Kirkland
&
Ellis
just
dropped
a
new
track
in
Music
City
—
and
yes,
it’s
a
full-on
Biglaw
power
ballad.
The
world’s
richest
law
firm
is
officially
opening
a
Nashville
office,
calling
the
city
“an
ideal
environment”
for
more
“aggressive”
growth,
referring
to
the
office
launch
as
“part
of
its
strategy
to
attract
top
legal
talent
and
meet
growing
client
demand”
—
which
in
Kirkland-speak
translates
to:
we’re
not
here
for
karaoke
night,
we’re
here
for
a
multi-album
deal.
The
firm
is
launching
its
Nashville
presence
with
a
lineup
of
litigation
partners
that
reads
like
a
touring
supergroup:
Tara
Blake,
Matt
Smith,
Paul
Rosenblatt,
and
Travis
Swearingen,
relocating
in
from
Houston,
the
Bay
Area,
and
D.C.
And
that’s
just
the
opening
act.
Kirkland
says
around
10
litigators
have
joined
or
will
join
the
office
soon,
with
more
partners
and
associates
coming
across
both
litigation
and
transactional
practices.
Nashville
may
be
a
secondary
market,
but
this
isn’t
just
a
satellite
office
for
the
firm
—
it’s
a
full-stage
production
with
backup
singers,
lighting,
and
a
pyrotechnics
budget.
Chairman
Jon
Ballis
praised
Nashville
as
a
“vibrant
and
growing
city”
with
a
strong
talent
pool
and
law
school
community
—
which
is
corporate
code
for
the
city
having
money,
lawyers,
and
momentum,
and
Kirkland
wants
to
remix
all
three.
The
firm
is
pitching
the
move
as
part
of
its
broader
national
growth
strategy,
and
if
recent
history
is
any
guide,
that
strategy
sounds
a
lot
like:
open
new
offices,
hire
aggressively,
dominate
markets,
repeat.
“We’re
excited
to
open
our
doors
in
the
Music
City
with
a
terrific
group
of
lawyers
across
our
litigation
and
transactional
practice
areas,”
Ballis
said
in
a
statement.
This
Nashville
office
isn’t
a
side
project
for
the
firm,
it’s
another
verse
in
a
very
loud
growth
anthem.
As
noted
by
the
American
Lawyer,
Kirkland
has
been
on
a
nationwide
expansion
tour:
Salt
Lake
City,
Miami,
Philadelphia,
and
now
Nashville.
Secondary
markets
like
Austin,
Atlanta,
Denver,
Miami,
and
Nashville
are
becoming
Biglaw’s
hottest
venues,
driven
by
client
migration,
remote
work,
and
business-friendly
climates.
Firms
aren’t
just
following
the
money
—
they’re
following
the
vibes.
So
yes,
Kirkland
is
officially
trying
to
make
beautiful
music
in
Music
City.
And
judging
by
the
size
of
the
band
they’re
assembling,
this
isn’t
a
quiet
acoustic
set
—
it’s
a
stadium
tour.
Kirkland
Opens
in
Nashville,
Calling
It
‘an
Ideal
Environment’
for
More
Growth
[American
Lawyer]
Staci
Zaretsky is
the
managing
editor
of
Above
the
Law,
where
she’s
worked
since
2011.
She’d
love
to
hear
from
you,
so
please
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