David S. Stoner Uncommon Counselor Award

The Dave Nee Foundation honored Kirkland & Ellis with the 2017 David S. Stoner Uncommon Counselor Award for “incorporating mindfulness and wellness into [the Firm’s] training for lawyers, championing [the] mission to bring healthy mental hygiene practices to the legal profession.” Kirkland initiated a wellness training program where employees are presented workshops on changing habits to reduce stress and bolster emotional coping skills. The workshops are supplemented by meditation classes and additional content delivered digitally each week.

The Dave Nee Foundation works to educate law students about depression, its prevalence in the legal profession, and the availability and effectiveness of treatment. The Foundation also supports academic research and facilitates conversations about structural changes and stigmas-reduction among lawyers, educators and others. The David S. Stoner Uncommon Counselor Award is given annually to a member of the legal profession who exhibits extraordinary compassion and concern for co-workers, family, friends, and community.