Kirkland & Ellis LLP to Donate Up to $300,000 to Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts

The Kirkland & Ellis LLP Foundation has created a $150,000 matching fund, which could total $300,000 including partner and employee contributions, to help recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

"The devastation in the Gulf Coast is difficult to fathom," said Vicki Hood, Kirkland partner and president and director of the Kirkland & Ellis Foundation. "The people of this region will be facing very challenging times ahead, and we want to move quickly to help in the healing process."

The money is tagged for the American Red Cross' disaster relief efforts in some of the hardest hit areas of Katrina's destruction. The contribution will help the charitable organization supply hundreds of thousands of victims left homeless with critical necessities such as food, shelter and medical assistance.

"Kirkland & Ellis is among the first Chicago law firms to offer a contribution of this magnitude to the aid efforts following Hurricane Katrina," said Catherine Squires, chief development officer for the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. "Their generous gift will have an immense impact on the well-being of the victims right now and the future relief efforts within the Gulf Coast region."

This is Kirkland's second contribution to disaster relief efforts made this year, following a gift in excess of $275,000 given to Save the Children's "Asia Earthquake/Tidal Wave Relief Fund." The gift aided relief efforts in the wake of the tsunami in south Asia, and was the largest given by any law firm who donated to Save the Children's tsunami fund.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is a 1,000-attorney law firm representing global clients in complex corporate and tax, litigation, restructuring, dispute resolution and arbitration, and intellectual property and technology matters. The Firm has offices in Chicago, London, Munich, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.