Key Takeaways
- • Kirkland & Ellis hired Stephanie Haas as a partner in its corporate practice group in Philadelphia, marking the firm's first transactional partner addition since opening the office last year.
- • Haas brings private equity expertise, representing PE sponsors and portfolio companies across acquisitions, dispositions, financings, restructurings, and capital transactions, joining from Dechert LLP.
- • The hire strengthens Kirkland's PE platform in Philadelphia at a time when the firm maintains market-leading transaction volume, having advised on matters including Warburg Pincus's $17.3 billion fund formation and Court Square Capital Partners' $3.8 billion fifth fund.
- • Kirkland & Ellis has positioned itself as the dominant PE legal adviser, handling 5,024 public PE matters across the 20 largest PE managers by portfolio size.
Summary
Kirkland & Ellis LLP announced the addition of Stephanie Haas as a partner in its corporate practice group within the Philadelphia office, effective Monday, April 21, 2026. This hire represents the firm's first transactional partner addition since establishing its Philadelphia presence last year, signaling continued expansion in the region's legal market.
Haas joins from Dechert LLP, bringing specialized experience in private equity representation. Her practice encompasses a broad spectrum of PE-focused transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, financings, and restructurings for both sponsors and their portfolio companies. Her expertise also extends to public company transactions, carve-out operations, growth and structured equity investments, joint ventures, and other transformative capital events—skill sets aligned with institutional investor activity across market cycles.
The hiring decision reflects Kirkland's strategic focus on deepening its private equity capabilities in major metropolitan markets. The firm has established itself as the leading legal adviser to PE sponsors, handling 5,024 public PE matters among the 20 largest PE managers ranked by equity portfolio size. Recent high-profile engagements include advising Warburg Pincus on its largest-ever fund at $17.3 billion, Court Square Capital Partners on its $3.8 billion fifth fund close, and Cerberus Capital Management on a $2.3 billion single-asset continuation vehicle. These transactions underscore Kirkland's consistent positioning at the upper end of the PE deal market.
The Philadelphia expansion aligns with broader institutional investment activity in the Northeast corridor and reflects Kirkland's capital-intensive approach to maintaining market share among top-tier PE firms seeking sophisticated transactional counsel. As alternative asset managers continue fundraising and executing portfolio transactions, demand for experienced PE lawyers in regional hub markets remains robust.
Haas joins from Dechert LLP, bringing specialized experience in private equity representation. Her practice encompasses a broad spectrum of PE-focused transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, financings, and restructurings for both sponsors and their portfolio companies. Her expertise also extends to public company transactions, carve-out operations, growth and structured equity investments, joint ventures, and other transformative capital events—skill sets aligned with institutional investor activity across market cycles.
The hiring decision reflects Kirkland's strategic focus on deepening its private equity capabilities in major metropolitan markets. The firm has established itself as the leading legal adviser to PE sponsors, handling 5,024 public PE matters among the 20 largest PE managers ranked by equity portfolio size. Recent high-profile engagements include advising Warburg Pincus on its largest-ever fund at $17.3 billion, Court Square Capital Partners on its $3.8 billion fifth fund close, and Cerberus Capital Management on a $2.3 billion single-asset continuation vehicle. These transactions underscore Kirkland's consistent positioning at the upper end of the PE deal market.
The Philadelphia expansion aligns with broader institutional investment activity in the Northeast corridor and reflects Kirkland's capital-intensive approach to maintaining market share among top-tier PE firms seeking sophisticated transactional counsel. As alternative asset managers continue fundraising and executing portfolio transactions, demand for experienced PE lawyers in regional hub markets remains robust.
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