Kirkland & Ellis Chair Jeffrey Hammes will step down early in 2020, and will be replaced by partner Jon Ballis, an internal firm memo provided to Bloomberg Law shows.
Hammes has been chairman of the firm’s 15-member Global Management Executive Committee since 2010. Based in Chicago, he has overseen a period of huge growth for Kirkland that catapulted it to the top of the AmLaw 100 rankings.
Ballis will succeed Hammes effective Feb. 1, 2020, according to the memo, though the former chair will remain as a partner.
The memo said Hammes’ exit is in accordance with the firm’s partnership ...