We have some unfortunate news to report out of the Washington, D.C. legal community, where an appellate attorney at King & Spalding recently passed away.
Kellam Conover, 44, was based out of the firm’s Washington, D.C., office, where he worked as of counsel before he died. The Stanford Law graduate was on the trip of a lifetime to New Zealand, where he aimed to climb the region’s highest mountain. According to Climbing Magazine, Conover and his guide, Thomas Vialletet, were roped together when they fell to their deaths. It is unclear what caused the fall.
Mark Jensen, managing partner of King & Spalding’s Washington, D.C., office, expressed his grief in an email to the American Lawyer, saying the firm was “deeply saddened by the loss of Kellam Conover.” Here are some additional details from his message:
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“Kellam made his mark here as a gifted lawyer, respected colleague, and wonderful friend with a bright future,” Jensen said.
“He will be sorely missed,” he said. “We send our condolences to Kellam’s family and friends on their unfathomable loss.”
We here at Above the Law would like to extend our condolences to Kellam Conover’s family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.
King & Spalding Appellate Attorney Dies While Climbing New Zealand’s Tallest Mountain [American Lawyer]
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Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.