Kirkland & Ellis took another step on Monday to strengthen its litigation team in Texas with the addition of Dallas partner Taj Clayton.
Clayton was previously at Winston & Strawn, where he chaired the Domestic ADR Group and was part of the core team that launched the firm’s Dallas office in 2017. While he says he had an “outstanding experience” at Winston, the timing and opportunity were right to make a move.
“Kirkland occupies rarified air,” Clayton said. “The firm has built a tremendous platform that has a scale and a scope both of which are singular and unique among top law firms.”
The move is more proof of the growing trend of elite national law firms competing for high-level litigation partners in Texas. Over the past year Kirkland has also recruited Jeremy Fielding from Lynn Pinker and Sean Royall and Olivia Adendorff from Gibson Dunn.
Described as a “rising star” by Kirkland chairman Jon Ballis, Clayton has represented automotive, health care, media and entertainment companies in business disputes ranging from products liability and antitrust to patent and intellectual property matters. He says he has been intentional about building a diverse and varied litigation practice.
“[It] has made me very agile as a litigator,” he said. “If there is a case or client at Kirkland that needs a litigator, I’m able to drive value. I bring litigation and trial chops that I have been working on and developing throughout my career.”
Clayton was recognized by The Texas Lawbook and the DFW Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel for his work with Toyota and its Toyota Legal One Partnership Program when the automaker received the Creative Partnership Award at the 2018 DFW Outstanding Corporate Counsel Awards.
Even as he has developed client relationships and grown his legal practice, Clayton has also been very engaged in civic matters.
In 2012, Clayton challenged longtime U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson for Texas’ 30th Congressional District. He now serves on the boards of several nonprofits and community organizations, including Girls Inc., the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution, the President’s Advisory Board for UT Southwestern Medical Center, the Coalition of Black Excellence and The Hockaday School.
While Clayton does not have aspirations to run for office again, he says the experience was formative.
“Running for office required me to do a lot of new things I had never done before,” he said. “All of this happened under the glare of the public spotlight. It can be intimidating and harrowing for a lot of people, but I found that if you’re willing to put in the time and effort, you can ascend the learning curve and perform well.”
Tom Melsheimer, who was Clayton’s managing partner at Winston and at Fish & Richardson before that, says his former colleague will be “sorely missed.”
“Taj is immensely talented and charismatic. His client skills are second to none,” Melsheimer said. “He’s that rare lawyer who combines intellectual firepower and high emotional intelligence. He leaves behind a legacy of contributions that will enhance our Dallas office for years to come.”