Leading Private Equity Partner Carolyn Vardi Joins Kirkland & Ellis

Kirkland & Ellis announced today that Carolyn Vardi has joined the Firm as a partner in the Corporate Practice Group.

“Carolyn is a highly regarded leader in the private equity space and well-known for her ability to handle difficult, complex deals,” said Jon A. Ballis, Chairman of Kirkland’s Executive Committee. “She’s going to be a great addition to our premier private equity practice.”

Ms. Vardi advises private equity sponsors and corporate clients on a wide range of transactions, including M&A, take-privates, joint ventures and strategic investments. Her experience spans public and private deals, bankruptcy-related matters and corporate governance. Ms. Vardi has led major transactions across sectors such as financial services, software, healthcare, industrials, consumer products and retail. She joins Kirkland from Ropes & Gray LLP.

Ms. Vardi was named “Private Equity Dealmaker of the Year” in 2021 for the middle market by The Deal and has been consistently recognized by Chambers USA and Chambers Global as a leading lawyer in private equity. She is also recognized by The Legal 500 U.S. and IFLR1000.

“I’m excited to join the Kirkland team,” said Ms. Vardi. “Kirkland is a giant in the world of legal services for private equity, and its emphasis on a collaborative approach to serving clients was really attractive to me.”