Spotlight on Reg Brown: Guiding Clients at the Intersection of Business and the Government

In this Q&A with Savoy Magazine, partner Reg Brown discusses his role within Kirkland's congressional investigations practice and his keys to building and maintaining long-term client relationships. 

Reg Brown is a litigation partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Kirkland & Ellis. His practice includes diverse crisis and governmental investigations, as well as counseling industry-leading clients on complex and significant regulatory, enforcement and reputational matters. Before joining Kirkland, Reg also held senior government and corporate positions.

In this Q&A, we ask Reg about his leadership role within Kirkland’s D.C. litigation practice, the value of a Washington-based legal presence and the key to building long-term client relationships.

You’ve had a long and successful career. Can you tell us about your path to Kirkland?

I started out my career as a lawyer in Washington, then spent some time in government at the state level and as chief of staff to a Fortune 100 CEO. After that, I spent several years in the White House. Marrying the many strands of my career into a cohesive practice framework has been my focus for decades, and joining Kirkland in 2020 was a natural progression. I was attracted to the Firm’s entrepreneurial platform and scale and was eager to bring along my D.C. perspective, as well as my strong C-suite knowledge and relationships.

You do something that very few people do in Big Law. What does your practice have to offer?

I take a multifaceted approach to my work, bringing decades of legal, corporate and government experience to the table when preparing executives and corporations for high-profile congressional hearings and reputational controversies. I approach matters from every possible business and legal angle, and it’s been incredible working on complex issues with the full force of Kirkland’s platform alongside me.

What are some of the biggest issues businesses are currently dealing with that touch on your areas of experience?

The country has become far more polarized politically, and we’re seeing that bleed over into many other aspects of society, including law and business. More and more companies are thinking carefully about how to navigate a fraught reputational and enforcement environment. For clients dealing with new technology or any kind of controversy that hits the front pages, chances are good that they may get a call from Congress asking about their activities. Transactions are receiving more scrutiny than ever, with deal teams having to consider a host of new competition and ESG factors. Issues of consumer protection and fees and pricing that used to not be of much interest are now drawing substantial amounts of activity. The list is quite long! The takeaway is that, in 2024, companies require a different kind of advocacy — seasoned advisors who have insight into these topics and have relationships across the spectrum — in order to respond quickly and effectively. Kirkland’s culture and team are built for this environment.

What is your approach to winning new clients and maintaining relationships in the long run?

The key to client development, from my perspective, is being present and able to anticipate challenges before your client needs you. It requires having a network and tending to it on a regular basis. This means being high-touch with clients and networking in both traditional and non-traditional ways. I not only regularly check in with clients about new opportunities, but also ask about their families, reach out on birthdays and call when I see someone’s name in the news. I’m always trying to achieve that work- life harmony with my friends in business.