McClain Thompson is a trial lawyer and litigation partner in Kirkland’s Washington, D.C., office. He has extensive trial experience: McClain has been to trial more than 15 times in courts across the country.
McClain has proven success litigating bankruptcy disputes, including in some of the biggest and most contested bankruptcies of the last decade:
- Rite Aid Corp.: McClain helped lead a team that won three trials for Rite Aid in a six-week span. In addition, McClain presented witnesses at separate, contested hearings to overcome a Department of Justice objection to a $3 billion financing, and later, the State of Maryland’s bid to block Rite Aid from emerging from bankruptcy.
- Chesapeake Energy: Trial counsel in three-week valuation trial, defeating unsecured creditors’ objection to confirmation of Chesapeake’s plan of reorganization.
- Energy Future Holdings: Trial counsel in one of the largest and most complex financial restructurings in history, including a contested $9 billion sale of regulated assets. Over EFH’s multiyear Chapter 11 cases, there were 16 evidentiary hearings (including four confirmation trials).
- Other Bankruptcy Experience: McClain has also represented debtors and creditors in dozens of other evidentiary hearings, often on expedited schedules. McClain has litigated in the successful restructurings of Accuride Corporation, Frontier Communications, Mission Coal, Murray Energy, and Riverbed Technology, among others.
In addition to his restructuring experience, McClain represents Fortune 500 companies, private equity sponsors and other clients in a wide variety of matters ranging from energy litigation to consumer class actions. McClain has litigated in courts across the country on behalf of clients such as Abbott Laboratories, Amplify Energy, Diversified Energy, Eli Lilly, Exxon Mobil, Gulfport Energy and ZF Friedrichshafen.
The American Lawyer recognized McClain and a Kirkland team as “Litigator of the Week” (Runner Up) for a jury trial win for Carlisle Construction Materials. Best Lawyers also recognized McClain as “One to Watch” for Commercial Litigation in 2025.
In his pro bono work, McClain helped three prisoners win federal clemency petitions, securing their early release for non-violent offenses.
Before joining Kirkland, McClain clerked for Judge Duane Benton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
McClain graduated from Harvard Law School in 2014. He has a journalism degree from the University of Missouri, summa cum laude.
