Kirkland Megathread Forum

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Jun 03, 2022 7:20 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Thu Jun 02, 2022 4:24 pm
I know that summers don’t have a real understanding of the firm and that everyone goes out of their way to be kind to us. But, so far I don’t understand what people mean when they say “the Kirkland type” in a derogatory way. Everyone has been GREAT.
A lawyer dies and he goes straight to Hell (naturally). Hell is not what he expected. It's full of parties, awesome food, great people - generally good times. The lawyer has a blast.

He's revived by the docs, and goes on living his life and practicing law.

He later dies at the ripe old age of 80, and goes straight back to Hell. This time, Hell is biblical. It's fire, brimstone, torture, pain, and unending despair. The lawyer goes up to Satan and asks "Hey man, last time I was here it was fantastic. What the Hell?"

Satan replies: "Oh yea, that was just our Summer program."

thisismytlsuername

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by thisismytlsuername » Fri Jun 03, 2022 8:13 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Fri Jun 03, 2022 7:20 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Thu Jun 02, 2022 4:24 pm
I know that summers don’t have a real understanding of the firm and that everyone goes out of their way to be kind to us. But, so far I don’t understand what people mean when they say “the Kirkland type” in a derogatory way. Everyone has been GREAT.
A lawyer dies and he goes straight to Hell (naturally). Hell is not what he expected. It's full of parties, awesome food, great people - generally good times. The lawyer has a blast.

He's revived by the docs, and goes on living his life and practicing law.

He later dies at the ripe old age of 80, and goes straight back to Hell. This time, Hell is biblical. It's fire, brimstone, torture, pain, and unending despair. The lawyer goes up to Satan and asks "Hey man, last time I was here it was fantastic. What the Hell?"

Satan replies: "Oh yea, that was just our Summer program."
The subset of socially-active lawyers I've gone to lunch and had drinks with -- who have been expressly instructed to be kind and accommodating -- have been very kind and accommodating!

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Jun 03, 2022 8:57 am

thisismytlsuername wrote:
Fri Jun 03, 2022 8:13 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Fri Jun 03, 2022 7:20 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Thu Jun 02, 2022 4:24 pm
I know that summers don’t have a real understanding of the firm and that everyone goes out of their way to be kind to us. But, so far I don’t understand what people mean when they say “the Kirkland type” in a derogatory way. Everyone has been GREAT.
A lawyer dies and he goes straight to Hell (naturally). Hell is not what he expected. It's full of parties, awesome food, great people - generally good times. The lawyer has a blast.

He's revived by the docs, and goes on living his life and practicing law.

He later dies at the ripe old age of 80, and goes straight back to Hell. This time, Hell is biblical. It's fire, brimstone, torture, pain, and unending despair. The lawyer goes up to Satan and asks "Hey man, last time I was here it was fantastic. What the Hell?"

Satan replies: "Oh yea, that was just our Summer program."
The subset of socially-active lawyers I've gone to lunch and had drinks with -- who have been expressly instructed to be kind and accommodating -- have been very kind and accommodating!
***Two Years Later***
Despite the known screamers at my firm, I have not had to work with any screamers so my firm should not be judged for having screamers.

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Jun 03, 2022 9:43 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Thu Jun 02, 2022 4:24 pm
I know that summers don’t have a real understanding of the firm and that everyone goes out of their way to be kind to us. But, so far I don’t understand what people mean when they say “the Kirkland type” in a derogatory way. Everyone has been GREAT.
The firm goes out of its way to hand-pick the friendliest, empathetic, diverse, least-likely-to-badmouth-the-firm group of associates and NSPs to be the face of the summer program. The people on the summer committee in my office are mostly wonderful people and they are on their best behavior around summers.

That’s a minor point in addition to the main one that summers cannot get a real look into what practicing is like. But an SP told me as a summer that the hierarchy of the firm (starting from the bottom) goes associates, NSPs, SPs, summer associates. Just keep in mind that everything you do is crafted to make you like the firm and want to choose it after law school, not to make the firm money (which is what the rest of the job will be like).

