American law firm whose partners are the highest paid in the industry. Its untiring work for private equity has made it the dominant law firm in the field. Profits per lawyer at the 100 largest law firms have increased by 54% since 2019, according to the Thomson Reuters Institute; hourly rates rose at more than twice the pace of inflation over the same period.
Kirkland & Ellis pocketed nearly $200m from Blackstone alone during the two years to early 2026. Contentious debt restructurings—which tend to postpone rather than avoid bankruptcy—are among the fastest-growing businesses at the top law firms.
Exhilaration is that feeling you get just after a great idea hits you, and just before you realize what is wrong with it.