Mr Jay Lefkowitz > Kirkland & Ellis LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

Kirkland & Ellis LLP advises established global and developing companies, as well as private equity and venture capital investors, on litigation and corporate matters. Renowned for its deep litigation bench, the firm represents clients in product liability, antitrust, patent and commercial matters. Key figures include trial and appellate lawyer New York-based Jay Lefkowitz and Chicago’s James Hurst, a trial lawyer focused on IP and commercial litigation. Both in New York, Devora Allon specializes in product liability, antitrust, and commercial litigation in NY, whereas Jeanna Wacker concentrates on IP. On the corporate side, the practice has experience structuring deals and navigating transaction-related regulatory matters, with New York-based Dennis Williams bringing valuable expertise in regulatory on the latter. Boston-based Graham Robinson  joined the firm in mid-2025, bringing significant transactional and governance expertise.

Lauded by one client as ‘outstanding across the board’, the team of ‘excellent strategic thinkers’ at Kirkland & Ellis LLP draws on notable experience briefing and arguing cases in the federal courts of appeals, state appellate courts, and the Supreme Court of the United States. The team has significant expertise in appeals involving antitrust, bankruptcy, class action, IP, trade secrets, environmental, and professional liability matters. Washington, D.C.-based John O’Quinn, who is praised as a ‘keen legal thinker, amazing writer … and responsive and clear with client communications’, steers the practice and majors on IP disputes, regulatory matters, and commercial litigation at the trial and appellate levels. Also noted in D.C. are George Hicks and Jason Wilcox. A key contact in New York, Jay Lefkowitz recently represented Gilead Sciences, Inc. in antitrust class action litigation related to the development and sale of HIV treatments.