Kirkland & Ellis: Not Just Great Lawyers, But Fine Concierges, Too
Although the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis is having some issues — e.g., layoffs in Chicago, New York, Washington, and San Francisco — the firm still has a well-deserved reputation for excellence. When you’re involved in a must-win litigation or a major bankruptcy matter, K&E is the firm to see.
But are Kirkland & Ellis lawyers also the people to call when you need a table at a hot restaurant, or last-minute tickets to a sold-out show? Maybe so:
From: [A secretary to a senior partner in Chicago]
Sent: Tuesday, September 8, 2009 2:19 PM
To: All Chicago attorneysJustice Ginsburg’s granddaughter is having her 19th birthday on October 3rd and wants to celebrate with 5 friends at her favorite restauraunt — Topolobampo. Unfortunately, they are booked solid on that date. Does anyone know Rick Bayless (the owner of Topolobampo and Frontera Grill) who could possibly make a table available for her.
Topolobampo — good choice! When we did our series of open threads on summer associate lunch suggestions, back in 2008 — when law firms still had summer lunch programs — Topolobampo was mentioned frequently and favorably in the Chicago thread.
So, were the K&E concierges able to come through for the Supreme Grandchild?
Less than 24 hours after the original email, this message went around:
From: [A secretary to a senior partner]
Sent: Wednesday, September 9, 2009 1:34 PM
To: All Chicago attorneysVery much appreciate all the emails and calls in response to my email below. Justices Ginsburg’s grandaughter will celebrate her 19th birthday at Toplolobampo thanks to you.
Kirkland & Ellis: A Law Firm Serving Global Clients. And the grandkids of Supreme Court justices, too!
What’s the connection between RBG’s granddaughter and Kirkland & Ellis? Was she perhaps a summer intern at the firm?
As it turns out, there really is no such connection. It just so happens that a member of the Ginsburg family is a personal friend of a senior Kirkland partner, whose secretary passed along the request.
For the record, the reservation request did not come from Justice Ginsburg or her chambers — so don’t waste your time seeking an RBG recusal in K&E cases. And even if the request had come from her chambers, which it did not, fulfilling it is certainly less of a big deal than a duck hunting trip.
Early birthday wishes to Justice Ginsburg’s granddaughter! If you have an extra spot at your table on October 3, let us know.
UPDATE (4:05 PM): A source points out to us that Marty Ginsburg, the noted tax lawyer and law professor (and husband of Justice Ginsburg), co-authors a corporate tax treatise with Jack Levin, a senior partner at K&E. It would seem like a natural thing for one co-author to help another (or another’s relative).
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Comments
I wouldn't go duck hunting with Scalia but I would go lobster fishing with Kash.
Okay, I thought Kirkland Eliss was a specialty imported furniture store. Look, enough is enough. I have a simple suggestion. Create two ATL sites. One for the big boys and another - Junior ATL - for small firms in small cities. Hate to sound like a snob, but I don't come to this site for stories about some firm I've never heard of. The new site could be called Below the Law or Below Above the Law.
I have a simple suggestion: Create two ATL sites. One for the big boys and another - Junior ATL - for small firms in small cities. Hate to sound like a snob, but I don't come to this site for stories about some firm I've never heard of. The new site could be called Below the Law or Below Above the Law.
Kanye West is OK with this.
Every BigLaw firm does this. It's no big deal.
Who in the hell is Justice Ginsburg?
Cheney shot the wrong guy in the face
How is OK for 19-year old relatives of Supreme Court Justices to use their relationship to secure preferential treatment? Scandalous!
PE likes his loving the way he likes his chicken: extra tender.
Seriously, 7? I thought liberals were against gun violence.
8 - Didn't you get the memo? Supreme Court justices are American aristocracy.
8
As long as the beneficiary is not a racial minority and the benefit is based on family ties, there is no scandal.
Is this for real? Really disgusting. These people think they are so entitled. I bet her granddaughter is really spoiled!
To celebrate a birthday at Toplolobampo is an utter disgrace--and a dime a dozen.
Incidentally, I celebrate birthdays by having my personal gourmet chef prepare meals for my entourage while we fly to Bora Bora via Learjet.
Considering how little we pay federal judges, the least we can do is get them preferential treatment at restaurants!
I agree with @1.
Did Kirkland send a bill to the Ginsburg relative for this?
hot pocket
14 IS QUITE RUDE.
This is dreck. You can just walk into Frontera Grill next door and ask to order off the Topo menu. They share the same kitchen.
