Kirkland & Ellis and the Fine Art of Saying Sorry Without Saying Sorry
Norma Harris, LawFuel contributor
The planet’s most profitable law firm, Kirkland and Ellis, has decided its famously steely negotiation style could do with a coat of polish. The firm, long the darling (and occasional demon) of private equity clients, apparently received the clearest market feedback imaginable: a word cloud at a New York investor summit that featured one unmissable wish – “Fire K&E.”
This, unsurprisingly, has triggered an outbreak of introspection at the Chicago-founded juggernaut. Lawyers across its global funds practice have now been marched through “communication style” training. The goal is to curb the firm’s reputation for being less ‘collaborative advisor’ and more ‘corporate vexation’.
According to insiders, Kirkland even banned the phrase “We respectfully decline.” A shame, really. Few three-word sentences in legal English capture passive resistance quite so elegantly.
Is It a Charm Offensive – or Damage Control?
The so-called etiquette training follows complaints from institutional investors who said Kirkland lawyers refused to budge on even “minor” fund terms. Some investors went so far as to blacklist deals involving Kirkland.
Kirkland refuses to confirm exactly how extensive this public-relations penance has become, but actions speak loudly enough. There’s the internal charm offensive that included inviting Texas pension powerbrokers and representatives from the Institutional Limited Partners Association (ILPA) to Austin for some quality fence-mending.
Then came a strategic hire, or a remedial marketing move, when the firm brought in Greg Durst, (pictured) a senior ILPA executive, brought aboard as “Senior Director of Global Fund Partnerships” to “strengthen relationships” or, perhaps, play corporate translator between Kirkland’s partners and their exasperated clients.
Beyond Kirkland
This isn’t just about bruised egos in private equity but is something of a case study in how client experience, not deal flow, now defines law firm branding at the highest end.
Kirkland may command the private capital market, but reputational tone-deafness can become corrosive, particularly in an environment where fund formation is slowing and investor patience is thin.
BigLaw arrogance doesn’t sell well in a market driven by partnership transparency, client empathy, and data-rich relationships. In our earlier analysis of law firm marketing strategy, we noted that culture and communication top the list of client retention factors, even more than pricing or technical excellence.
The best lawyers in the world are learning that tone matters. And if you need etiquette training to be reminded of that, well, congratulations, you’re truly at the top of your profession.
Perspective: Big Law’s Rebranding of Itself
As LawFuel reported in “The Kirklandisation of Big Law”, the mega-firm model remains obsessed with speed and profit per partner. But law firm culture doesn’t evolve through HR memos—it shifts when revenue is at stake. Kirkland’s PR pirouette shows that even a firm of its intimidating nature is paying the price for client dissatisfaction.
In 2025, “soft skills” have become the hardest currency in Big Law. Clients can forgive premium rates; they won’t forgive being talked down to.
