Survey Results - Trainee feedback on Kirkland & Ellis

The lowdown - Trainees (in their own words) on Kirkland & Ellis

Why did you choose this firm over any others? ‘Quality of work. Early responsibility. Areas of practice’, ‘the level of responsibility received as a trainee, direct contact and exposure to clients, and the ability to gain experience and knowledge in the private equity industry’, ‘the ethos – be the best’, ‘it’s the best in class’, ‘the hands-on approach to training, client contact very early on as a trainee, and clearly signposted progression opportunities’

Best thing about the firm? ‘Approachability; what’s important at K&E is that everyone wants to be pulling in the same direction, so it’s always encouraged just to speak to someone directly with any questions’, ‘the benefits and compensation are top-notch, with free breakfast, lunch and dinner (after 6pm) on top of a generous two-day work-from-home policy’, ‘the people are young, energetic and friendly (even at partner level)’, ‘the amount of client contact’

Worst thing about the firm? ‘No international secondments’, ‘the limited seat options’, ‘the work/life balance’, ‘the unexpectedness of the hours (you could finish working at 5pm some days, and then 2am other days)’, ‘the hours can be long and unpredictable’, ‘some of the IT systems are quite old and slow’

Best moment? ‘Going to Annabel’s (a Mayfair social club) for a client event’, ‘being able to work alongside a partner and basically running the project myself’, ‘when I successfully handled the running of a management incentive plan process as a first seater – I got to learn a lot by being thrown in at the deep end’, ‘watching my progress in my third seat and getting a great end-of-seat review’, ‘going to court for hearings in the restructuring team – it was a very useful learning experience’

Worst moment? ‘Waiting – being at the bottom of the food chain, sometimes you just have to sit tight and wait for things to come to you, though I imagine this is the same anywhere’, ‘having three closings on the same day’, ‘pulling an all-nighter to complete a deal’, ‘having to work until 3am for two weeks straight, including weekends’, ‘long hours in the run up to Christmas’

The Legal 500 Future Lawyers verdict on Kirkland & Ellis

‘The Kirkland brand speaks for itself’ said one trainee, echoing many others. There’s no doubt that the US giant is top of its game for private equity work, but the ‘small intake, high pay and benefits, early responsibility and a fast track to partnership’ were also big drivers in encouraging the current cohort to apply. Early responsibility and client contact are par for the course at Kirkland, with trainees receiving ‘more agency’ than peers at other firms from the get go. There is ‘less of a strict hierarchy’ and trainees even benefit from the flexibility of ‘picking who you work with and the type of work you take on’.  The benefits and compensation are ‘top notch’, and staff have ‘free breakfast, lunch, and dinner (after 6pm)’ at their disposal. And recruits will need these amenities as the working hours at Kirkland are notoriously unpredictable. Trainees report having to work on public holidays, even including Christmas on occasion. But sometimes the intense work periods bring unexpected rewards. One trainee said: ‘I had a few weeks of very late nights in a row that were quite stressful and tiresome, but were a very useful learning experience. The firm also allowed me to reduce my hours in the weeks following to compensate’. Trainee contribution at Kirkland is valued just as much as that of any other lawyer: one respondent felt elated ‘when closing a deal and feeling like I was a true member of the team, without any of whom the matter wouldn’t have got over the line’. To be ‘surrounded by some of the best lawyers in the City’ and ‘work on some of the most interesting mandates’ in the industry, take a closer look at Kirkland & Ellis.

About the firm

The firm: With a global platform of approximately 4,000 lawyers in 21 offices across the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Kirkland & Ellis provides elite legal advice and a relentless commitment to client service. Kirkland is a market leader in each of its core practice areas, including private equity, M&A and other complex corporate transactions; investment fund formation and alternative asset management; restructurings; high-stakes commercial and intellectual property litigation; and government, regulatory and internal investigations. To learn more, please visit www.kirkland.com.

The clients: Advent International, Antin Infrastructure Partners, Apax, Apollo Global Management, Bain Capital Private Equity, BC Partners, Blackstone, Brookfield, CapVest, GIC, Hellman & Friedman, KKR, Montagu Private Equity, Nordic Capital, Starwood Capital Group, TA Associates, Thoma Bravo, TDR Capital, TPG, Vista Equity Partners, Warburg Pincus.

Other offices: Austin, Bay Area, Beijing, Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Dallas, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Munich, New York, Paris, Riyadh, Salt Lake City, Shanghai, Washington DC.

Who we are: We are a leading global law firm that is focused on meritocracy and enabling our lawyers to become leading partners as early as possible in their careers. We encourage all of our lawyers to accelerate their growth by advising on complex transactions and being client-facing and business-focused.

What we do: We advise global clients, including holders of private capital, on their M&A and financing transactions, investment fund formations, restructuring and litigation matters.

What we’re looking for: We hire trainees who are hardworking, motivated and focused on gaining as much experience as possible and want to become partners on an accelerated career path.

What you’ll do: Our trainees gain experience through active involvement in deals throughout their careers, together with extensive technical training.

Perks: Private medical insurance, BUPA health assessment, life insurance, income protection, travel insurance, pension scheme, corporate gym membership, dental plan, GP consultation service, fertility and family forming, menopause plan, employee assistance programme, cycle to work scheme, free breakfast, emergency back-up child/elder care, wellbeing apps, Kirkland concierge, 25 days’ holiday, season ticket loan, annual flu shots, eye care.

Sponsorship

We cover the cost of PGDL/SQE fees, as well as providing a competitive maintenance payment.

Seat options

Corporate; finance; investment funds; one other complementary practice area.

Tips from the recruiter

  1. Read the application form carefully. Some applicants do not answer the specific questions being asked. This is perhaps because they haven’t taken their time when reading it, and/or because they have copied an answer from another application form which asks a similar question, but is in fact slightly different. Attention to detail is a really important skill to demonstrate.
  2. Research the firm thoroughly before applying. There is a huge amount of information about the London office online, particularly on our graduate recruitment site. Pick up on our clients, the deals we’ve worked on and what lawyers are expected to do here. All firms in London offer something different, so you have to think about why you want to come here, and what you can offer through your previous experiences and achievements.
  3. Use interviews to further demonstrate your understanding of the firm. Applicants aren’t expected to have strong legal knowledge at this stage, as we accept applications from both law and non-law backgrounds. However, showing some understanding of the private equity market is a good idea, given the firm’s focus on this and transactional work.

Diversity and inclusion

Percentage of female associates: 44%

Percentage of female partners: 37%