North America Innovative Lawyers Report 2016

The Financial Times named Kirkland one of the 25 most innovative law firms in North America in its 2016 North America Innovative Lawyers Report. The FT reviewed more than 340 submissions from nearly 70 law firms to compile its report on North America’s top law firms, legal teams and individuals.

Kirkland’s CareerLink career assistance service, which is available to Kirkland lawyers and alumni, was recognized as a “groundbreaking” example of innovation in “Supporting and Developing Talent.” The FT recognized CareerLink, the top-scoring nomination in the category, with an award during the North America Innovative Lawyers Awards dinner on December 5, 2016. In the report, the FT noted: “Since its creation last year, the programme has hired two full-time career coaches to help alumni with job searches and career workshops. It has also created an online toolkit that helps lawyers and alumni with resumes, covering letters and online profiles and with interview preparation, plus career workshops and a database of jobs in company legal departments. It will be a way for Kirkland to maintain connections to its alumni.”

Kirkland’s work on the Chapter 11 restructuring and related litigation for Sabine Oil & Gas was also highly commended in the “Managing Complexity and Scale” category. The FT noted: “Lawyers devised a litigation and bankruptcy strategy for Sabine Oil & Gas to resolve billions of dollars of creditor claims following a merger. The company completed its Chapter 11 restructuring with sufficient cash to expand its business.”