Trent’s Career Story

Kirkland’s culture centers around providing excellent service to our clients. To achieve this, Kirkland invests heavily in its people to ensure we receive the training, mentorship and any other support we need.

Kirkland’s Salt Lake City office has a warm, collegial and collaborative atmosphere. Whenever I need help, whether it be with a substantive question or general advice, I know any of the attorneys here will be more than happy to provide guidance. Our staff is also incredible, from our IT folks to our administrators to our food service specialists.

Kirkland offers everything I could possibly want in a law firm. It has an incredible training system, opportunities to work on complex and challenging deals, dedicated staff members, and a clear path for advancement. Being a Kirkland associate brings a great sense of pride. I feel motivated to earn the title each day.

At Kirkland, I’ve had the privilege of working with incredibly bright, talented and motivated people. I’ve worked on deal teams with people from all walks of life. When presented with challenges, the collaborative environment allows us to rise to the occasion and overcome any obstacle.

Kirkland has incredible camaraderie both in the office and with cross-office teams. I enjoy coming into the office and taking the time to get to know my colleagues, share deal stories and learn from them. When I’m working on cross-office teams, the geographic distance is no barrier to building great relationships.

They say law school teaches you how to think like a lawyer, but it doesn’t teach you how to practice law. Like many others, I found this to be true when I first arrived. But thanks to an incredible network of helpful colleagues, I’ve learned more than I could’ve imagined about practicing law.

After working on a few different types of deals, I’ve begun to see and understand the big picture. This has allowed me to anticipate what’s next and understand how I can proactively contribute. I’ve become much more confident in my client interactions. I’ve also made a point to solicit feedback frequently so I can improve substantively. My goal is to learn a little bit more every day, and the sources of knowledge around me are truly limitless.

I’ve had the opportunity to work on any kind of deal I could ever want and to work with groups from all of Kirkland’s U.S. offices. On my very first deal, I was meeting with executives at a multi-billion-dollar private equity firm, drafting deal documents and receiving direct feedback on my work from partners. During my first year at Kirkland, I worked on buy- and sell-side public and private mergers and acquisitions, debt facilities ranging from millions to billions of dollars, capital market transactions, and investment fund formations.

The pro bono opportunities at Kirkland are endless. Anyone can propose a worthy cause they’re passionate about, and the Firm has the framework to provide excellent legal service toward that cause.

I’ve had the opportunity to assist an immigrant, who experienced brutal abuse and violence in his home country, with his asylum application so he can remain safely in the U.S. I’m also a member of my office’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Committee, where I advocate for veterans.

As a former enlisted Coast Guardsman, countless mentors have offered guidance in my transition from the Coast Guard to law school, then from law school to Kirkland. Thanks to Kirkland’s DEI initiative, I’ve been able to connect with many other veterans at Kirkland, too. I’m grateful that the Firm recognizes the immense value that veterans bring to the workplace.

Kirkland’s open assignment system allows me to work on a broad array of deals and with amazing groups of people. From the moment I arrived, my colleagues in Kirkland’s Salt Lake City office were willing to help me navigate the open assignment system. We even had structured meetings where partners and associates shared their thoughts on how to find optimal assignments based on our interests and goals. I tried many approaches, including cold calling and emailing teams in other offices. Everyone I contacted welcomed my interest, and I was quickly staffed on many amazing deals.

Kirkland has an incredible knowledge base that offers training on nearly any topic at any level. Kirkland’s LearningLink platform has hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of training videos taught by experienced attorneys. They share everything from practical stories of past deals to theoretical knowledge that helps us understand the abstract concepts. I often listen to these training videos while I’m working out, cleaning the house or commuting.

Kirkland’s mentorship program allowed me to enjoy great success from the moment I arrived. My mentors have been immensely helpful, given me confidence in my abilities and introduced me to wonderful colleagues, many of whom I still work with to this day. Beyond the formal mentoring program, I’m amazed at how many senior associates and partners have a passion for training and are willing to help me understand anything from the big picture to the minutia. I’ve learned that I’ll receive help anytime I need it.