Headcount Over Time
Total Employee Count i
Mar 2024 – Mar 2026
Median tenure: 3.6 years
Headcount Milestones i
Point-in-time employee counts
March 2024
7,232
September 2024 +5% 6m
7,827
March 2025 0% 6m
8,067
September 2025 +4% 6m
8,362
▶ March 2026 (current)
8,444
Growth rates
Workforce Composition
Employee Distribution by Function i
Share of total headcount (8,444 employees)
Entrepreneurship1,731 (20%)
Legal1,622 (19%)
Administrative522 (6%)
Information Technology383 (5%)
Finance415 (5%)
Business Development321 (4%)
Human Resources291 (3%)
Operations281 (3%)
Accounting207 (2%)
Support148 (2%)
Community & Social Svcs140 (2%)
Other2,383 (28%)
Headcount Growth by Function i
6-month and 1-year growth rates by department
| Function | Headcount | Share | 6m | 1y |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entrepreneurship | 1,731 | 20% | ▲ 8% | ▲ 7% |
| Legal | 1,622 | 19% | ▲ 8% | ▲ 8% |
| Administrative | 522 | 6% | ▲ 1% | ▲ 2% |
| Information Technology | 383 | 5% | ▲ 2% | ▼ 5% |
| Accounting | 207 | 2% | ● 0% | ▼ 3% |
| Business Development | 321 | 4% | ▲ 4% | ▼ 5% |
| Community & Social Services | 140 | 2% | ▲ 13% | ▲ 56% |
| Finance | 415 | 5% | ▲ 1% | ● 0% |
| Human Resources | 291 | 3% | ▼ 2% | ▼ 2% |
| Operations | 281 | 3% | ▲ 5% | ▲ 8% |
| Support | 148 | 2% | ▼ 1% | ▼ 4% |
Headcount growth — 6 months (absolute change)
Hiring Activity
Monthly New Hires Trend i
Sep 2025 – Feb 2026
Peak Hires (Sep 2025)
467
6-Month Growth
+77%
Key data points
Sep 2025 peak
467
Dec 2025 −50% MoM
63
Jan 2026
~104
Feb 2026 +3% MoM
107
Insight
Significant growth in Engineering (+1,000%) and IT (+309%), signaling a strong focus on technological infrastructure expansion.
Job Openings (Q4 2025)
Open Positions by Function i
March 2026 · Excludes subsidiaries
Information Technology45 (34%)
Engineering22 (16%)
Legal17 (13%)
Administrative10 (7%)
Business Development6 (4%)
Accounting5 (4%)
Finance6 (4%)
Human Resources5 (4%)
Marketing5 (4%)
Operations6 (4%)
Program & Project Mgmt7 (5%)
Job Openings Growth i
3-month and 6-month growth by department
| Function | Openings | 3m | 6m |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Technology | 45 | ▲ 309% | ▲ 275% |
| Engineering | 22 | ▲ 1,000% | ▲ 1,000%+ |
| Legal | 17 | ▼ 15% | ▲ 42% |
| Administrative | 10 | ▲ 25% | ● 0% |
| Business Development | 6 | ● 0% | ▲ 13% |
| Accounting | 5 | ● 0% | ▼ 50% |
| Finance | 6 | ▲ 50% | ● 0% |
| Human Resources | 5 | ▲ 100% | ▼ 20% |
| Marketing | 5 | ▼ 20% | ▲ 400% |
| Operations | 6 | ▼ 33% | ▼ 53% |
| Program & Project Mgmt | 7 | ▲ 75% | ▼ 12% |
| Total | 134 | ▲ 49% | ▲ 26% |
3-month job openings (absolute change)
Company Focus Areas
Strategic Priorities i
Strengthening Key Practice Areas
Kirkland & Ellis is focusing on enhancing its capabilities in M&A and investment funds to attract new clients and maintain its leadership in the legal industry.
Expansion of Litigation Practice
Kirkland & Ellis has significantly expanded its litigation practice, securing a $3 billion business to solidify its position in high-stakes litigation.
