Kirkland & Ellis

About the firm

With a record-breaking $10.5 billion in global revenue, Kirkland has become one of the biggest names in the legal market. Alongside its market-leading private equity and investment funds practices, the firm earns top-tier recognition in the Chambers UK guide for restructuring/insolvency, infrastructure, and tax, with further strengths spanning capital markets, patent litigation, and financial services regulation. But while the revenue and headline deals are eye-catching, trainees told us the firm's biggest selling point is the chance to make a meaningful contribution right from the start. "The level of responsibility and involvement you get from an early stage was something that attracted me to Kirkland," one trainee explained, and for those keen to avoid spending months on "laborious tasks and mock tasks," Kirkland seems to deliver.

"The level of responsibility and involvement you get from an early stage was something that attracted me to Kirkland."

In keeping with its meritocratic, enterprising culture, according to interviewees the firm is constantly looking ahead rather than resting on its reputation. One trainee described Kirkland as operating "at the frontier, the cutting edge," explaining that the mentality is always to "maximise upside" rather than get complacent. That ambition filters through the organisation, creating an entrepreneurial environment where juniors are encouraged to seize opportunities. In the words of Training Principal Adrian Duncan, “there have been some really headline-grabbing deals led from London, and the way the office has grown gives incredible opportunities for trainees across the firm to get real hands-on private equity experience that is multi-jurisdictional and at the top end of the market.”

As one trainee summarised, "you get out what you put in,” articulating a philosophy which underpins both the firm's culture and its training contract.

Why trainees joined the firm

Early responsibility

The chance to tackle high-stakes tasks early on is a common attraction of US firms, and that particularly holds true for Kirkland, where the prospects for swiftly racking up experience and responsibility are described as “unparalleled and really rewarding.”

Smaller cohort

With around 15 trainees joining the London office each year, sources liked the prospect of standing out rather than becoming "one of hundreds." One trainee recalled: "I was always drawn to going into a smaller cohort."

Private equity expertise

The firm's market-leading private equity practice was a major attraction for students. One source told us they were particularly drawn by Kirkland's “very strong trajectory" in this area, while another said that “if you’re super interested in corporate-focused work that revolves around the lifestyle of a private equity client, then there’s probably no better place to be.”

Trainee satisfaction rankings

Training contract structure

Seat allocation

Trainees complete four six-month seats, three of which are ‘core’: corporate M&A, investment funds, and leveraged finance. The remaining seat is chosen from ‘non-core’ departments, which have recently included restructuring, litigation, and financial services regulation. Being a part of a smaller trainee cohort, seat allocation is a more informal conversation with graduate recruitment, where trainees can express an interest a non-core practice group (preferences are taken into account where possible but are not guaranteed).

Seat Experiences

Trainee life

Culture and environment

Data from our annual trainee survey

The firm’s forward-looking, ambitious ethos filters down to trainees, who said they felt encouraged to make the most of opportunities. "As a trainee, if you want to do something, you feel empowered to go and do it," one explained, while describing the firm’s culture as “very meritocratic.”

Kirkland's reputation for demanding work often precedes it, but trainees consistently told us that the people are far more supportive than the firm's stereotype suggests. While interviewees acknowledged the pace can be intense, they felt the culture is built around co-operation rather than competing against one another. "You can't sustain a high workload without being nice and sustaining a good team," one told us, while another reported that Kirkland is "a super friendly environment" where colleagues "really want you to succeed.” Rather than piling on pressure, supervisors are described as "understanding" and "genuine reasonable people" who aren't expecting trainees to cancel important plans at the last minute.

Moreover, despite the intensity of the work, interviewees consistently praised the help on offer from senior colleagues. As an example, although the firm’s culture of handing newbies major responsibilities might seem “intimidating,” we were reassured that “people are open to you asking questions and they’re more than willing to sit down and explain things to you; you’re not just left and told to manage something on your own.”

Finally, a small trainee intake helps create a close-knit cohort at Kirkland. "We're very close and you know everyone," one source told us, with trainees regularly meeting for breakfasts, coffees, and dinners outside of work. The firm also puts on regular social events, including Christmas and summer parties, Wednesday drinks, and a funded cohort dinner during every seat. One interviewee summed up trainees’ feelings about each other simply: "I would consider them my friends.”

