1-877-812-1590, Dozens of hair product lawsuits consolidated in Chicago court, Former federal judge joins Kaplan & Grady, The powerful Kirkland & Ellis lawyer at the center of a private equity storm in Europe, Sponsored Content: Accountability today for a sustainable tomorrow, The Most Powerful Women In Chicago Business. He led the opening of the firm's Boston office in 2017 and is recognized as a leading private equity attorney in the U.S. Jon is also the Co-Founder of the Vision for Tomorrow Foundation, an organization that supports children with visual impairments, and serves on the board of the Anti-Defamation League, which fights antisemitism and bigotry. Terms of Service. Melissa Hutson, a member of Kirklands executive committee, said Kirkland has hired a dozen senior women and diverse partners recently. (Bloomberg) Kirkland & Ellis chairman Jon Ballis holds a trump card in the legal industrys desperate battle for talent: he can pay more than just about anybody else. It fostered internal competition, Kirkland partners said, creating fiefdoms managed by individual partners wary of losing money by sharing clients. Jon Ballis is Chairman of Kirkland's Executive Committee. Jon Ballis, who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, was selected to Super Lawyers for 2005, 2008 - 2023. Thats roughly four times the number the firm hired in 2020, even as two-thirds of the associates it lost last year departed to rival firms, according to a Bloomberg Law analysis of LinkedIn profiles. I know this sounds insecure, but I hear often that you are a tough place to work, and its not worth it, Ballis said in a series of interviews in recent months. Its not a good culture, said one former share partner who left the firm recently. on Twitter, Navigate to map location for Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Call Kirkland & Ellis LLP at 312-862-2000, Visit the website for Kirkland & Ellis LLP, https://www.kirkland.com/lawyers/b/ballis-jon-a-pc. That view of a sharp-elbowed, tough institution where nobody helps each other, I just dont think it exists, said Andy Calder, who joined from Simpson Thacher in 2014 to build out the firms Houston office. There was no vote; he was the consensus choice. Gain access to some of the most knowledgeable and experienced attorneys with our 2 bundle options! From 2009 to 2019, the firms revenue increased 11.5% per year on average while its profits per equity partner rose 7.6%, the American Lawyer reported. Theyre a nightmare for the Wall Street firms.. It completely overshadows individual success., Edward Sassower, who leads Kirklands bankruptcy practice, said the firm could be a rough place at times when he first joined in 2003, but he now views it as the most collaborative Big Law firm in the world., It took a lot of work to get here from there, he said. Jon Ballis, 49, will succeed Hammes in early 2020, according to a memo sent to all Kirkland employees Dec. 7. Law.com Editors and Analysts Offer Top Trends to Watch for 2023. Bloomberg Markets live from New York, focused on bringing you the most important global business and breaking markets news and information as it happens. Kirkland & Ellis new chairman Jon Ballis has wasted little time making his mark, poaching a rising star dealmaker away from one of Big Laws most untouchable firms this week, despite a global pandemic slowing the economy and scaring rivals away from making big-dollar hires. LinkedIn is the world's largest business network, helping professionals like Jon A. Ballis discover inside connections to recommended job candidates, industry experts, and business partners. Kirklands leaders also said the firm has taken steps to become a more diverse, inclusive workplace. More than 325 of its associates left in 2021up more than 70% from 2020, according to data from Leopard Solutions and a Bloomberg Law analysis of LinkedIn profiles. Chicago, IL 60601 References to the firm as a pack of wolves in wolves clothing have circulated for decades. Kirkland revenue in 2018, up nearly 20% on 2017. Kirkland & Ellis chairman Jon Ballis holds a trump card in the legal industrys desperate battle for talent: he can pay more than just about anybody else. The firms hiring strategy acknowledges the bargaining power junior lawyers now hold. If youre a private equity guy with a couple of big clients, Im sure everyone is very collegial at that level.. Kirkland & Ellis was named an LCLD Top Performer in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2022. They service that book of business, and they collect revenues for it, ONeil said. Jon A Ballis is Partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. It says attrition grew 50% from a more normal 2019 to 2021, and that the poaching by other law firms is indicative of the value that Kirkland experience adds to a lawyers resume. Some partners at the worlds largest law firm earn more than $20 million a year, according to a former shareholder. That is valuable for them, said a source close to Kirkland who declined to be named to preserve relationships within the firm. Its not a good culture, said one former share partner who left the firm recently. Navigate to map location for Jon A. Ballis P.C. The Covid-19 pandemic was declared a national emergency just 68 days into his job as chairman. and other data for a number of reasons, such as keeping FT Sites reliable and secure, The demands of billing 2,500 to 3,000 hours a year, though, has come at a cost. Get the best business coverage in Chicago, from breaking news to razor-sharp analysis, in print and online. cookies As a high school senior on Chicagos north side, Ballis captained the Highland Park High School basketball team to a 1-23 record. Thats roughly four times the number the firm hired in 2020, even as two-thirds of the associates it lost last year departed to rival firms, according to a Bloomberg Law analysis of LinkedIn profiles. Kirklands leaders also said the firm has taken steps to become a more diverse, inclusive workplace. Its not irrational to think, Oh my goodness how are we going to do better than this? Ballis said. Our Team Account subscription service is for legal teams of four or more attorneys. He liked how private equity clients