Kirkland & Ellis LinkedIn Forum

[Amaze14]

Purely out of curiosity—what's with all the LinkedIn "incoming" posts from all the K&E summer associates? Seems like the vast majority of summer associate updates have come from students (at my school and others) who are going to K&E. Did the firm ask them to post?

[Anonymous User]

Did the firm ask them to post?

Not only does the firm ask, but I've heard (secondhand) that they give them a handout on what to say in their post.

[Anonymous User]

I don't think that the firm tells them to do it. I, and most colleagues that I know here roll our eyes pretty hard at any sort of self-congratulatory post about offers or setting one's headline as "incoming."

[Anonymous User]

2L here (at an NYC school), I've noticed the same trend.

In part, KE hires lots of big summer classes in many different markets. When you add it all up, there are probably few biglaw firms that hire a greater aggregate number of students. (So that could help explain the prevalence of the KE posts on LinkedIn.)

Of course, another factor would be KE selecting for a certain kind of self-promoting (or more charitably: "entrepreneurial") candidate, i.e., the type of person who is likely to be very excited and humbled to announce his or her summer plans on LinkedIn. Selection + self-selection.

[Rehnkist]

Purely out of curiosity—what's with all the LinkedIn "incoming" posts from all the K&E summer associates? Seems like the vast majority of summer associate updates have come from students (at my school and others) who are going to K&E. Did the firm ask them to post?

I've noticed this for several firms, most frequently for Jones Day. Probably just depends on your network and whatever LinkedIn's AI thinks you want to see.

[Anonymous User]

Not at K&E. I've seen this trend my SAs at multiple firms. I usually see this because legal recruiters are often liking these posts. I wondered whether this was promoted by recruiters or the firms themselves.

[Anonymous User]

Not at the Costco firm. I was rolling my eyes at all those posts too and then my firm asked me to post. Oh how the turn tables

[Anonymous User]

Wait, are firms actually asking people to make these posts?

[Anonymous User]

Wait, are firms actually asking people to make these posts?

Yep, heard as much from someone who will be summering there. Also, haven't you noticed that they all are formatted similarly, and mostly use the same few photos?

[Anonymous User]

Not at the Costco firm. I was rolling my eyes at all those posts too and then my firm asked me to post. Oh how the turn tables

which firm are you at?

[Anonymous User]

Did the firm ask them to post?

Not only does the firm ask, but I've heard (secondhand) that they give them a handout on what to say in their post.

KE didn't ask SAs to post, but the firm did send out social media guidelines for those SAs who wanted to post.

[Anonymous User]

I've noticed this for several firms, most frequently for Jones Day. Probably just depends on your network and whatever LinkedIn's AI thinks you want to see.

I have nothing but an empty LinkedIn account and still sees tons of K&E posts and nothing at all comparable from any other firm.

Also, the language in the posts is virtually identical in many parts yet unique enough not to be completely generic. Until I hear a compelling reason for verbatim repetition, I am assuming that anyone claiming the firm suggested nothing is full of shit.

[Anonymous User]

It is a great advertising strategy. Kirkland summers are spamming LinkedIn with their new summer roles. And then associates and staff are following that by bombarding us with “we are busy and growing and hiring in every office in every position” posts.

I find it very annoying because Kirkland just rejected me, but other less biased people may like it.

[Anonymous User]

Not at the Costco firm. I was rolling my eyes at all those posts too and then my firm asked me to post. Oh how the turn tables

which firm are you at?

.

[Anonymous User]

It is a great advertising strategy. Kirkland summers are spamming LinkedIn with their new summer roles.

Is it really a great advertising strategy to have summers gush about a firm they haven't worked at yet?

[Anonymous User]

Purely out of curiosity—what's with all the LinkedIn "incoming" posts from all the K&E summer associates? Seems like the vast majority of summer associate updates have come from students (at my school and others) who are going to K&E. Did the firm ask them to post?

at my school, it’s usually the transfer students that post this kind of stuff on linkedin

[Sackboy]

God forbid a firm partake in the heinous activity of *checks notes* traditional marketing. Ya'll some weird motherfuckers.

[Anonymous User]

at my school, it’s usually the transfer students that post this kind of stuff on linkedin

Not at my school (admittedly I am a transfer, so I might be biased).

From what I’ve seen, it’s almost exclusively (like over 90%) K-JDs as the biggest offenders.

ETA: I find the linkedin posts and promotional stuff distasteful for reasons I can’t fully articulate, but I suppose that’s ultimately why Kirkland will end up eating the fancy white-shoe firms for lunch.

