Kirkland Honored With CLAY Award by the Daily Journal

The Daily Journal recognized Kirkland with a 2026 “California Lawyer Attorney of the Year” (CLAY) Award, which honors California attorney teams that have handled the most impactful litigation over the past year.

Kirkland was selected for its work in Shaw et al. v. Los Angeles Unified School District et al., in which the Firm represented parents and guardians who alleged that LAUSD adopted and implemented distance-learning policies during COVID-19 closures that violated students’ constitutional and statutory rights, discriminated against students based on race and wealth, and fell below prevailing statewide standards. The case resulted in a landmark class action settlement — one of the largest in U.S. history — that delivers critical resources, including millions of hours of intensive tutoring, to more than 100,000 LAUSD students from low-income families and disadvantaged communities.

The CLAY Award honored Kirkland attorneys Mark Holscher, Sierra Elizabeth, Edward Hillenbrand, Ross McCabe, Aislinn McManus, Peer Marie Oppenheimer, Reena Bhatt and Jake Feiler.

“As law becomes more of a business, it was very gratifying to have the Firm’s support for our team that had several lawyers working hundreds of hours,” said Mark, a three-time CLAY Award winner.