Amateurs.
This post needs moar pics of RBG granddaughter.
hi swirl
Maybe laid-off K&E associates can set up a personal concierge service.
Unrelated - how much do K&E non-share partners get paid?
14: You are the epidome of an overprivlieged Attorney-At-Law. You think that just because your Daddy was good and gave you some spending money and got you into a good law school, you can go around flaunting that. Leave this site for REAL lawyers who work REAL hard at what they do and earned it!!
I wish Kash would share her crustacean. She is so selfish.
N. Wacker Stud
I'd rather go to Alinea.
Does anyone think for a second that had this been some secretary at K & E who wanted to treat his or her 19 year old to lunch at this place that any partner at K & E would lift a finger to help score a table? It never hurts to go out of your way for the privileged- even 19 year olds who want to celebrate their birthday at some fancy eatery-if she is the granddaughter of a "friend" who sits on the SC and you are a lawyer whose law firm practices before that Court. Christ, do they think everyone is just stupid? And, by the way, I recall celebrating my 19th birthday- I think I had a pizza, a beer and Betty Crocker cake made by my Mom.
Disgusting, really.
For those keeping score at home, this is the point at which ATL officially jumped the shark. Partner Emeritus, JaKe Emeritus, Below Above the Law guy, "Is this law school accredited blah blah" guy: enjoy it. This horrible website is all yours.
Damn, how does this stuff get out.
25 - don't you mean SHELLFISH?
2/3: Chicago is not a "small" city: check your facts before you make ill-informed comments.
Topola-topchef is more like it!
29 - Why don't you start your own blog then?
This is a great little item. Nice work Lat.
This post is addressed to Commenter #24:
Considering your defective comprehension and lack of acquaintance with proper English ("epidome" & "Daddy') it is of zero wonder why you do not work at a preeminent peer law firm.
Incidentally, my father's heinous wealth and distinguished connections allowed me to attend esteemed educational institutions and amass my own pot of obscene wealth. Tough luck if you were not born into extraordinary privilege.
2,29
I love this site the way it is.
@26 Alinea provides an entirely different experience than Topo. Judging by her pick, she clearly wasn't interested in Grant Achatz' 3+ hour long production. Besides, I don't think a 19 year old could really appreciate it.
I wonder if RBG's granddaughter has glasses as big as RBG herself.
29 - I agree with you. The schticks are fucking lame.
no offered :(
@24 - Chill out son, JE is not real. But, his blogs are fun to read. Also, if you're going to be insulting people, it's better not to have so many "typos."
Next case before the Court - Ruth will wink at the K&E attorney.
Why doesn't RBG just make the call herself?
29/40:
Guys at my high school used to run legal blogs, but then have the comment section of those blogs dominated by shtick posters with nothing of substance to say all the time. It was no big deal.
@31 - LOL
It is now clearer how asstrumpets like George W. Bush got into places like Yale. And Andover. And Harvard Business School. And the White House.
Why didn't she get her new found wise latina friend to make the call?
I think the "Update" at the end of the post is right on the money.
RBG's Husband co-authored Mergers Acquisitions & Buyouts: Jack Levin and Martin D. Ginsburg. Jack Levin started K&E's private equity practice.
29/40:
Just throwing this out there, but is it possible that you have a potential claim against Above the Law? What I mean is, Above the Law promised you (either explicitly or implicitly) an open forum on issues surrounding big law associate life. You relied on that promise, and in doing so let other resources - e.g., the Greedy Associate Boards - dwindle. Now, Above the Law has ruined that forum by letting shtick commenters ruin everything. Not sure what the cause of action is, exactly, but something like promissory estoppel has got to be applicable here, right?
Ohhh Kash, why you so shellfish with your private crustacean?
Hans Brix
32, Chicago is not among the largest 60 cities in the world; hence, it is small - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_proper_by_population
Granted, it is one of the largest cities in the US, both in terms of the city proper and the combined statistical area. Interestingly, the city of Boston is only #20 (~609,000) when ranked by population w/in the city limits, but jumps all the way to #5 (~7.5 million)when adding the population from the surrounding area. That's quite a jump!
Hans, bubby, I'm your white knight.
First to point out to 14 that a lear jet would be a very slow and generally un-prestigious way to get to Bora Bora. You would need, at least, a Global Express or Gulfstream GV, though a true world traveler would require nothing less than a Boeing Business Jet. Lear jets are non peer aircraft.
