jenner, where he chaired its Corporate Department and was a member of the Management and Policy Committees, from 2002 until joining GM. Before that he was at Kirkland & Ellis. Osborne’s JD is from Harvard Law School, magna cum laude.

Law Firm Hirings & Firings

Erik Even — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 17:09:56 +0000

Recent laterals and layoffs in the legal sector:

Christopher Cox, the former Bush administration SEC head, joins Bingham McCutchen as a partner in Orange County, California. He will handle corporate law, mergers & acquisitions and securities, and will be a principal at the Bingham Consulting Group. His JD is from Harvard Law School.

Lisa Laukitis joins Jones Day from Kirkland & Ellis as a partner in the firm’s business restructuring and reorganization practice in New York. At Kirkland, she was a partner in the firm’s restructuring group. Her JD is from the University of Dayton School of Law.

Steven Mones joins Wilmington, Delaware-based personal injury firm Freibott Law. With 22 years experience, Mones has tried cases in virtually every Delaware court, and is admitted to the bar in both Delaware and Virginia. His JD is from Widener University School of Law (formerly Delaware Law School).

Jones Day Brings on Partners

Erik Even — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:43:25 +0000

Jones Day, which last month brought on seven bankruptcy lawyers from Kirkland & Ellis, has hired two laterals.

Partner Ronald Johnson joins from Akin Gump. He represents railroads in litigation and regulatory matters.

Lily Claffee joins as a partner from the Commerce Department, where she was general counsel. She will work in Jones Day’s government regulation practice.

Jones Day is an international law firm headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. It was founded in 1893 by Judge Edwin J. Blandin and William Lowe Rice. Jones Day is the 8th largest law firm in the world by revenue. It is currently the second largest law firm in the United States, with approximately 2,400 lawyers and gross annual revenue in excess of US$1.5 billion.
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Kirkland Bankruptcy Lawyers Join Jones Day

Erik Even — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:48:56 +0000

Seven bankruptcy lawyers at the Los Angeles office of Kirkland & Ellis have left the firm to join Jones Day.

West coast restructuring group head Rick Wynne, partner Bennett Spiegel, of counsel Erin Brady and Lori Sinanyan, and associates Christopher Healey and Stacie Torres will work out of Los Angeles. Associate Lance Miller is in New York.

Survey: Skadden is Nation’s Top Firm Again

Erik Even — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:59:59 +0000

Skadden has been ranked the top corporate law firm in the US for the ninth year in a row, according to Corporate Board Member magazine.

The rankings are based on a poll of 6,300 directors and general counsel.

Here are the top 20 on the America’s Best Corporate Law Firms list, including last year’s ranking:

1. Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, New York (1)
2. Jones Day, Cleveland (7)
3. Cravath Swaine & Moore, New York (2)
4. Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, New York (3)
5. Sullivan & Cromwell, New York (5)
6. Weil Gotshal & Manges, New York (9)
7. Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Los Angeles (13)
8. Kirkland & Ellis, Chicago (8)
9. Latham & Watkins, Los Angeles (6)
10. Fulbright & Jaworski, Houston (17)
11. Baker & McKenzie, Chicago (14)
12. O’Melveny & Myers, Los Angeles (19)
13. Davis Polk & Wardwell, New York (4)
14. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Palo Alto (14)
15. Sidley Austin, Chicago/New York (-)
16. Shearman & Sterling, New York (11)
17. Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison, New York (11)
18. Covington & Burling, Washington DC (16)
19. Hogan & Hartson, Washington DC (20)
20. Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson, New York (-)

Corporate Board Member is a leading information resource for senior officers and directors of publicly traded corporations, large private companies, and Global 1000 firms.

Top Skadden Partners Head to Kirkland & Ellis

Erik Even — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:21:40 +0000

Two key partners at New York’s Skadden have jumped ship to Kirkland & Ellis.

David Fox is leaving after more than 20 years with Skadden. He is joined by Daniel E. Wolf.

According to Fox:

Daniel and I are energized by this unique opportunity to grow our practices. While we will always fondly remember our time at Skadden, we are very excited by the prospect of collaborating with the many talented lawyers at Kirkland to take its M&A practice to the next level.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is a Chicago-based law firm that practices in the US and internationally. As of 2008, it was the seventh largest law firm in the US and the 11th largest in the world by revenue. It has offices in New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Munich, Hong Kong, and Palo Alto.

Kirkland & Ellis Hires Top Bush Lawyers

Erik Even — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:44:47 +0000

Kirkland & Ellis has hired two top former Bush administration lawyers for its litigation practice group. Both are returning to Kirkland.

Former Deputy Attorney General Mark Filip was a first-year associate at Kirkland in the early 1990s. He was acting attorney general before Eric Holder took the post.

Former White House Office of Management & Budget general counsel Jeffrey A. Rosen was a partner at Kirkland for over 20 years.

Kirkland laid off 80 support staff two weeks ago.