Jonathan Bunge – Making a Move

Longtime Kirkland & Ellis partner Jonathan Bunge is making a move to Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan. John Quinn, the firm’s overall managing partner, said that Mr. Bunge was hired in order to develop a stronger presence in the Chicago market. He will take his place as managing partner of Quinn Emmanuel’s Chicago outpost, joining the firm’s partners David Nelson and Stephen Swedlow.

Mr. Bunge is a top Chicago trial lawyer who has tried over 40 cases and has an impressive record of wins. He was a law clerk to former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Byron White, and for a time he was also considered to be the top candidate to replace Chicago’s top federal prosecutor, although the job ultimately went to someone else.

He was at Kirkland & Ellis for 15 years, and his work included commercial litigation, government investigation, and white-collar matters. He represented McDonald’s Corp. in franchisee disputes and in a putative shareholder class action over a 2002 drop in the company’s stock (a case which has since been dismissed).

Mr. Bunge says that he continues to think highly of Kirkland & Ellis. However, he said that Quinn Emmanuel’s heavy focus on trial work helped to entice him to make the move. He also said that he is looking forward to heading an office that Quinn Emmanuel intends to expand.

“I like trying cases. [Quinn Emmanuel] try lots of matters and I wanted to be involved in trying as many cases as I could,” Bunge said. “There’s a focus now on trying to grow the office in Chicago and to make Chicago an office that should get bigger over time.”

In an effort to develop an office with strong ties to clients in the Midwest, Mr. Quinn said the firm will “be looking to add other outstanding lawyers” in the future.

Guest Author: Lolita Di

Photo/Nodar Kherkheulidze via wikimedia commons