The Legal 500 U.S. 2025: 64 Kirkland Practice Areas and 280 Attorneys Recognized

In the 2025 edition of The Legal 500 U.S., Kirkland & Ellis is ranked as a leading firm in 64 categories, including 31 Tier 1 ratings. Additionally, 25 attorneys are featured in the “Hall of Fame,” 70 attorneys are named “Leading Lawyers” and 28 attorneys are recognized as “Next Generation Lawyers.”

The Legal 500 provides an objective analysis on leading law firms in the U.S. market in various areas of law. Rankings are based on in-depth research, including feedback from clients and peers, to highlight firms with a truly national presence and the capability to handle sophisticated and complex work. Ranked firms and individuals demonstrate qualities most valued by clients, including technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial astuteness, diligence and commitment. Kirkland’s practices and individual attorneys have continually been recognized by The Legal 500.

Clients commended the Firm’s work noting, “Kirkland's team is committed to finding viable pathways forward, ensuring that clients feel supported and empowered throughout the process. This unique blend of commercial acumen and legal proficiency sets Kirkland apart in the industry.”

Tier 1 rankings include:

Antitrust – Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense
Dispute Resolution – Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense: Advice to Corporates
Dispute Resolution – General Commercial Disputes
Dispute Resolution – M&A Litigation: Defense
Dispute Resolution – Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices - Defense
Dispute Resolution – Securities Litigation: Defense
Energy – Energy Litigation: Oil & Gas
Energy – Energy Transactions: Electric Power
Energy – Energy Transactions: Oil & Gas 
Energy – Energy: Renewable/Alternative Power
Environment – Environment: Transactional 
Finance – Capital Markets: High-yield Debt Offerings: Advice to Issuers
Finance – Commercial Lending: Advice to Borrowers
Finance – Restructuring (Including Bankruptcy): Corporate
Finance – Structured Finance: Securitization
Intellectual Property – Copyright
Intellectual Property – Patent Litigation: Full Coverage
Intellectual Property – Patent Litigation: International Trade Commission
Intellectual Property – Trade Secrets (Litigation and Non-contentious Matters)
Intellectual Property – Trademarks: Litigation 
International Trade – CFIUS
Investment Funds – Private Equity Funds (Including Venture Capital)
Labor and Employment – Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Transactional
M&A/Corporate and Commercial – M&A: Large Deals ($1BN+)
M&A/Corporate and Commercial – Private Equity Buyouts
M&A/Corporate and Commercial – Shareholder Activism: Advice to Boards
Media, Technology and Telecoms – Advertising and Marketing: Litigation
Media, Technology and Telecoms – Technology Transactions
Real Estate
Tax – International Tax
Tax – US Taxes: Non-contentious

The Firm is also recognized in:

Antitrust – Cartel
Antitrust – Merger Control
Dispute Resolution – Appellate: Courts of Appeal 
Dispute Resolution – Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense: Advice to Individuals
Dispute Resolution – E-discovery
Dispute Resolution – Financial Services Litigation
Dispute Resolution – Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Actions: Automotive/Transport
Dispute Resolution – Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Actions: Consumer Products (Including Tobacco)
Dispute Resolution – Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Toxic Tort - Defense
Energy – Energy Regulation: Electric Power
Environment – Environment: Litigation
Finance – Capital Markets: Debt Offerings - Advice to Issuers
Finance – Capital Markets: Equity Offerings - Advice to Issuers
Finance – Capital Markets: Equity Offerings - Advice to Managers
Finance – Commercial Lending: Advice to Direct Lenders/Private Credit
Finance – Project Finance: Energy and Power
Finance – Project Finance: Infrastructure and PPP
Government – Government Relations
Government – State Attorneys General
Healthcare – Life Sciences 
Insurance – Insurance: Non-contentious 
Intellectual Property – Patents: Licensing
Intellectual Property – Trademarks: Non-contentious (Including Prosecution, Portfolio Management and Licensing)
International Trade – Customs, Export Controls and Economic Sanctions 
International Trade – National Security 
Investment Funds – Mutual/Registered/Exchange-Traded Funds 
M&A/Corporate and Commercial – Corporate Governance 
Media, Technology and Telecoms – Media and Entertainment: Litigation
Media, Technology and Telecoms – Media and Entertainment: Transactional
Media, Technology and Telecoms – Outsourcing
Real Estate – Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS)
Tax – US Taxes: Contentious
Transport – Aviation and Air Travel: Litigation and Regulation 

View all of Kirkland’s Legal 500 U.S. 2025 rankings here.