Kirkland Ellis

In 2025, Kirkland and Ellis became the first law firm to cross $10 billion in revenue. Over 11 million in average profit per equity partner. Both metrics grew 20% in a single year. No partnership of any kind has scaled this fast at this size. The engine is private equity. Kirkland became the default firm for leveraged buyouts and fund formations. As private equity assets ballooned from one trillion to over eight trillion, Kirkland grew proportionally. What separates Kirkland is its compensation philosophy. Partners are paid on business generated, not seniority.