Too bad half these idiots don't understand that JaKe is an IRONIC SHTICK. Morons also miss the wit.
Has one of you really not heard of Kirkland Ellis or is that a joke? Trying to figure out exactly who fits in your magic circle 2.
55 - And if you were have as wealthy as you pretend to be pretentious, you would have called it simply G5 or BBJ. Now shut up, and go back to your coach seat by the overflowing shitter.
53:
This blog is not about law firms around the world. The primary focus is those in major metropolitan areas in the US.
Given that Chicago is the 3rd largest city in the US, it does not merit being called a "small" city. See the Census Bureau's 7/1/08 population estimates for US cities:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population
Perhaps you should start a Law Around the World blog.
At a party at the home of Justice Ginsburg's daughter given for students from her CLS Legal Methods class, Justice Ginsburg's granddaughter took all of the students' coats as they walked in and then tried to hold them for ransom at the end of the party. Her social skills will probably further degenerate at the University of Chicago.
59 - Shut up and go down to Gino's and get me a pie.
53, aka Fucktard-
People can define big or small however they like. But by their own varying definitions, nobody thinks Chicago is small.
Ever notice that only douches use the expression "fucktard"?
54 - Nice. Obscure but nice.
47 - And why pukes like you will never get anywhere. Get ready for 9 sucky years as an associate to never hit partner.
This is a litmus test for whether Topolobambo is a top restaurant. If they're moving reservations for the fucking granddaughter of RBG then they're second-tier no matter what Zagat or anyone else says.
Ever notice how overused the word "douche" has become?
And which is worse, douche or fucktard?
Why didn't she just ask Sotomayor. Doesn't her nephew work in the kitchen?
That's going to be a whole lot of ugly at one restaurant. Don't Chicago restaurants care about the view?
JaKe Emeritus = boring. Go away.
Why are you such a kissass? Why the commentary at the end? It seems like a "natural thing" for this type of reservation gerrymandering to go on? Do you think maybe it was done to curry favor with Justice Ginsburg, as the email refers to her but omits any mention of her treatise-author husband?
Seriously, requests like these go around at the big firms every day. What makes this one problematic is that, for some stupid reason, it names names. It should have simply asked, on behalf of a generic "client" or "friend of the firm," whether anyone knew Rick Bayless.
73 is the credited response.
I never thought I'd be nostalgic for Nervous, but the quality of shtick and memes here is at an all-time low.
Rick Bayless is a cooking god, but more importantly he beat Hubert Keller in Top Chef Masters.
3- Your comment wasn't that funny the first time you posted it and it hasn't become funnier after you've posted it word-for-word on like 8 different threads. Find a new gimmick already.
@ 14/36:
--Maximum range of Learjet: approx. 2000 miles
-- Distance Los Angeles (assuming you would depart from said non-peer city) to Bora Bora: approx. 3500 miles.
Hmm. Looks like your flight plan is going to drop you in the middle of the ocean. Why don't you take your schtick and go be a pilot for Air France?
ATL goes out of its way to suggest this is not a big deal (helping a supreme's granddaughter) -- but then slams Scalia for the duck hunt. This site is so liberal-centric. Wouldn't want to offend RBG!!! That would be considered ugly and anti-semetic. But Scalia is free game.
Good lord. Do conservatives ever stop feeling sorry for themselves?!? It's so freaking pathetic. Everything's a goddamn conspiracy fueled by a malicious double standard spiced with bias and betrayal. Grow the fuck up already and take some responsibility for once.
FYI - Rick Bayless is the more talented brother of ESPN analyst Skip Bayless.
I just hate all these conspiracy people- we need to bomb them back to the stone age.
-DOJ Secure
You think getting into Topolobampo is tough?
TRY GETTING A RESERVATION AT DORSIA YOU F*&KING STUPID B#ST*RDS!
Topolobampo is the most overrated restaurant in Chicago. Look, I've had many fine meals there, but $100-$200 a person for mexican food? Are you fucking kidding me?
Rick Bayless is a good cook and has an incredible PR machine, but all of the gushing over Topolo is a joke. The emperor has no clothes.
It's ironic that people whose liberalism at times has gone so far as to embrace communism reveal themselves to be elitists at heart. It's also ironic that Rick Bayless, as revealed on Top Chef Masters, went to Mexico to learn peasant cuisine and has now priced out the masses from enjoying the fruits of his discovery.
69 - you, sir, are an a---ole.