For decades, attorney Kirk A. Radke has worked behind the scenes helping to arrange private equity deals. Now the noted corporate lawyer is pulling off a deal for himself with a move to law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher after a long tenure at Kirkland & Ellis, another large law firm.
Willkie announced Mr.Radke’s move on Thursday and said he would join the firm as a partner in its private equity practice group. Mr. Radke had been at Kirkland for nearly three decades and is credited with building up that firm’s private equity practice. Willkie, in a statement said, “Kirk is recognized internationally as a thought leader in the field.â€
A start date for Mr. Radke at his new firm has not yet been announced. The lawyer, who has represented both buyers and sellers of companies, could not be reached for comment.
In 2010, The Wall Street Journal, citing bankruptcy filings, reported that Mr. Radke was paid at a rate of $1,250 an hour, an indication of just how valuable some clients valued his work.
A spokesman for Kirkland & Ellis said: “We thank Kirk for his many years of service to the firm. We wish him well.â€