Working patterns

Data from our annual trainee survey

There's little escaping Kirkland's reputation when it comes to working hours, and trainees were realistic about the demands of the role. During busy transactions, interviewees explained that "you're just working until the work is done," with finish times sometimes stretching into the early hours of the morning.

Equally, trainees were keen to stress that those periods aren't constant. One source explained that while busy spells had seen them working until between 11pm and 2am, "those late nights haven't been sustained at all." Quieter days might involve leaving around 6pm while remaining available should something urgent arise. Several interviewees also reassured us that there was "no expectation to be working late just for the sake of it.”

The firm's hybrid policy currently sees trainees working from the office Monday to Thursday, with Fridays typically spent working remotely.

Pay

Data provided by firm and our annual trainee survey

Kirkland's remuneration is among the most competitive in the City, and one trainee joked: "We're not exactly hard done by!"

Sources generally felt that the salary is reflective of both the responsibility trainees receive and the hours that occasionally come with working on market-leading private equity transactions. As one interviewee put it, you know exactly what you're signing up for before you join.

Supervision and training

Data from our annual trainee survey

Trainees typically share an office with their supervisor, meaning supervision happens naturally throughout the day from proximity. "A lot of the stuff rubs off on you just from being in the office with them, which is fantastic," one trainee explained – whether that's watching how supervisors handle clients or listening in on other calls. The shared office experience also means that it’s easy to pick up feedback, which is described as “regular but informal.” Training Principal Adrian Duncan explains that “we believe learning happens most effectively through doing, which is why trainees are given meaningful responsibility from an early stage.”

Trainees explained that most supervisors are from the non-equity partnership tier, at the end of a six-year track since being a trainee themselves, so they tend to be “really mindful of how it is to be a trainee from their own experience.” One trainee described their supervisor as "super interested in my development," explaining that after every training session they would ask "what I liked and what I was interested in." Duncan confirms the importance of this collaborative approach to training, stating that “trainees have a significant amount of ownership over their development and are encouraged to build the internal and external networks that will help them gain exposure to the deals they want to work on.”

As for the content of the training sessions, partners regularly run classes explaining both technical legal concepts and the commercial context behind transactions, before supervisors reinforce that learning on live matters. Because there's so much cross-team work, supervisors are invested in developing trainees regardless of where they'll qualify. As one interviewee put it, they're "really passionate about their jobs," and "they want to mentor the people coming through."

Pro bono & CSR

Pro bono is a visible part of life at Kirkland, with plenty of opportunities for trainees to get involved in causes that interest them. While trainees aren't required to complete a minimum number of hours, associates and partners are encouraged to undertake at least 20 hours of pro bono work each year. Opportunities are regularly advertised, with one trainee noting that the firm sends "almost weekly emails" asking for volunteers. Work includes supporting the firm's partnership with Amicus (which assists death row inmates in the US), as well as welfare benefits appeals and a housing clinic in East London. Many opportunities are reserved for trainee solicitors, making it easy for juniors to get hands-on experience. As one source put it, "it's a big part of the firm in general," with "definitely ample opportunities" to put your hand up.

Inclusion

Interviewees generally felt Kirkland has fostered an inclusive environment, pointing in particular to the diversity of recent trainee intakes and the firm's meritocratic culture. As one source explained, regardless of your background, "if you want to do something, you can come and have a go."

The firm continues to support several employee networks which are open to all at the firm to join. These include groups focused on women and LGBTQ+ colleagues, with trainees describing regular socials, dinners, and networking opportunities. One trainee highlighted the visibility of senior women across the partnership, explaining that female partners are "at the top of their game."

Qualification

The qualification process at Kirkland is notably informal. During the latter stages of the training contract, trainees discuss their preferences with graduate recruitment. Then, rather than submitting formal applications across the board, interviewees described conversations taking place naturally over coffees, lunches, and day-to-day work before submitting their practice group choice to the training principal and recruitment team. One source explained there is "a focus on us being proactive in speaking to our old teams and keeping in touch." Overall, interviewees appreciated the transparency of the process and felt those who demonstrate interest in a team are well placed when qualification decisions are made.

Kirkland has Kirk-landed itself a shiny new spot opposite the Gherkin…

Kirkland's move across the road to its new home at 40 Leadenhall has given trainees access to facilities that seem to rival luxury hotels. Alongside free breakfast, lunch and coffee, the building boasts a kitted-out gym.