Bankruptcy & Debt
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP's Restructuring Group offers comprehensive services to clients facing financial challenges, including debtors, creditors, and distressed investors. With over 200 attorneys across offices in the U.S., London, Munich, and Hong Kong, the firm specializes in complex domestic and cross-border restructuring and insolvency matters. Their experience spans multiple industries, such as automotive, media, telecommunications, transportation, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, retail, and real estate. The team provides strategic advice on all forms of financial and operational restructurings, including Chapter 11 proceedings, out-of-court restructurings, and distressed mergers and acquisitions. Kirkland & Ellis has been recognized as the #1 firm in the world in restructuring for eight consecutive years by Global Restructuring Review's GRR 30 Rankings (2017-2024) and was named Bankruptcy Law Firm of the Year by Chambers USA Awards in 2024.
Business
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP's Business practice area offers comprehensive legal services in corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity, capital markets, and corporate governance. The firm's attorneys assist clients in structuring and executing complex transactions, ensuring regulatory compliance, and navigating corporate challenges. Their expertise spans various industries, providing tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of each client.
Banking & Finance
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP's Banking & Financial Institutions Practice Group provides comprehensive counsel to financial institutions, banks, investment banks, and investors on capital formation transactions, mergers and acquisitions, complex financings, and the development of capital-qualified debt and equity securities. Leveraging extensive experience in private equity, financial services, and public company representation, the firm advises on regulatory compliance, enforcement actions, insolvency matters, and governmental investigations. The team also assists private equity groups within large financial institutions in forming and investing in private funds, managing portfolio companies, and developing strategies to navigate regulatory reforms, including the Volcker Rule under the Dodd-Frank Act.
Employment & Labor
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP provides comprehensive employment and labor law services, including litigation in federal and state courts and before administrative agencies. The firm advises clients on compliance with federal and state employment statutes and regulations, and has been involved in legislative efforts related to employment and labor law. Their practice areas encompass labor management relations, employment termination, policy development, employment contracts, immigration compliance, occupational safety, legislative matters, and wage and hour standards. Additionally, the firm's employment law practice collaborates with other areas such as mergers and acquisitions, health and safety, government contracts, employee benefits, and restructuring.
Insurance
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP's Insurance Transactions & Regulatory Practice Group offers comprehensive counsel on high-profile transactions and regulatory matters within the insurance industry. The team combines deep industry knowledge with leading capabilities in mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and capital markets to deliver exceptional service to clients operating or transacting in the insurance sector. Their integrated regulatory team provides practical, business-minded advice aligned with clients' broader transactional goals, consistently achieving exceptional results for sophisticated players in the insurance industry.
Intellectual Property
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP's Intellectual Property practice offers comprehensive services in IP litigation, transactions, and counseling, assisting clients in protecting and maximizing their intellectual assets. Their litigation team has achieved significant results in patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret misappropriation, and advertising disputes, handling complex, high-stakes cases across various venues, including U.S. district courts, the U.S. International Trade Commission, and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The firm also has a dedicated team of over 80 lawyers specializing in structuring and negotiating complex transactions driven by innovation and technology, such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, and licensing agreements. Recognized for their excellence, Kirkland has received Tier 1 rankings in multiple IP practice areas by Managing Intellectual Property's IP Stars and has been honored as "Appellate Firm of the Year" and "Trade Secrets Firm of the Year" at the 2025 Americas Awards.
Lawsuits & Disputes
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP offers comprehensive litigation and dispute resolution services, representing clients in complex cases across various sectors. Their team of over 650 attorneys handles trials and appeals in federal and state courts, administrative tribunals, and arbitration forums worldwide. They specialize in areas such as antitrust, securities, intellectual property, product liability, and international arbitration. Their trial-ready approach focuses on early issue identification and strategic case management to achieve favorable outcomes. The firm's global presence and multidisciplinary teams enable them to effectively navigate cross-border disputes and regulatory challenges.
Real Estate
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP's Real Estate Practice Group comprises seasoned, multidisciplinary attorneys who provide comprehensive counsel on complex real estate transactions. The team represents a diverse clientele, including active private equity sponsors, publicly traded REITs, sovereign wealth funds, major pension organizations, and other institutional investors, guiding them through all phases of real estate investment-from fundraising and structuring to capital deployment and final disposition. Their expertise encompasses mergers, take-private transactions, and recapitalizations, as well as advising both lenders and borrowers on a wide array of financing transactions across the capital structure, such as corporate term loans, revolving credit facilities, bond issuances, CMBS financings, and mezzanine loans. The practice covers major asset classes, including logistics, office, retail, large-scale multifamily, student housing, medical office, life sciences, data centers, manufactured housing, single-family rentals, hospitality, gaming, leisure, and infrastructure, across global markets.
Media, Technology and Telecoms
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP's Technology & IP Transactions Practice Group specializes in business transactions driven by technological assets and intellectual property rights. With a global team of nearly 100 lawyers dedicated to this field, the firm negotiates and structures complex deals, including joint ventures, strategic alliances, licenses, outsourcing, and collaborations. Approximately half of the lawyers in this practice have technical degrees or professional backgrounds, enabling them to effectively bridge the gap between legal and technical aspects. The firm represents a diverse clientele, from Fortune 100 companies to growth-stage businesses, across industries such as software, life sciences, healthcare, transportation, and media. This breadth of experience allows Kirkland & Ellis to understand and address the unique needs of all parties involved in technology-driven transactions.
Corporate & Commercial
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP's Corporate & Commercial practice provides comprehensive legal services to clients across various industries, focusing on complex corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and capital markets. The firm's attorneys offer strategic counsel on corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and commercial contracts, assisting clients in navigating intricate business challenges and achieving their strategic objectives.
Energy, Environment & ESG
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP's Energy, Environment & ESG practice offers comprehensive legal services to clients navigating the complexities of environmental, social, and governance matters. The firm advises on sustainability goals, regulatory compliance, and ESG-related financing, assisting clients in developing and implementing responsible investment and sustainability policies. With a multidisciplinary team, Kirkland provides strategic counsel on ESG due diligence, impact investing, and climate change initiatives, ensuring clients effectively manage risks and capitalize on opportunities in the evolving ESG landscape.
