Leah’s Career Story

Kirkland is a place that allows you to take on new responsibilities when you’ve shown you are ready. There are constant opportunities for growth, and I’ve been given the chance to develop skills across the full spectrum of antitrust work. That trust has accelerated my development as an attorney. I’ve developed a much stronger sense of confidence in my ability to succeed.

Knowing that I’ve been set up for success, with strong mentorship and support, has allowed me to take on new assignments with confidence, even when doing something for the first time. That foundation has made all the difference.

I’m excited to continue to take on more responsibility and to work with junior associates who are just starting out. Having benefited so much from the mentorship and investment of others, I’m looking forward to paying it forward and helping the future classes of antitrust attorneys develop their skills.

Kirkland’s culture is defined by brilliant, talented people who genuinely invest in each other’s success. Throughout my time at the Firm — first as a paralegal, then as a summer associate and now as an associate — the number of people who have gone out of their way to provide support and guidance has been invaluable. Beyond professional development opportunities, Kirkland has brought me meaningful professional connections and friendships.

I’m proud to work alongside people who are both exceptional at what they do and who I genuinely enjoy collaborating with on engaging, thoughtful work. There’s a shared commitment to excellence here that makes even the most challenging matters rewarding.

Within my first month as an associate, I was staffed on a high-profile public company transaction where I had meaningful client contact and was empowered to take the first pass at drafting advocacy submissions for the government. That early vote of confidence affirmed that Kirkland is a place that invests in my growth and provides real opportunities from the start.

One of the things I love most about antitrust work at Kirkland is that you get the best parts of both litigation and transactional matters. I’m constantly learning about new industries, and we work with such engaging and interesting clients that I’m truly never bored. Kirkland’s reputation for handling the most complex and high-stakes transactions means we attract the kinds of challenging deals and sophisticated clients that simply don’t come to other firms.

The open assignment system was something I was intimidated by at first, but I’ve found it to be a very natural setup that gives me agency over my career. It allows me to be thoughtful about the matters I take on and who I work with, which creates a genuine sense of engagement and investment in my work.

The best part of the open assignment system has been working across Kirkland’s offices. Antitrust work at Kirkland is cross-office and cross-border. I regularly collaborate with colleagues in London and Brussels on global antitrust matters and with corporate teams across the U.S. That breadth of collaboration has expanded my perspective and made the work even more interesting.

Kirkland’s assigned mentor system has been particularly valuable to my growth as an attorney. It connected me with attorneys I might not have otherwise known within my practice group. These mentors provided meaningful advice and support from day one as a first-year associate, and those relationships have since developed into genuine professional connections that have continued throughout my time at the Firm.

Combined with other formal resources such as the training programs and the Women’s Affinity Group, these Firm resources have significantly contributed to building my confidence as an attorney.