Kirkland & Ellis

K&E largely attributes this growth to its market-leading M&A practice, which took on nearly $450 billion worth of deals in London alone this year. Growth also came in the form of a new Frankfurt office and a significant expansion of its funds practice — particularly in the US and London. The firm also took steps to protect its financial position by joining several titans of BigLaw in striking pro bono deals with President Donald Trump, aiming to avoid potentially damaging executive orders.

Critics will argue that the firm’s financial success is moreso driven by the firm’s “eat what you kill” culture. In London, Kirkland has been experiencing some significant turbulence these past few years, with top talent leaving for the likes of Paul Weiss and Goodwin Proctor, just as quick as K&E has been poaching new top stars from Clifford Chance, Linklaters and others.

The good news is that retention has been steady at NQ level, with the firm posting impressive trainee retention rates in recent years. No doubt, the market-leading NQ salary of $225,000 (roughly £175k based on the firm’s internal conversion rate) gives rookies an incentive to stay, whilst trainees start on £60,000, rising to £65,000 in their second year.

The lucrative pay is accompanied by high-quality work in the private equity-focused office, and you can expect to be given “a lot of responsibility from the outset”. The “very hands-on training” is highly-rated and with a focus on “learning by doing and developing in live deal situations”, according to one source. Perfect for the sort of self-starters that Kirkland attracts. Another insider tells us this: “If you’re willing to involve yourself and take on responsibility then it’s perfect because you can learn a large amount in a short period of time by choosing to put yourself in situations where you need to know the answer in a very real and practical sense. That said, you won’t be put out of your depth — there’s always someone else on the deal who will be more than happy to discuss any questions!”

A further rookie reports that the “ton of hands-on experience, particularly given the number of hours you are expected to work”, easily makes up for the lack of “formal classroom training”. That’s not to say that there is no formal training whatsoever – one helpful trainee flags the formalised “sessions” “boot camps” and various “learning platforms” they’ve been exposed to. We’re also told that “if you’re aggressive and willing to get involved and to take transactions by the horns, there is ample opportunity to learn and develop”.

The US giant’s lean teams are said to readily yield “incredibly complex and engaging work”. The general rule appears to be that “trainees are offered as much responsibility and exposure as they would like and can handle”. Plus “trainees are able to take ownership of more stimulating elements of transactions at a very early stage, and are actively encouraged to be vocal about the kinds of projects and tasks which we feel would be beneficial to our development as lawyers”. This includes an emphasis on “practising drafting skills and client exposure” from the outset, to encourage trainees to strive for the more “difficult/technical work” with greater confidence.

But be warned, the quality of work can vary between departments. The firm’s “private equity and debt finance work is the most interesting and complex in the market bar none,” one rookies trumpets. “Bread and butter transactional departments perhaps not so much for juniors.” One junior offers this insight: “As a junior, while I am still expected to do most of the trainee level work on my deals (given the very limited number of trainees at the firm and no paralegals in my team), I am also given lots of work well above my level and people are keen to make sure you understand what’s going on so you can contribute as much as possible. I feel like an integral part of my team and am given a leading role on key work-streams so I can take ownership. It is a pretty energetic place to work.”

Meanwhile, you will be working under some of the top lawyers in their fields and, contrary to popular belief, the partners are reportedly very friendly. “The partners are great and really approachable both in a general social sense and in terms of professional development,” one source explains. “We’re all part of the same team and everyone goes to socials together, chats around the office, etc. which makes for a good working environment but the big thing I’ve noticed is that (very busy) seniors will also take time to invest in your development and answer your technical questions if you take the initiative to approach them.”

But, again, the go-getter type is essential to thriving in the firm which, Legal Cheek is told, operates as a fiercely competitive meritocracy. “Don’t expect much interaction if you aren’t engaging and bold,” explains one insider. Another claims that “if you weren’t working 2,000-2,500 in billables a year you were under capacity, anything less than 50 hours a week to a client is evidence that you might get ripped into corporate M&A deals, regardless of what seat you sit in”.

Of course, Kirkland did not get where it is with everyone leaving the office at 6pm. According to our figures, the firm has some of the longest working hours in the country, with trainees and junior lawyers averaging close to 12 hours in the office each day. On work life/balance, one rookie tells us: “Balance? Sorry mate, never heard of him.” Another provides this more detailed take: “The firm gives you a great degree of freedom as to how much work you take on and how you do it, and in that respect it’s really quite flexible in terms of working balance. The result of that is that if you choose to be on a large number of active deals then you’re going to be very busy, but you’re busy on your own terms and you’re getting the value from those projects that you put in. Hours are, of course, not exactly 9 to 5, but it’s certainly not dissimilar to any other serious private equity or finance outfit in the City and the upside is that you’re doing higher quality work from an earlier stage of your career.”

That said, trainees seem fine with this pact of top pay, more independence and high quality work. “The firm is open about the fact that it requires applicants to have a greater appetite for responsibility than elsewhere, and taking on more responsibility requires a greater time commitment”, noting that “partners and associates are very good at respecting weekends/annual leave and will only disturb either if absolutely necessary”.

Agile working doesn’t appear to have had such an impact as it has had in other firms, although one trainee reportedly enjoys two days working from home. This doesn’t seem to be the norm, however, with the majority, perhaps unsurprisingly, preferring to get stuck into work at the office. It also helps that trainee cohorts are “close and really supportive”. With some wholesome camaraderie, rookies are known to have “honest discussions about where we are at with our personal and professional lives”, while avoiding the kind of competitive tension or backstabbing that is sometimes present in the City. “We all want each other to do well,” says one besotted trainee.

Until recently, K&E occupied 12 floors of Sir Norman Foster’s iconic Gherkin building in the City of London. As one trainee put it pithily, “It’s the Gherkin. Don’t worry, your mum will be proud of you.” But after six years in the making, the firm has finally moved into its new home at 40 Leadenhall Street. Kirkland is now the primary tenant across more than half the building — an office insiders have aptly dubbed ‘Gotham City’. One upside to the long delays is that the firm now requires fewer desks than originally planned, leaving room for some welcome extras: a sauna and an 8,000-book library now occupy space once earmarked for cubicles.

Still, some lawyers say they’ll miss the old digs — particularly the watering hole. One of the Gherkin’s best perks was Searcys, the bar at the top, offering panoramic views and a welcome escape from the billable hour. Fortunately, many of Kirkland’s signature perks have apparently survived the move. These include a 24-hour concierge service to help junior lawyers with their personal to-do lists, corporate hospitality seats at Yankees games, and tickets to the exclusive Stewards’ Enclosure at the Henley Royal Regatta. There are also fairly regular firm bashes where “literally no expense is spared as a reward for how hard everyone works”. Also note that lunches after closing a big deal “can be huge”. On a more practical day-to-day level, free breakfast, lunch and dinner in the office are appreciated as “a huge perk”.