Alex’s Career Story

Kirkland’s culture of entrepreneurship has given me the chance to take control of my practice. While I’m primarily an environmental transactions lawyer, I’ve also had the opportunity to work on government investigations, crisis management and regulatory matters.

What has surprised me most about Kirkland is how many options and opportunities there are. When M&A is slower, my group gets looped in on bankruptcy matters. I also became involved in the government investigations work done out of the Washington, D.C., office as a junior associate and absolutely loved it. I’ve been able to work on quite a few exciting investigations and expand my skills in a new area.

I’m involved in the Women’s Professional Network (WPN), the Pride Professional Network and the Access Professional Network. Through the Access Professional Network, the Firmwide group dedicated to advancing inclusion for people with disabilities, I’ve spearheaded several summer associate events to boost interest and participation in the group.

When I attended the 2022 Pride retreat in D.C., I was still relatively new to the Firm and didn’t know many other LGBTQ+ attorneys. Getting to meet so many other openly LGBTQ+ colleagues made me more comfortable being my authentic self at work. One unique part of the event was the break-out session for women and nonbinary/gender non-conforming people. I felt at home right away, like I’d found my people at the Firm. Feeling welcomed and accepted has made a tremendous difference in my professional development.

As a junior and now mid-level associate, I have had a tremendous amount of trust placed in me to run processes and have direct contact with clients. I get to work on a wide variety of high-profile and cutting-edge matters that both challenge and interest me.

Early in my career at Kirkland, I assisted in preparing a CEO of a major company for a Congressional hearing on climate change. It gave me fascinating insight into the Congressional process and was an opportunity I’m not sure I would have had elsewhere.

I have learned so much about how to be a better attorney at Kirkland. You’re encouraged to take ownership of your career here. I’ve been able to expand my practice in ways I never thought possible and have been given a tremendous amount of trust as I’ve become more senior.

I find the opportunities to work on cutting-edge and top-of-market deals the most fulfilling part of this job. Our deal volume is very high, and the Firm is on some of the largest and most high-profile deals in the world. It’s a big challenge, but one I’ve come to love. Having a strong bond with people in my group makes the work easier.

Informal training and mentoring have been the best parts of my experience at Kirkland. The partners I work with are genuinely invested in ensuring the success and professional development of each associate. I started at the Firm during the pandemic, and I was worried that I wouldn’t make the types of mentoring connections that I made at my prior firm. Everyone in my group made an effort to ensure I learned, and I developed close relationships with people in my group quickly after starting. The environmental partners in my office make all the difference.