Kirkland & Ellis Interview Tips Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hey all;

So I'm a senior member of the board, been on here for years, and have my first Kirkland Interview next week. To be honest -- I'm quite nervous. I'm a good interviewer, but I've got butterflies for this one.

Anyways, for those of you who have sat through K&E interviews, what can I expect?

Thanks!

[badaboom61]

Use buzzwords like "Free Market System" and "Entrepreneurial" and that should get you about half way there

[rad lulz]

MARKET SHATTERING BROWNIES

[Anonymous User]

I concur with the "free market" and "entrepreneurial" buzz words. During my interview at Kirkland, one of the associates asked me, "What do you think about going out and soliciting work in the office? Are you comfortable taking initiative to find your own work?" If you can, think of stories in which you've shown initiative, drive, etc.

I think I also said some stuff about wanting early responsibility and how I liked how the free market system made that possible. There's no focus on class years but rather it's focused on what I'm able to do. Thus, partners will give you as much as you can handle.

Other than that, it's not really different from any other interview. The people I met all were aggressive, go-getters. But there's a lot of that at law firms. So, it's really a matter of degree, more than anything else.

Best of luck.

[Anonymous User]

Which office? This is for an SA position? Had no idea they were still interviewing. I thought even 3L hiring has been wrapped up for weeks now.

I can only speak to the Chicago office—not sure how, or if, the other offices differ—but I would say try to come across as a hard-working, self-motivated, independent person who doesn't constantly need their hand held. K&E loves people who have an internal drive to get better at what they do.

[shock259]

Use buzzwords like "Free Market System" and "Entrepreneurial" and that should get you about half way there

This. I had an interview with a young associate and an older partner. Young associate's eyes lit up when I started talking about the benefits of the free market system.

[Anonymous User]

I had an SA offer with the NY office.

What everyone else said above is true. If you have management experience in any capacity, mention it, and tie it in with the free market system. Also, they love when you tell them that the free market system creates an environment were there are few-to-no asshole partners, as no one would want to work with them. Finally, it wouldn't help to be quite a bit type-A.

[Anonymous User]

I can only imagine you meant to say "hurt" instead of "help"

[Anonymous User]

Summered at Kirkland.

It's all good and well to throw around words like free market, enterpreneurial and w/e, but go a step further to show that you really know what that means. Kirkland prides itself on growing new business so mention that the enterpreneurial spirit of the firm encourages people to develop client relationships and expand the reach of the firm. Also mention KITA (kEE-ta) and KICP (KICK-pee), their training programs (if you summer there, you'll experience both; if interviewing for full time position, you'll only do the one that's relevant to your group), as the firm really emphasizes training. Talk about how you really enjoy hands-on experience. Another thing is that Kirkland tries to push down experience to junior attorneys as much as possible, so talk about wanting to work on substantive matters at an early point in your career.

[Anonymous User]

I'll be an SA in DC this summer. Do you mind sharing which office you're interviewing with? I got the sense they finished interviewing a while ago...

[Anonymous User]

It's one of their international offices.

[Anonymous User]

It's one of their international offices.

Then take the above advice about mentioning KITA and KICP with a grain of salt, since I'm not sure they actually run those programs in their international offices.

Be sure to focus on the office's strengths when trying to sell yourself. For example, don't emphasize your desire to litigate and the firm;s litigation strength if you're interviewing with the Munich office, as it's almost entirely a private-equity practice. Similarly, don't emphasize the same for IP in London. Don't emphasize anything non-transactional for the Asia offices, unless you want to do FCPA work.

Also, you will work much harder in these offices than you will in any K&E domestic office.

[Anonymous User]

It's one of their international offices.

I worked for a V5 over the summer and knew a fair number of people who split between the NYC office and an international office. Everyone said that each international office is like a completely different firm—they value different things, act differently in the office, have different policies, have different cultures, etc.

This might not be the case for Kirkland, but I would just be wary about putting too much stock in what somebody from the Chicago or NYC office has to say about what Kirkland is looking for.