- U.S. & Americas
- Promotions
Kirkland & Ellis promoted 196 lawyers to its partnership in 2026, the smallest cohort entering the partnership since 2022, according to Law.com International Edition.
Kirkland's 196 follows a record 224 in 2025 and 205 in 2023
The 196 figure is below the three-year peak. Kirkland's recent classes included 193 in 2022, a then-record 205 in 2023 and 200 in 2024 (The Recorder), followed by its largest-ever class, at least 224, in 2025. Pirical and Bloomberg Law uncovered that number after the firm declined to announce it (Non-Billable).
The partnership now has roughly 1,600 lawyers. Class sizes are up more than 156% over a decade, from 80 in 2013 (Non-Billable).
Kirkland stopped publicly announcing its partner class in 2025, breaking with decades of tradition. Above the Law described the change as a move "from swagger to silence" (Above the Law). The firm also became the first to pass $10bn in revenue, reporting $10.6bn for 2025. Average profit per equity partner rose 20% to $11.1m (Legal Business). Kirkland has said it will stop voluntarily providing revenue and profit figures to the media (Legal Cheek).
Two-thirds of Kirkland's partners are non-equity as 87 of the top 100 adopt the tier
Roughly two-thirds of Kirkland's 1,600 partners are salaried, non-equity partners (LawFuel). The two-tier model Kirkland expanded is now used by 87 of the top 100 US firms. Rivals including Skadden are reportedly considering a non-equity tier as pressure on partner pay increases (Bloomberg Law).
The decision to stop disclosing names has been linked to movement within that tier. Around one in ten of the 200 partners promoted in 2024 have already left (Global Legal Post). One account connected the decision to stop naming partners with the number of non-equity partners who leave soon after being promoted (Non-Billable). The 196-person cohort comes against that backdrop.
Simpson Thacher, Paul Weiss and Sullivan & Cromwell take Kirkland partners in London
Kirkland is promoting partners while also losing them to competing firms. In London, Simpson Thacher hired private equity partner Nick Appleton, who advised Advent and KKR (Non-Billable). Sullivan & Cromwell hired PE/M&A partner Aprajita Dhundia and tax partner Ian Ferreira (Global Legal Post). Paul Weiss recruited funds partner Jeremy Leggate as co-head of European investment funds after seven years at the firm (Global Legal Post). Kirkland responded by hiring private equity and infrastructure partner Will Aitken-Davies from Paul Weiss (Kirkland & Ellis). Sidley Austin also took a California partner to expand its funds practice (Bloomberg Law).
Private equity drives much of this movement. It is Kirkland's main business and the area involved in both its London hires and the partners rivals are hiring away (Non-Billable). Firms are also competing for investment funds partners in London and California (Global Legal Post). Kirkland has expanded into banking and private credit as well, hiring Simpson Thacher's Adam Shapiro in New York (Legal Business).
Kirkland expanded its partner class by more than 156% over a decade and reached a peak of at least 224 in 2025. The 196 promotions in 2026 are the smallest class since 2022. They come as roughly two-thirds of the partnership remains non-equity and partners continue moving to Simpson Thacher, Paul Weiss, Sullivan & Cromwell and Sidley.
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