Sarah’s Career Story

Kirkland fosters an entrepreneurial environment where attorneys are encouraged to take ownership of their careers from day one. I often describe it as being the “master of your own destiny” but with the benefit of mentors and colleagues who are consistently supportive and invested in your growth. You have the flexibility to seek out work that interests you and shape a path that aligns with your goals, which I’ve found incredibly rewarding.

I’m proud to be part of a firm that brings together exceptionally talented, driven attorneys across a wide range of practices and geographies. Drawing on our varied backgrounds, there’s a shared commitment to excellence and to achieving the best outcomes for our clients, alongside colleagues we respect and enjoy working with.

On my very first day at Kirkland, I was brought onto a pro bono matter involving the adoption of a young girl by her foster family. Being part of such a meaningful milestone was incredibly rewarding and a powerful introduction to the Firm.

I’ve also had the opportunity to travel internationally with colleagues from multiple offices for a matter. It not only broadened my experience but also allowed me to build strong relationships across offices and immerse myself in new cities. It’s something I’m especially grateful to have experienced so early in my career.

Kirkland’s open assignment system is a core part of how the Firm operates. It’s given me the opportunity to pursue a more niche area of my practice while collaborating across offices. That flexibility has allowed me to gain meaningful experience and build relationships without traditional barriers.

Kirkland’s Summer Associate Program offers a wide range of substantive and social experiences that give you a clear understanding of the Firm while helping you build meaningful relationships. By the end of the summer, I felt both well-prepared to start my career and genuinely connected to my future colleagues.

Early in my career, I measured success through incremental growth. Noticing that tasks feel more intuitive than they did a year ago and being able to mentor junior attorneys have been meaningful indicators of progress. Those small moments reinforce that I’m continually developing and becoming a stronger attorney.

The Kirkland Institute for Pretrial Practice (KIPP) and Kirkland Institute for Trial Advocacy (KITA) have been instrumental in my professional growth at the Firm. Their hands-on, practical approach provides early exposure to the core skills needed for litigation. Being immersed in that kind of learning environment from the outset made a meaningful difference in building my confidence.