Anna’s Career Story

One of the most important factors for me in choosing a firm was its culture. Kirkland’s culture is about being proactive and embracing challenges. The litigators I work with are capable, confident and excited to be trial lawyers. Even in high-pressure situations, we manage to have fun, laugh and work as a team to get the job done.

I have grown leaps and bounds as an attorney at Kirkland. I have done work that pushed me out of my comfort zone, taken on responsibilities that I never imagined I could handle so early in my career, and learned management skills quickly. For example, in a matter involving massive multi-district litigation, I quickly progressed from doing legal research and fact development to writing briefs that resulted in the dismissal of dozens of claims against our client.

There’s a saying around here — at Kirkland, you get to stand on the shoulders of giants. It’s true. Our partners are among the very best in their fields. And through their training, mentorship, and guidance, they empower the future generation of Kirkland lawyers to follow in their footsteps. 

At Kirkland, I had to be ready to take on substantive and high-stakes assignments right away.  As an associate, I examined key witnesses at trial, including our client’s CFO, in a historic bankruptcy case. I wasn’t alone; our associates took on a lot of responsibility in that case, which made Kirkland stand out among many other law firms involved. The partners didn’t just give me the opportunity—they reviewed my outline and gave me the moral support I needed to step up to the podium with confidence. That experience has been the highlight of my career.

There is a strong emphasis on pro bono service at Kirkland. The Firm counts pro bono the same as billable work in terms of compensation and reviews.

With the support of the Firm’s full resources, including funding for a translator, an expert, and trial materials, I am representing an immigration client who is seeking asylum. I am responsible for the legal strategy and decisions in that case, from writing the briefs, to preparing our evidence, to examining witnesses at the asylum hearing. Working on a case where someone’s life and well-being are on the line puts my other work into perspective.

I can’t think of anywhere I could take on better-quality work, more responsibility, and more interesting opportunities than I have at Kirkland. Here, I get to be a trial lawyer and to work with people I truly respect, admire, and learn from every day.