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by thisismytlsuername » Fri Jun 03, 2022 9:58 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Fri Jun 03, 2022 9:43 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Thu Jun 02, 2022 4:24 pm
I know that summers don’t have a real understanding of the firm and that everyone goes out of their way to be kind to us. But, so far I don’t understand what people mean when they say “the Kirkland type” in a derogatory way. Everyone has been GREAT.
The firm goes out of its way to hand-pick the friendliest, empathetic, diverse, least-likely-to-badmouth-the-firm group of associates and NSPs to be the face of the summer program. The people on the summer committee in my office are mostly wonderful people and they are on their best behavior around summers.

That’s a minor point in addition to the main one that summers cannot get a real look into what practicing is like. But an SP told me as a summer that the hierarchy of the firm (starting from the bottom) goes associates, NSPs, SPs, summer associates. Just keep in mind that everything you do is crafted to make you like the firm and want to choose it after law school, not to make the firm money (which is what the rest of the job will be like).
I would even consider flipping associates and NSPs in this hierarchy.

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Jun 03, 2022 11:19 pm

Can anyone give a review of funds & specifically of the exits?

The firm is pushing the group pretty hard. I have read online and heard from associates that - to the extent possible - it’s actually the most lifestyle-friendly of the corporate groups due to the predictability of the workstreams/schedules. Would love to hear of any first/second-hand takes on the work, hours, and exits.

Thanks!

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Jun 05, 2022 1:07 am

How friendly is Kirkland to associates transferring offices (with compelling reasons)?

I am a 2L SA at Kirkland, and my partner is in med school. He is very interested in a residency program that is in another city that Kirkland has an office, and I'm wondering how difficult it will be to try to transfer to that office, especially since I would be asking for it as a new associate (though coming off a federal clerkship).

Does anyone have any insight on this? Or do I just need to wait til after offers are given out and have a convo with recruiting?

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Jun 05, 2022 8:45 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Sun Jun 05, 2022 1:07 am
How friendly is Kirkland to associates transferring offices (with compelling reasons)?

I am a 2L SA at Kirkland, and my partner is in med school. He is very interested in a residency program that is in another city that Kirkland has an office, and I'm wondering how difficult it will be to try to transfer to that office, especially since I would be asking for it as a new associate (though coming off a federal clerkship).

Does anyone have any insight on this? Or do I just need to wait til after offers are given out and have a convo with recruiting?
I'd wait until you have an offer. Besides, at this point you have no idea if your partner will actually end up in that other city. The match can be cruel.

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Jun 05, 2022 9:45 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Sun Jun 05, 2022 8:45 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Sun Jun 05, 2022 1:07 am
How friendly is Kirkland to associates transferring offices (with compelling reasons)?

I am a 2L SA at Kirkland, and my partner is in med school. He is very interested in a residency program that is in another city that Kirkland has an office, and I'm wondering how difficult it will be to try to transfer to that office, especially since I would be asking for it as a new associate (though coming off a federal clerkship).

Does anyone have any insight on this? Or do I just need to wait til after offers are given out and have a convo with recruiting?
I'd wait until you have an offer. Besides, at this point you have no idea if your partner will actually end up in that other city. The match can be cruel.
Another anon 2L SA here - assuming we both get offers, how friendly is KE to transfers at that point? Fiancé just got a new job in a different city.

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Jun 05, 2022 10:15 am

I am aware of multiple associates who have transferred offices - I think if you are in good standing then it's not that difficult to pull off, especially for the first anon who seems to be a litigator (there is room for litigators in nearly every office I think, whereas some groups might have no presence in certain places).

If your plan is to ask Kirkland to move you to a different office in between 2L summer and starting for real, that might be different. I dunno but the firm might be trying to hit certain targets by office and you could end up out of luck if the one you're trying to go to is already on the high side of its incoming first year target.

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Jun 05, 2022 11:32 am

I'm an SA w/ a clerkship lined up, and I had asked about this. The answer I got was that it would depend on need, somewhat analogous to other lateral hiring decisions. Obviously they're less enthusiastic about letting you walk away, and the above post about there being litigation in every office makes sense. But the summer programs do have office-by-office targets to hit and the decision would ultimately be made post-clerkship.

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Ultramar vistas » Sun Jun 05, 2022 11:55 am

If you think you want to transfer, then contrary to the typical advice for summers, make sure you actually try when it comes to your work product and your networking. Having one or two partners or folks on the recruiting team that like you and think you are a net positive for the firm will be very helpful when you come to them at the end of the summer and ask to move offices.

