Kirkland Holds Annual Basic Training Academy for New Transactional Associates
More than 200 first-year corporate and transactional associates participated in Kirkland & Ellis' Basic Training Academy (BTA) this month. The immersive learning experience provided new associates with early exposure to on-the-job experience, and reinforced the skills and behaviors that are essential to achieving success within the Firm and to providing world-class client service.
Basic Training Academy consists of practice-specific discussions, skill-building, and experiential activities led by Kirkland attorneys. Associates are trained on topics such as the life cycle of a deal, how to effectively leverage technology, and how add value to teams and clients. More than 30 senior attorneys from Kirkland’s offices apprenticed the new associates in a fully online format. Associates left this year’s BTA with added tools to help build a successful start to their careers and experienced Kirkland’s collaborative and innovative culture first-hand. One first-year associate said they benefited from hearing about “the synergies between Kirkland practice groups” while another noted that “the presenters conveyed excitement for what they do and Kirkland as an organization which, in turn, got me even more excited to be joining the firm.”
“We firmly believe in the benefit of hands-on experience, as well as timely and practical learning opportunities to enable young lawyers to take-on outsized responsibilities to further their careers. Basic Training Academy has been an important initiative to help cultivate and train our exceptional young associates. This year’s program was another fantastic success.” said Melissa Hutson, a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee who participated in BTA this year.
BTA supports the growth of the next generation of exceptional deal lawyers and reflects the Firm’s position in the marketplace. Kirkland has the largest and most active private equity practice in the world, serving more than 500 private equity sponsors and generating the largest deal flow of any law firm. Kirkland is consistently recognized as a top legal advisor for M&A and private equity buyouts. For more information about BTA, visit the Legal Education & Development page.