expected him to solve their problems, rather than just offer advice. ), Pandemic Generation of Junior Lawyers Win Power Amid Talent War, Kirkland Passes Wachtell as Big Laws Top Global Dealmaker (1). Its very dependent upon who you are. Soon after he became Kirklands chairman in 2020, Ballis remembers, he tried to woo a partner from a rival firm in London. (Podcast). Are Kirkland & Ellis New Partners Ready for Squid Game 2.0? He wants people like him who relish the hard work. Theres no sign Kirkland or other Big Law firms will be asking their lawyers to work less. Kirkland opened offices in Austin, Texas, and Salt Lake City, Utah, just to access people in places where they were already living. Please refresh the page and try again later. In those early days, Jeff sometimes had to threaten the loss of shares to promote good team work. The industry-leading media platform offering competitive intelligence to prepare for today and anticipate opportunities for future success. Global Practice Guides. Chairman, Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Bloomberg Markets Americas. He led the opening of Kirklands Boston office in 2017 and has helped recruit key partners. This is not in the playbook of how to run this law firm, he remembers thinking. There was no vote; he was the consensus choice. personalising content and ads, providing social media features and to And if you dont want to work together, were not your kind of firm.. The ideal candidate will hav CASH KRUGLER & FREDERICKS LLC is Celebrating Our 20th Anniversary & Newest Partners! We have a system that demands a lot from people, gives them a lot of responsibility, and requires people to work together, Ballis said. Jon Ballis is Chairman of the Executive Committee of Kirkland & Ellis, one of the worlds leading law firms with 6,500 professionals (including more than 3,000 attorneys) around the world committed to the highest quality legal advice and unparalleled client service. That makes Ballis task all the more difficult. The firm largely halted hiring, anticipating a two-month to two-year slowdown. Partners at the firm took home $6.3 million on average in 2019, more than any other U.S. firm, according to the latest AmLaw rankings. One former share partner said it didnt ring true that Kirkland had quietly transformed into a collaborators dream. For a full comparison of Standard and Premium Digital, click here. Log in to access all of your BLAW products. Up-and-coming Cravath partner Sarkis Jebejian, whose client list includes Accenture, Bain Capital and Northrop Grumman, joined Kirkland in 2012, followed by Jonathan Davis in 2016 and Eric Schiele in 2018. Its a major challenge for a firm that only expects its workload to grow. Name a rivalWachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz; Cravath, Swaine & Moore; Simpson Thacher & Bartlettand Kirkland has poached from them. This is not in the playbook of how to run this law firm, he remembers thinking. at https://www.kirkland.com/lawyers/b/ballis-jon-a-pc, Share profile for Jon A. Ballis P.C. By September, the firms M&A engine pushed to a new level that continued through last year. In his role, Jon is responsible for establishing and executing upon Kirklands strategic priorities, including advancing business initiatives and promoting a culture of performance, collaboration and collegiality. Soon after he became Kirklands chairman in 2020, Ballis remembers, he tried to woo a partner from a rival firm in London. Jon Ballis is Chairman of Kirkland's Executive Committee. For its part, Kirkland disputed its attrition in 2021 had grown more than 70% from a year prior, putting it instead at 59%. (Courtesy photos) Kirkland & Ellis Names New Chairman to Replace Jeffrey Hammes Jon Ballis, a Chicago-based corporate partner who has become one of Kirkland's best-known private equity. There is an arrogance that were the best. They took home more than $5m on average last year $2tn Private. Ballis joined Kirkland after a recruiting lunch at the Mid-America Club atop Chicagos 83-floor Aon Building with Jeff Hammes. Ballis was selected the firms chairman in 2018 by a group of senior partners. The partner had difficulty bringing in clients that others deemed too smalland he said he didnt get any credit for agreeing to pass up those opportunities. Like many large firms, though, it declined to provide diversity statistics of its recent partnership classes. The firms roster of investment funds went from 100 clients in 2016 to more than 700 in 2021, said John ONeil, who heads Kirklands investment funds practice. Kirklands gross revenue in 2019 surpassed $4.1 billion. The firm largely halted hiring, anticipating a two-month to two-year slowdown. There is an arrogance that were the best. Since joining Kirkland in 2005, Ballis' practice has focused on. Kirkland, along with some other out-of-town firms like Sidley Austin and Latham & Watkins, has used aggressive lateral recruiting to draw from New Yorks dealmaking talent pool. We can destroy everybody else, and lets actually go destroy other people.. Jon has acted as a guest lecturer for classes and organizations at Harvard Law School, Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and the University of Chicago Law School. Debevoise Is Ready, Napoli Shkolnik Sues Own Attorney, Alleging 'Quiet Quitting', 'It Was Every Lawyers Nightmare': Florida Attorney Faces $2.3M Verdict Against Him. Change the plan you will roll onto at any time during your trial by visiting the Settings & Account section. Chairman @ Kirkland & Ellis . Melissa Hutson, a member of Kirklands executive committee, said Kirkland has hired a dozen senior women and diverse partners recently. Jons passion and commitment to excellence carries into his philanthropic activities and board positions. This looks very much like Kirkland being Kirklandcoronavirus or no coronavirustheyre staying true to form, said Janet Stanton, a partner at law firm management consultancy Adam Smith Esq. If youd like to retain your premium access and save 20%, you can opt to pay annually at the end of the trial. Standard Digital includes access to a wealth of global news, analysis and expert opinion. 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