Home to a team of ‘top-end legal talent, creative and hard-working attorneys, and the ability to handle the most complex and sensitive matters’, Kirkland & Ellis LLP’s e-discovery practice advises clients on demanding data-intensive matters. The group is regularly engaged on complex MDLs, mass torts, antitrust proceedings, and congressional enquiries. With broader litigation and commercial objectives in mind, the group additionally acts as a strategic advisor, delivering innovative solutions on cross-border data and privacy challenges. Chicago’s Vanessa Barsanti focuses on managing discovery processes, as well as supporting clients with efficient, defensible, and practical discovery strategies. In New York, Aulden Burcher-DuPont is well-versed in government investigations, commercial litigation, and shareholder disputes, regularly representing Fortune 500 corporations and private equity funds. Karl Gunderson supports from Chicago, with capabilities managing discovery processes to successfully integrate into trials.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Accolades

Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘They are literate in tech in a way that other firms are not – a well-oiled and professional machine. Their interface with the client and efficiency at execution make an otherwise painful process pretty much pain-free.’

  • ‘Aulden Burcher-DuPont manages to make the discovery process enjoyable! Incredibly knowledgeable on his subject, articulate, quick on the uptake and pragmatic.’

  • ‘The E-Discovery practice group is phenomenal and has an excellent roster of attorneys, including Vanessa Barsanti at the helm. They are well-versed in the issues and front-and-center on large discovery disputes on significant litigation matters, which gives them critical insights into trends and strategies that can apply across the firm's clients. They leverage technology frequently, and their people are easy to get along with. I'd recommend the team to anyone.’

  • ‘Vanessa Barsanti is a standout, both for her knowledge/skillset and her excellent leadership. She deserves to be recognized for how hard she works for her clients and how well she leads her team. ’

  • ‘Kirkland & Ellis boasts top-end legal talent, creative and hard-working attorneys, and the ability to handle even the most complex and sensitive matters. But what sets Kirkland & Ellis apart from other top-tier firms is its deep bench – from top to bottom. Kirkland & Ellis is far above its peers in both ability and breadth of experience and expertise of its attorneys.'

  • 'On the e-discovery front, Kirkland & Ellis' attorneys are both subject matter experts and exceedingly hard-working, able to balance both exceptional work and client services.'
Practice head

Vanessa Barsanti; Karl Gunderson

Other key lawyers

Aulden Burcher-DuPont; Eric Yeager; Emily Shook