Rejecting someone’s transfer request is the easiest way to effectively no-offer a summer that nobody liked, without hurting the firm’s stats, so make sure you’re not a person that they’d rather didn’t come back.

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Jun 05, 2022 12:22 pm

Nobody asked but also if you’re summering in Kirkland CH or DC or something and you have an SD Tex clerkship lined up and wanna practice in Houston, don’t let your summer experience drive you to prefer an office transfer over diving into the local market with the benefit of additional experience and deciding which firm(s) could be a better fit for you. I’ve seen some folks get too attached to the first thing like this, and it hasn’t gone the way they planned it.

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Jun 05, 2022 12:55 pm

Current junior. I agree with the advice about actually making some sort of effort (mostly to be likable). Your main barrier will be making sure that the new office you want to transfer to actually has the practice you’d be doing (or you’re willing to instead do a practice that exists in the new office).

I know a TON of people in the past few years who transferred either after the summer or during their first year, including from my class, the class above me, and the incoming class below me. At one point during my summer I asked a share partner about transferring and he said he could unilaterally place me into any other office I wanted except DC. I didn’t end up switching, but it sounds like I could have without issue.

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Jun 05, 2022 2:52 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Sun Jun 05, 2022 12:55 pm
Current junior. I agree with the advice about actually making some sort of effort (mostly to be likable). Your main barrier will be making sure that the new office you want to transfer to actually has the practice you’d be doing (or you’re willing to instead do a practice that exists in the new office).

I know a TON of people in the past few years who transferred either after the summer or during their first year, including from my class, the class above me, and the incoming class below me. At one point during my summer I asked a share partner about transferring and he said he could unilaterally place me into any other office I wanted except DC. I didn’t end up switching, but it sounds like I could have without issue.
Why except DC? Practice group, the fact that it’s the most selective office for juniors by grades/schools, or that it’s an overcrowded office now, or something else?

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Jun 05, 2022 3:10 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Sun Jun 05, 2022 2:52 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Sun Jun 05, 2022 12:55 pm
Current junior. I agree with the advice about actually making some sort of effort (mostly to be likable). Your main barrier will be making sure that the new office you want to transfer to actually has the practice you’d be doing (or you’re willing to instead do a practice that exists in the new office).

I know a TON of people in the past few years who transferred either after the summer or during their first year, including from my class, the class above me, and the incoming class below me. At one point during my summer I asked a share partner about transferring and he said he could unilaterally place me into any other office I wanted except DC. I didn’t end up switching, but it sounds like I could have without issue.
Why except DC? Practice group, the fact that it’s the most selective office for juniors by grades/schools, or that it’s an overcrowded office now, or something else?
Selectivity. DC is by far the most selective market for any firm, including Kirkland. The partners there are sensitive about people “backdooring” in via other offices. It might be a little different if you’ve been at the firm for a few years.

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Lawsohard99 » Sun Jun 05, 2022 6:36 pm

Agree that it’s not hard but does depend on practice group. Boston has a number of transplants from other offices over the past few years, but primarily folks who fit into funds / PE and just slotted into the Boston practice. Would be a little weirder to do a practice that the office doesn’t really have (e.g., no RX or non-IP lit in Boston).

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Jun 05, 2022 7:24 pm

Can anyone provide info on the Dallas office? What are they known for? Assuming they have funds, m&a and cap mkts?

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Jun 06, 2022 9:44 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Sun Jun 05, 2022 7:24 pm
Can anyone provide info on the Dallas office? What are they known for? Assuming they have funds, m&a and cap mkts?
All correct as far as work . Not sure if they have any lit tbh. Plenty of energy work but not as much as Houston, though in my experience plenty of deals still get cross-staffed between the two offices (this may be changing now). Beautiful, brand new office space in Uptown/Highland Park. Managing partner is a younger guy that hustles and there seems to be plenty of work (not shocking, its KE).

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Ultramar vistas » Mon Jun 06, 2022 9:48 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Jun 06, 2022 9:44 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Sun Jun 05, 2022 7:24 pm
Can anyone provide info on the Dallas office? What are they known for? Assuming they have funds, m&a and cap mkts?
All correct as far as work . Not sure if they have any lit tbh. Plenty of energy work but not as much as Houston, though in my experience plenty of deals still get cross-staffed between the two offices (this may be changing now). Beautiful, brand new office space in Uptown/Highland Park. Managing partner is a younger guy that hustles and there seems to be plenty of work (not shocking, its KE).
They have a pretty built out litigation team.

