Overview

Chris Costello is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He advises clients on e-discovery and information governance matters across the EDRM, including litigation readiness, document retention and information management, cross-border discovery issues, privacy, legal holds, etc. Chris handles all aspects of complex commercial litigation for a wide variety of disputes from inception through trial and resolution, including representations of large financial institutions in CMBS and RMBS matters.

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Thought Leadership

Publications

"Stealing the Scraps: Dissecting the Meaning of Cooperation and Transparency in E-Discovery,” New York Law Journal, February 4, 2022

“Cross-Border Production Issues, Essentials of E-Discovery,” Texas State Bar, 2022

"Top 10 Notable Developments and Trends," Privacy Law 2020 Year in Review, February 2021

"Hot Topic: Managing Cross Border Compliance," Risk & Compliance, January–March 2018

"Proportionality and the 2015 Amendments to the Federal Rules," The Federal Judges Guide to E-Discovery Edition 2.0, Fall 2015

"Privacy and Data Protection Laws: Be Prepared", DRI, September 2014

“Cross Border Production Issues, Essentials of E-Discovery,” Texas State Bar, November 2014

“Reduce Risks, Costs with Holistic eDiscovery Program,” Texas Lawyer, May 2013

“Loser Pays: At Least the eDiscovery Costs?,” BNA, Inc. Digital Discovery & e-Evidence, September 2011

Speaking Engagements

Panelist, “Top 10 Privacy Impacts of 2020 & What to Watch for in 2021,” Webinar, January 2021

Speaker, "Data Privacy and E-Discovery,“ Practicing Law Institute's 2018 E-Discovery Program, September 18, 2019

Panelist, "Less Terminator and More Ironman: From AI to Augmented Intelligence, What is the Future of Law?," Master's Conference, New York, July 2019

"2018 E-Discovery Year in Review: Synopses of Significant Issues Relating to the Practice of Electronic Discovery," January 2019

Panelist, "Sanctions Under Rule 37(e)," EDI Judicial Training Symposium, October 10, 2017

Panelist, "Strategy and Advocacy in eDiscovery," NYC Master's Conference, July 25, 2017

Panelist, "E-Discovery and Mediation," Exterro Webinar, May 2017

Presenter, "Expert Discussion on Streamlining Discovery of Web Content," Hanzo Webinar, May 11, 2017

Panelist, "Project Management vs. Legal Project Management,” ILTA Roundtable, November 2016

Panelist, "3 Ways to Preserve and Find Data Faster," ACEDS Webinar, October 2016

Moderator, "eDiscovery; Information Governance; Data Analytics; Data Privacy; and Managing Workflows," ACEDS Roundtable, September 29, 2016

"Implications of the 2015 Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure," July 2015

"Information Governance—What Does a Modern Program Look Like," Webinar, November 2014

"Balancing Costs vs. Defensibility in E-Discovery Collections," Exterro, September 2014

Co-Presenter, “Privacy Law Administration and Enforcement,” DRI, September 2014

Co-Presenter, “Staying on the Straight & Narrow,” DRI, September 2014

Recognition

E-Discovery & Information, Chambers Global, 2024

E-Discovery & Information Governance, Chambers USA, 2021–2024

E-Discovery, The Legal 500, 2023–2024

Other Key Lawyer for Tier 1 Law Firm, The Legal 500, 2020–2021

CIPP/E Certification, International Association of Privacy Professionals, 2019

Rising Star, Super Lawyers, 2011–2015

Memberships & Affiliations

International Association of Privacy Professionals

Lawyers for Civil Justice

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • California
  • New York

Courts

  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

Education

  • Georgetown University Law CenterJ.D.cum laude2004
  • American UniversityM.A., International Affairs (Comparative & Regional Studies in East Asia Concentration)1998
  • St. John's UniversityB.A., Government1995