Ms Erin Murphy > Kirkland & Ellis LLP > Washington DC, United States > Lawyer Profile

Kirkland & Ellis LLP houses one of the country’s most admired appellate law practices, which is frequently involved in high-stakes cases before all Circuits. On the US Supreme Court front, the firm continues to secure a dominant volume of precedent-setting matters, notably arguing five cases during the 2020 term, which represented 10% of all cases heard that year. The firm also earns plaudits for its impressive success rate, which saw it win all five of its merits cases over the past year. Former Solicitor General Paul Clement stands out as one of the most seasoned litigators in the market and has argued over 100 cases before the US Supreme Court. Erin Murphy is also a sought-after appellate expert, with an impressive record in constitutional, statutory and administrative law cases. Clement and Murphy recently paired up to successfully represent the Alaska Native Village Corporation Association before SCOTUS in a dispute over whether Alaska Native Corporations are ‘Indian tribes’ under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, and thus eligible for funding available to Tribal governments under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. George Hicks is also a high-profile appellate litigator and acted alongside Clement to obtain a victory for Snyder’s-Lance in the Fourth Circuit in a long-running trademark dispute with Frito-Lay. The practice also benefits from the senior experience of John O’Quinn and New York-based Jay Lefkowitz. Among the premier group’s up-and-coming names, William Burgess stand out for his IP expertise, while Harker Rhodes recently represented Windstream Holdings in two appeals arising out of its bankruptcy proceedings, winning both appeals. All attorneys are based in Washington DC unless stated otherwise.