Senior Accountant

Kirkland & Ellis; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

Paid time off

Retirement plan

Job summary

Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago, IL is seeking a Senior Accountant to manage core accounting cycles and advise on technical accounting matters within the Financial Accounting & Operations team.

Based in Chicago, you will lead lease and real estate accounting, support Investment Partnerships audits, and deliver meaningful ledger analyses while strengthening controls and improving processes through automation and cross‑functional collaboration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field; CPA preferred.
• At least four years of accounting experience in professional services.
• Experience with ASC 842 and IFRS 16 lease accounting preferred.
• Strong analytical, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Proficiency with Excel; comfortable with large data sets.
• Knowledge of or interest in automation/AI tools a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical accounting research and apply guidance under US GAAP, UK GAAP, and IFRS.
• Support lease and real estate accounting including reconciliations.
• Manage monthly, quarterly, and annual close activities.
• Prepare schedules for Investment Partnerships audits.
• Develop general ledger reports and provide actionable insights.
• Guide staff accountants with feedback and development.
• Lead accounting projects and process improvements using automation.
• Collaborate across Finance and firm to strengthen controls.

Skills

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Analytical thinking

Communication

Organization

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field

CPA licensure preferred

Tools

Elite 3E

OneStream

Dynamo

Visual Lease

Power Automate

Power Platform

Copilot

Job description

Job ID: 9028

Updated: Oct 21, 2026

Location: Chicago, IL, United States

Category: Finance

About Kirkland & Ellis

At Kirkland & Ellis, we don’t just meet the standard for legal excellence — we set it. Our culture is built on teamwork, ingenuity and an unwavering commitment to continuous growth. We tackle the most sophisticated legal challenges with bold ideas and innovative solutions, powered by the exceptional experience and ambition of our 7,000+ people, including 4,000+ attorneys, across 24 offices worldwide. Our dedicated professionals share our lawyers’ commitment to excellence and show up each day to do meaningful work that helps drive global business, investment and innovation forward.

What You’ll Do

Ready to apply your technical accounting expertise to complex transactions, high-impact reporting, and evolving business priorities?

As a Senior Accountant in the Financial Accounting & Operations department, you’ll manage key components of the monthly, quarterly, and annual accounting cycles while serving as a trusted resource on technical accounting matters. Based in Chicago, you’ll partner across Finance and the broader firm to strengthen controls, improve processes, and deliver clear financial insights. Initial priorities include lease and real estate accounting and support for the firm’s Investment Partnerships program.

• Lead technical accounting: Research agreements and transactions, document conclusions, and apply relevant guidance under modified-cash basis accounting, United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP), United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (UK GAAP), and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
• Support lease and real estate accounting: Prepare reconciliations and schedules for lease-related assets and liabilities, tenant improvement allowances, and security deposits.
• Manage close activities: Own assigned monthly, quarterly, and annual close responsibilities, including reconciliations, fluctuation analysis, variance resolution, journal entries, and timely issue escalation.
• Strengthen financial accuracy: Review expense accounts and transaction coding, identify misclassifications, and coordinate corrections with budget owners, Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A), and other teams.
• Support Investment Partnerships audits: Maintain financial statement workbooks, reconcile investment data, prepare audit schedules, analyze supporting documentation, and respond to auditor inquiries, including for annual Investment Partnerships audits.
• Deliver meaningful analysis: Create and enhance recurring and ad hoc general ledger reports, identify trends and drivers, and communicate practical recommendations to stakeholders.
• Guide and support others: Review staff accountants’ work and provide clear feedback, technical guidance, and development support.
• Improve how work gets done: Lead or support accounting projects, policy development, system implementations, and process improvements using automation and data tools where appropriate.
• Collaborate across the team: Provide cross-training and coverage while building a broad understanding of the firm’s general ledger and financial operations.

What You’ll Bring

• Education and certification: A bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field; Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensure is strongly preferred, with progress toward licensure required.
• Relevant experience: At least four years of accounting experience; experience in public accounting, a law firm, or another professional services environment is a plus.
• Technical knowledge: Experience with private equity, investment partnerships, or similar investments and working knowledge of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 842 (ASC 842) and/or IFRS 16 lease accounting are strongly preferred.
• Analytical capability: Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to translate complex financial information into clear, practical recommendations.
• Communication and collaboration: Clear written and verbal communication skills, sound judgment, and the ability to build effective relationships across teams and organizational levels.
• Organization and adaptability: A proactive, detail-oriented approach with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Technology skills: Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, proficiency with Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, and experience working with large data sets; familiarity with Elite 3E, OneStream, Dynamo, or Visual Lease is helpful.
• Innovation mindset: Experience with or interest in automation and artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as Microsoft Power Automate, Microsoft Power Platform, Microsoft Copilot, Anthropic Claude, or similar technologies is a plus.

Compensation

The base salary range below represents the low and high end of the salary range for this position in Chicago. This range may differ based on your geographic location and cost of living considerations. At Kirkland & Ellis, we consider compensation more than just a base salary. We offer an exceptional range of flexible benefits including comprehensive healthcare, paid time off, and retirement. We also offer personal support and tailored learning and development opportunities all designed to help you realize your full potential both in life and at work.

• Chicago: $100,000 - $125,000

Equal Employment Opportunity

All employment decisions, including the recruiting, hiring, placement, training availability, promotion, compensation, evaluation, disciplinary actions, and termination of employment (if necessary) are made without regard to the employee’s race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy or childbirth, personal appearance, family responsibilities, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, political affiliation, source of income, place of residence, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military veteran status, unfavorable discharge from military service, physical or mental disability, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law. #LI-Hybrid #LI-KK1