Kirkland & Ellis Contributes $180,000 to Japan Earthquake Relief Efforts

The individual attorneys and staff of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, together with the Kirkland & Ellis Foundation, have contributed a total of $180,000 to assist with ongoing relief efforts related to the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11.

The Kirkland & Ellis Foundation contributed $100,000 to the International Relief Fund of the American Red Cross for use in relieving the suffering of earthquake victims. Kirkland attorneys and staff subsequently contributed $80,000 in individual donations.

"We are honored to share the contributions from the Kirkland & Ellis Foundation and numerous attorneys and staff with the Red Cross in Japan. The needs of those affected by this tragedy continue to grow," said partner William A. Streff, Jr., who also serves as a director for The Japan America Society of Chicago and was one of several Firm attorneys in Japan on the day the earthquake struck.

Since its founding in 1881, the American Red Cross has been the nation's premier emergency response organization. One month after the earthquake and tsunami, the American Red Cross has committed $100 million for the disaster response efforts and relief and recovery programs.

"People have responded quickly and generously to help the survivors of this disaster, and the gift from Kirkland & Ellis will add to the funds the American Red Cross continues to forward to our counterparts in Japan," said Francesca Edwardson, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago.

The American Red Cross has already sent contributions of $60 million to the Japanese Red Cross for the earthquake and tsunami response, and provided $500,000 to the United Nations World Food Programme for the delivery and storage of relief items. This week, the Japanese Red Cross will transfer approximately $800 million to the committee responsible for handing out cash grants to survivors.

"The Red Cross has a history of providing superior services in times of national and international crisis," said partner R. Scott Falk, a member of the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago's board of directors. "We're proud to contribute through that vital organization and are hopeful that its efforts are bringing some peace and comfort to survivors in Japan."

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is a 1,500-attorney law firm representing global clients in complex corporate and tax, litigation and dispute resolution/arbitration, restructuring, and intellectual property and technology matters. The Firm has offices in Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Munich, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Shanghai and Washington, D.C.