Michael Falk Joins Chicago Office of Kirkland as Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Partner
Kirkland & Ellis LLP is pleased to announce that Michael Falk has joined the Firm as an employee benefits and executive compensation partner in the Chicago office.
“Michael is a talented lawyer with a great reputation,” said Jeffrey C. Hammes, Chairman of Kirkland’s Global Management Executive Committee. “He has a broad range of experience advising on employee benefits, ERISA and executive compensation issues, including in the context of complex mergers and acquisitions. He will be an immediate asset to our clients and a great addition to our already strong team in this area.”
Mr. Falk advises clients in connection with qualified and nonqualified retirement plans, executive and equity compensation, Code Section 409A, welfare plans, and the benefits aspects of mergers and acquisitions. His experience includes assisting clients with the design and implementation of defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plans, nonqualified deferred compensation plans, and equity/incentive compensation vehicles.
Mr. Falk joins Kirkland from the Chicago office of Winston & Strawn LLP, where he was a partner and chair of the employee benefits and executive compensation practice.
Since 2013, Mr. Falk has been recognized in The Legal 500 U.S. as a leading lawyer for employee benefits and executive compensation. His clients describe him as an “experienced employee benefits attorney who understands clients with no-nonsense” and a “tremendously practical lawyer with good business sense” that has the “technical knowledge of executive compensation issues [that] is incomparable.” He has also been recognized by Chambers USA and Illinois Super Lawyers.
Mr. Falk received a B.A. in philosophy from Northwestern University and a J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Illinois College of Law. He authored the book, “Practical Guide to Code Section 409A” (CCH) and is an adjunct professor of law at Loyola University Chicago School of Law and Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, where he teaches employee benefits and executive compensation law.
About Kirkland & Ellis
Kirkland & Ellis is a 1,900-attorney law firm representing global clients in private equity, M&A and other complex corporate transactions, litigation and dispute resolution/arbitration, restructuring, and intellectual property matters. The Firm has offices in Chicago, Beijing, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Munich, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Shanghai and Washington, D.C.
