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About Kirkland & Ellis

At Kirkland & Ellis, we are united in our ambition and drive to move forward. We share core values that help us achieve excellence: collaboration, talent empowerment, service, inclusion, respect and gratitude. Our people are our greatest asset, and we invest in the brightest talent and encourage a diversity of perspectives and strengths to create dynamic teams that operate at the pinnacle of their field. Our talented professionals show up every day knowing they will engage in meaningful work, continuous learning and professional development.
 
As one of the world’s leading law firms, we serve a broad range of clients with market-leading practices in private equity, M&A and other complex corporate transactions; investment fund formation and alternative asset management; restructurings; high-stakes commercial and intellectual property litigation; and government, regulatory and internal investigations. We handle the most complicated and sophisticated legal matters because we don’t just meet industry standards, we create them. We bring innovation and entrepreneurialism to every engagement and, as a result, have long-standing client relationships with leading global corporations and financial sponsors. With 6,500 employees (including 3,500 lawyers) operating from 20 offices across the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, we are one of the largest law firms in the world and a top financial performer.

Essential Job Functions

The Washington DC Office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP is seeking a Senior Litigation Paralegal.

Assist attorneys in all phases of the litigation process, from the discovery period through the trial and the post-trial findings and appeals.

• Responsible for document organization and production, including number-stamping, redacting, photocopying and indexing of documents, checking copies, setting up and maintaining files, stripping files at the close of a case, labeling files and sending them to storage
• Review and analyze documents for production, under the direct guidance of an attorney; categorize documents by subject; prepare a chronology of facts; create charts; prepare statistical analyses; review transcripts for specific references
• Conduct factual research; gather relevant information from available resources, e.g. newspapers, magazines, libraries, case documents, trade associations, etc.
• Prepare for and attend depositions: gather documents relevant to the deponent, organize exhibits; take notes at the deposition, photocopy documents
• Digest transcripts to summarize highlights of a proceeding
• Prepare for and attend trial:  organize exhibits, files and all other supporting documents; make arrangements for transporting and setting up files at court; at the trial, take notes, handle exhibits, gather documents referred by either counsel, denote which exhibits are marked and offered or just identified; interact with witnesses
• Assist with the preparation of motions:  collect relevant documents, assemble and proofread exhibits
• Assist with appeals:  pull and photocopy documents for a record on appeal and/or a joint appendix; index cases for a table of authorities; act as liaison with the printers; when necessary, file documents at court
• Prepare binders for each witness, containing interview memos, digests and relevant documents
• Retrieve documents as requested by attorneys
• Conduct various document searches and factual research, including searches on computerized systems
• Train and mentor assigned Case Assistants; effectively delegate assignments and closely monitor their work
• Assign Paralegals to various aspects of cases that best utilize and complement their skill set and interests
• Teach Case Assistants, Paralegals and junior Attorneys new technology and techniques for successfully running a trial and managing large teams
• Keep staff motivated during long hours of work and high stress
• Develop relationships with vendors and negotiate best rates to contain costs
• Commitment to work nights and weekends; available to travel and be away from home for extended periods of time

Qualifications & Requirements

The qualified candidate must have 8+ years experience as a Litigation Paralegal in a mid to large size law firm or corporation, demonstrating the very highest level of substantive knowledge and understanding of their practice area.  This includes managing large discovery, creating and managing databases and imaging systems, supervising teams, preparing for trials in Federal court, and managing trial support.  Candidate must have a high level experience with a range of litigation support applications and expert knowledge of current technology relevant to the practice area, including but not limited to:  Access, Concordance, Summation, IPRO, Outlook, Live Note, LiveEdgar, Excel, Lexis, and Westlaw.  Candidate must display good judgment and handle any challenge with maturity and leadership while anticipating issues that may arise and offering well thought out suggestions and solutions.  The successful candidate must have excellent analytical and organizational abilities, creativity and initiative.  The candidate must maintain high work quality while under pressure of deadlines and competing priorities.  Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to interact effectively with staff, attorneys, clients, courts, and vendors are essential.  A college degree is required; equivalent work experience will be considered.

How to Apply

Thank you for your interest in Kirkland & Ellis LLP.  To complete an application and submit your resume, please click "Apply Now."

Equal Employment Opportunity

All employment decisions, including the recruiting, hiring, placement, training availability, promotion, compensation, evaluation, disciplinary actions, and termination of employment (if necessary) are made without regard to the employee’s race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy or childbirth, personal appearance, family responsibilities, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, political affiliation, source of income, place of residence, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military veteran status, unfavorable discharge from military service, physical or mental disability, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

Closing Statement

The www.kirkland.com job postings and recruiting mailbox are for candidates only. If you are a recruiter, search firm or employment agency, and do not have a signed contract with Kirkland & Ellis LLP ("K&E") and have not been asked specifically to submit candidates, you will not be compensated in any way for your referral of a candidate even if K&E hires the candidate. Direct contact with K&E employees in an attempt to present candidates is inappropriate and will be a factor in determining any future professional relationship with the Firm. #LI-Hybrid #LI-JG1