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Bootcamps are the new Corinthian colleges.
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Subject Expert
I see the confusion. When we say “Kirkland” we are referring to the law firm not the Costco brand. Of course the Kirkland brand at Costco is a city atop a hill of brilliance.
Coach
When you sleep and chill, I cry and bill
A few thoughts as a former K&E associate (now at a peer V10 firm):
K&E’s decision to maximize PPP is detrimental to virtually all associate interests including job security, amenities, and likelihood of advancement. Any number of V50 firms can pay the Cravath scale with lower PPP, so there’s nothing special (as far as associates are concerned) about year-over-year PPP records.
K&E does a lot of clownish stuff that gets mocked across the industry, including 6th year “partners” and a “one simple trick that opposing counsel doesn’t want you to know” negotiation strategy of doggedly asserting that K&E’s position on virtually every open point is “market.”
There are “A” teams at Kirkland and teams that are total clown shows, and I feel like I had the chance to be both a star and a clown. Unfortunately, there seem to be more of the latter than the former… It gets really grating when associates take victory laps on behalf of a firm that is exceptional at the top end and bumblingly incompetent at the low end—doubly so when you consider that, statistically speaking, most of the K&E social media champions are probably not the internal stars.
K&E is notorious for multiplying tasks, churning hours, and running up bills. Once you get away from K&E, the 25+ attorney email distributions start looking really silly, and you wonder whether Kirkland might be doing less with more…
Coach
Yes this. The middle one hits hard as someone who has both litigated against and been on the other side of deals from K&E.
I will agree on one point about the business model and I don’t think clients realize or recognize this all of the time - they will triple the team and the billable and the give the client a “50% discount.” Even though the client is still paying more K&E will tell the client they won’t get a 50% discount anywhere else.
Subject Expert
You seem to be confusing associates and equity partners. It’s OK, I understand that they make you drink the Kool-Aid there.
Coach
Their “brilliant” business model is maximizing profits, regardless of externalities. As the means of production, you, the hourly fee biller, suffer the externalities.
Further, (a) they’ve burned so many other law firms, resulting in a harder time negotiating and a disservice to client, and (b) have hiring reputational issues, leading to a smaller potential talent pool on which to draw.
Does Kirkland negotiate now?
Yes, exploitation of labor is a great business model.
Enthusiast
Ok, well, Kirkland seems to be more miserable and hellish than other peer firms. And before you say that I don't know what I'm talking about, almost all of the partners at my last firm came from Kirkland
Coach
So now your firm is miserable and hellish? That’s the part that’s always funny to me - with so many laterals (especially the past few years) half the people at Kirkland are from other firms, and all the other firms are full of Kirkland people (and each other).
How can we draw such confident lines about differences in culture etc when it’s often literally the same damn people? Lol
Former K&E raised “partner” (i.e., glorified associate who has to foot the firms bills for insurance and amenities) and can confidently disagree.
Coach
Kirkland is a world of opportunity for associates and non-equity partners, a money printer for equity partners, and a cornerstone of the private capital industry.
Coach
No you are missing several other asset classes, most notably private credit.
Is it really that much worse than other firms?
Coach
Nah
Y’all really mad at a business for prioritizing making money. Go off kings and queens.
Imagine someone thinking they are a machine which will live forever and those thinking about work life balance are losers who lack real perspective about business.
Enthusiast
The PINO (partner in name only; drink lots of wine) model??
Subject Expert
Preach, I would lateral there so fast if they would hire me
Coach
If it gets me my life back 🥹
KE actually recently changed new partner comp to true up some of those additional expenses
The free food and snacks are great.