Cheyenne’s Career Story

Kirkland has a strong and infectious culture of excellence. I work with partners who really care about their craft, and it’s inspiring. Kirkland lawyers enjoy being among the very best in the world at what they do, and I’m proud to be associated with that level of excellence. I feel fortunate to have had training and mentorship opportunities that have given me the tools I need to exceed expectations.

I work in the Environmental Transactions Practice Group, which is very close-knit. I know my colleagues well and feel like I have a home within the Firm. The partners understand the value of training associates, and they take time to provide robust feedback on our work product. We are also given opportunities to pose anonymous questions to the partners during our team meetings to help us better understand aspects of our practice. Even though partners and associates in my group are spread across Kirkland’s U.S. offices, the Firm encourages us to get together at retreats, conferences and other special events throughout the year, so it feels like we’re always connected.

A little more than a year after I arrived at Kirkland, I was staffed on a multi-billion-dollar semiconductor manufacturing transaction of national importance. The President of the United States actually mentioned the project on the news. I was staffed on several other significant deals shortly after I started working here, and I doubt I would have been able to work on as many substantial deals at this stage in my career at any other firm.

I work on transactions that involve companies operating in a wide array of industries. My M&A work has helped me understand how the world works in ways I never had the opportunity to appreciate in school or otherwise.

I serve on the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Committee in the San Francisco office, and I also serve as the Black Professional Network liaison for the Bay Area. I’ve been working with the Attorney Engagement staff to plan events and build community with my colleagues. I’ve been given so many resources, and I really appreciate that the DEI, attorney engagement and recruiting staff have been supportive of efforts to grow the Black Professional Network’s presence in the Bay Area. I’ve been involved in DEI initiatives since I was an undergraduate student at UC Berkeley, and I feel I have been most supported here at Kirkland. I have thoroughly enjoyed building a community with my colleagues at Kirkland.

I’ve become a more confident lawyer at Kirkland. I believe that professional confidence comes from having a clear understanding of how to do your job well. I am a first-generation professional, and at times during law school, I felt like the ball was hidden from me. However, that has not been my experience at Kirkland. The Firm wants to see associates succeed. The partners in my practice group have ensured that I’m equipped with the tools I needed to thrive here (or anywhere else for that matter), and I’ve been given opportunities to take on challenging work with greater responsibility. I am proud to say that at this stage of my career, I know that I do belong and can hang with the best of them.

I am most fulfilled by the knowledge I’ve acquired while working at Kirkland. I have developed valuable practical skills like how to provide advice, negotiate and maintain relationships while under pressure and in high-stakes situations. Kirkland has been the training ground I needed to prepare myself for a challenging and impactful life.

My practice group’s team meetings provide opportunities for lawyers and paralegals within our group to present on novel topics related to environmental issues or environmental law. These trainings provide all lawyers, including the most junior and senior in the group, opportunities to keep current on important issues.

Last year, I presented on email management and described a process I used to maintain a “zero inbox” and stay organized. Because the presentation was helpful, particularly to the junior associates, the presentation was formally incorporated into the associate training materials maintained within my group.