Kirkland Honored with DreamKeepers Award by LINK Unlimited Scholars
LINK Unlimited Scholars, a Chicago-based college and career success organization focused solely on African-American youth, honored Kirkland & Ellis with its DreamKeepers Award at a gala event last night. The award is presented annually to an organization or individual who has given personal, professional and financial support as a means to provide access to success for LINK scholars.
For nearly two decades, more than 30 employees from Kirkland & Ellis have served as mentors to scholars of the LINK organization, providing guidance, tuition assistance and access to professional development opportunities. LINK has served more than 2,400 scholars since its inception in 1966 and boasts a 100 percent college acceptance rate for the past 17 years and counting.
“At Kirkland, we believe diversity makes us more vital, more competitive and better able to serve a varied client base, and we are committed to engaging meaningfully in programs that help students from diverse backgrounds reach their full potential academically and personally,” said Leslie Smith, Kirkland partner and member of the firm’s Global Management Executive Committee. “We are proud to contribute to the fantastic work LINK Unlimited does on behalf of promising African-American students in our community, and honored to be recognized for our long-standing partnership with LINK.”
Dr. Roslind Blasingame-Buford, President & CEO of LINK said, “We chose to honor Kirkland & Ellis this year for their consistent and unwavering commitment to the work we do on behalf of African-American students in Chicago. LINK understands that social disparities often place them at a disadvantage when it comes to academic achievement, personal development, and college readiness. As an organization, we respond to this critical need and it is especially rewarding to have a company like Kirkland & Ellis standing with us as we work to fulfill this mission.”
About Kirkland & Ellis
Kirkland & Ellis is a global law firm with 2,200 attorneys representing clients in private equity, M&A and other complex corporate transactions, litigation and dispute resolution/arbitration, restructuring, and intellectual property matters, from 13 offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. Kirkland is committed to being a good corporate citizen, and focused on improving communities and the legal profession in a variety of ways, including monetary gifts through the Kirkland & Ellis Foundation; providing legal services without charge to those who cannot afford counsel; reducing the Firm’s environmental impact; and, embracing and promoting diversity within the Firm and the legal profession. In 2017, the Kirkland & Ellis Foundation donated more than $14 million to 1,400 charitable organizations worldwide and Kirkland attorneys devoted more than 118,000 hours of free legal service to pro bono clients. Kirkland’s commitment to diversity is reflected in its policies, programs and committees as well as its efforts to build and maintain a culture that values and gathers strength from differences in socioeconomic, racial, ethnic and personal backgrounds. Learn more about Kirkland’s commitment to pro bono and corporate social responsibility at www.kirkland.com/CSR.