Kirkland skips public announcement of this year’s partner promotions

‍Kirkland & Ellis, long known for its bumper partner promotions each October, has quietly decided not to publicly announce this year’s round.

The move, first reported by Law.com, is certainly unusual - a quick check of the firm's website shows public announcements stretching back at least 20 years.

Last year, the firm promoted 200 lawyers to partner - slightly down on 2023's round of 205 but still around six times more than the 30 or so announced by each of the Magic Circle firms (excluding smaller Slaughters).

However, most of those are believed to have acquired non-equity status: roughly two-thirds of Kirkland’s 1,600-strong partnership are now thought to be salaried partners without true equity in the firm, according to Law.com.

What's behind it

There is speculation the shift could have something to do with a higher-than-liked turnover among newly promoted partners. Of the 200 made up in 2024, around one in ten have already left the firm, Law.com found.

The decision may also reflect increased attention on Kirkland’s rapid-growth model more broadly which has seen revenues climb by more than 80% over the past five years, reaching $8.8 billion in 2024, comfortably placing it as the world's biggest law firm.

The Chicago-born firm has long been known for its aggressive approach to promotions - elevating associates to non-equity partner status with as little as six years of post-qualification experience, in a strategy seen as both a talent retention tool and a means of boosting margins.

The move suggests Kirkland may now be looking to dial down attention on the size of its partner ranks.

The firm did not immediately respond to a request for comment.