Kirkland & Ellis has significantly expanded its Litigation practice with the addition of 13 partners from King & Spalding, headlined by leading litigators Kristen Fournier, Kim Bueno, Morty Dubin, and John Ewald.
Kristen Fournier, a nationally renowned product liability and mass tort litigator based in New York, handles high-profile, high-risk cases often involving billions of dollars, providing strategic national defense capabilities. Chambers USA ranks her Band 1 nationwide in Toxic Tort.
Kim Bueno, based in Austin, Texas, is known for her expertise in pharmaceutical and medical device litigation, recently securing a complete defense verdict in a high-profile, three-week jury trial in Philadelphia. She is recognized by Chambers USA and The Legal 500 US.
Morty Dubin, also based in New York, is frequently named among Benchmark Litigation’s Top 100 Trial Lawyers in the U.S., most recently achieving a complete defense verdict in a six-week trial in California. He is particularly noted for his trial skills in mass tort and toxic tort litigation.
John Ewald, based in New York, specializes in emerging environmental, toxic tort, and class action litigation, particularly involving claims related to facilities’ air emissions. His work consistently earns recognition from The Legal 500 US.
Nine additional partners also joined Kirkland from King & Spalding, based in New York, Austin, Houston, and Los Angeles.
The addition of this team continues Kirkland’s robust growth in its litigation department, marking over 100 new litigators joining the firm in 2025 alone, alongside significant trial successes.