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Jun 06, 2022 3:14 pm

Ultramar vistas wrote:
Mon Jun 06, 2022 9:48 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Jun 06, 2022 9:44 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Sun Jun 05, 2022 7:24 pm
Can anyone provide info on the Dallas office? What are they known for? Assuming they have funds, m&a and cap mkts?
All correct as far as work . Not sure if they have any lit tbh. Plenty of energy work but not as much as Houston, though in my experience plenty of deals still get cross-staffed between the two offices (this may be changing now). Beautiful, brand new office space in Uptown/Highland Park. Managing partner is a younger guy that hustles and there seems to be plenty of work (not shocking, its KE).
They have a pretty built out litigation team.
any insight on whether they’re trying to grow the corp group there, specifically funds? Looks like they only have 2 partners there, with the third split b/twn Houston.

For context, I’m a 2L SA at another office and may be looking to transfer to Dallas between this summer and start (for good reason).

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jun 07, 2022 12:26 pm

I know this has probably been talked to death, but Kirkland really is the worst firm for culture right? The associates are all extremely overworked but backstab each other constantly. They will go out of their way to copy in partners on emails in an effort to make themselves look better.

If you want to work at Kirkland be prepared for totally unrealistic deadlines that, if you miss, will get a strong rebuke with an entire team copied in a deliberate effort to humiliate you. Most partners don't even care/read emails, but like why would someone subject themselves to this? Oh wait, most don't, hence Kirkland's crazy attrition rate. Beware.

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jun 07, 2022 3:33 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Tue Jun 07, 2022 12:26 pm
I know this has probably been talked to death, but Kirkland really is the worst firm for culture right? The associates are all extremely overworked but backstab each other constantly. They will go out of their way to copy in partners on emails in an effort to make themselves look better.

If you want to work at Kirkland be prepared for totally unrealistic deadlines that, if you miss, will get a strong rebuke with an entire team copied in a deliberate effort to humiliate you. Most partners don't even care/read emails, but like why would someone subject themselves to this? Oh wait, most don't, hence Kirkland's crazy attrition rate. Beware.
Lol. This isn’t my experience at all, but it is the standard schtick I hear from people who don’t actually work at the firm. Who knows, maybe the other offices are shittier - I can only speak for mine.

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jun 07, 2022 3:35 pm

Ultramar vistas wrote:
Mon Jun 06, 2022 9:48 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Jun 06, 2022 9:44 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Sun Jun 05, 2022 7:24 pm
Can anyone provide info on the Dallas office? What are they known for? Assuming they have funds, m&a and cap mkts?
All correct as far as work . Not sure if they have any lit tbh. Plenty of energy work but not as much as Houston, though in my experience plenty of deals still get cross-staffed between the two offices (this may be changing now). Beautiful, brand new office space in Uptown/Highland Park. Managing partner is a younger guy that hustles and there seems to be plenty of work (not shocking, its KE).
They have a pretty built out litigation team.
Yeah 23 litigators, including the recently former US Attorney for ND Texas, which made a big splash around here when her hiring was announced. Pretty solid.

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Re: Kirkland Megathread

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jun 07, 2022 3:38 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Tue Jun 07, 2022 3:33 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Tue Jun 07, 2022 12:26 pm
I know this has probably been talked to death, but Kirkland really is the worst firm for culture right? The associates are all extremely overworked but backstab each other constantly. They will go out of their way to copy in partners on emails in an effort to make themselves look better.

If you want to work at Kirkland be prepared for totally unrealistic deadlines that, if you miss, will get a strong rebuke with an entire team copied in a deliberate effort to humiliate you. Most partners don't even care/read emails, but like why would someone subject themselves to this? Oh wait, most don't, hence Kirkland's crazy attrition rate. Beware.
Lol. This isn’t my experience at all, but it is the standard schtick I hear from people who don’t actually work at the firm. Who knows, maybe the other offices are shittier - I can only speak for mine.
I will say - I have seen this as an exception, but not the rule. I think most people try to look out for each other. The only time I have seen throwing under the bus is when someone is non-responsive or blows a deadline - blowing deadlines is ok, just let your team know status updates. Everyone knows you aren't working on one deal at a time.

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