[Sackboy]

ETA: I find the linkedin posts and promotional stuff distasteful for reasons I can’t fully articulate, but I suppose that’s ultimately why Kirkland will end up eating the fancy white-shoe firms for lunch.

Ding ding ding. White shoe lawyers/firms are doing a lot of pearl clutching, because this isn't how things *should* be. Meanwhile, K&E is growing their revenue, profit, footprint, etc. faster than anybody else by operating like a corporation and not a prestigious old school law firm.

[Anonymous User]

ETA: I find the linkedin posts and promotional stuff distasteful for reasons I can’t fully articulate, but I suppose that’s ultimately why Kirkland will end up eating the fancy white-shoe firms for lunch.

Ding ding ding. White shoe lawyers/firms are doing a lot of pearl clutching, because this isn't how things *should* be. Meanwhile, K&E is growing their revenue, profit, footprint, etc. faster than anybody else by operating like a corporation and not a prestigious old school law firm.

K&E is growing their revenue, profit, and footprint by having incoming summers (would it be fair to say, mostly a bunch of 20-somethings) post on LinkedIn describing how fortunate they were to find K&E and meet their "amazing, friendly, driven, etc." lawyers? I doubt this is the cause of K&E's success. Seems more likely to be a side-effect of the corporation.

And just as it is fair for you to argue that it's some genius marketing ploy for K&E to have their K-JD incoming summers sing their praises on social media, I think it is fair for others in the legal profession to say it looks a little gauche. Moreover, the very fact that you're saying white shoe lawyers and firms are doing pearl clutching about this contradicts your earlier point that this is "traditional marketing" — at least for law firms, it isn't "traditional," and that's the point.

Personally, I don't think it says anything bad about K&E. It probably meshes well with their culture. I'd just hate to have my law firm tell me (or ask me) to post something on my social media, even my LinkedIn.

[Anonymous User]

Did the firm ask them to post?

Not only does the firm ask, but I've heard (secondhand) that they give them a handout on what to say in their post.

I was NOT asked to do so and I summered at an office in 2019. It does seem more are doing it now, and me and my peers think it is cringey af.

[supermario26]

God forbid a firm partake in the heinous activity of *checks notes* traditional marketing. Ya'll some weird motherfuckers.

Literally haven’t posted in a billion years but came out of hiding to say 10000% agreed.

You folks need to let people live their lives. Sheesh. Stop hating that people are succeeding and excited to share their news with *gasp* their fucking professional network. (And no, I’m not at Kirkland. And also, no, I didn’t post anything when I got my offer a few years ago.)

[Anonymous User]

Wait, are firms actually asking people to make these posts?

[cavalier1138]

God forbid a firm partake in the heinous activity of *checks notes* traditional marketing. Ya'll some weird motherfuckers.

Literally haven’t posted in a billion years but came out of hiding to say 10000% agreed.

You folks need to let people live their lives. Sheesh. Stop hating that people are succeeding and excited to share their news with *gasp* their fucking professional network. (And no, I’m not at Kirkland. And also, no, I didn’t post anything when I got my offer a few years ago.)

I, for one, can't wait for the first LinkedIn post on being nominated to a cabinet position.

It's tacky and dumb. I recognize that it's the new way of self-marketing in a world that runs on Instagram filters. But that doesn't make it any less tacky and dumb.

[supermario26]

God forbid a firm partake in the heinous activity of *checks notes* traditional marketing. Ya'll some weird motherfuckers.

Literally haven’t posted in a billion years but came out of hiding to say 10000% agreed.

You folks need to let people live their lives. Sheesh. Stop hating that people are succeeding and excited to share their news with *gasp* their fucking professional network. (And no, I’m not at Kirkland. And also, no, I didn’t post anything when I got my offer a few years ago.)

I, for one, can't wait for the first LinkedIn post on being nominated to a cabinet position.

It's tacky and dumb. I recognize that it's the new way of self-marketing in a world that runs on Instagram filters. But that doesn't make it any less tacky and dumb.

So if I create a post saying “I’m thrilled to be joining the summer associate class at ABC law firm,” that’s tacky. But if I update the work experience section and LinkedIn automatically gives everyone a notification to congratulate me on starting a new position at the firm, is that tacky too? Or should I not update anything ever.

Don’t get me wrong. I think the “humbled and honored because my grandma came to this country and dreamed of this life for me” posts are extremely stupid. But also, if it’s just one self congratulating post about a pretty major milestone, I think we can let it slide.