Volunteer Spotlight: Jordan E. Elkin

Jordan E. Elkin is an associate at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He was honored with a 2024 Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award for his dedication to working with clients on their bankruptcy cases along with our Consumer Bankruptcy Project.

How did you get started volunteering with us? 

Kirkland and the City Bar Justice Center have a strong relationship that affords Kirkland attorneys the opportunity to participate in a number of pro bono programs. The firm encourages attorneys to get involved from the outset of their careers. As a summer associate interested in bankruptcy and restructuring, the Justice Center’s Consumer Bankruptcy Project drew my attention. Even though I wasn’t too familiar with consumer bankruptcy law, there was a training program prior to the clinic, and summer associates were paired with attorneys at the firm to show them the ropes. It ended up being a really inspiring first clinic, and I knew I would stay involved. It’s amazing looking back on that first clinic seven years later!

What inspires or motivates you about doing pro bono work? 

It’s the real-world impact. It’s incredible when you realize that just a few hours of your time can potentially be completely life-altering for a pro bono client in need of services.

At the same time, doing pro bono work allows attorneys the ability to hone important skills that can be used in their billable practice – things like critical thinking, issue spotting, emotional intelligence, and client communication – especially with respect to difficult subject matter. All of that can be developed and refined in the pro bono setting, which in turn can make you a better lawyer and a better person.

What has been your favorite or proudest moment as a volunteer, or what is a moment that has particularly stood out to you? 

I’m not sure there’s a particular moment, but there are particular clients that stood out to me. One that I think about is a woman who had a great job in marketing at a large consulting firm. She suffered from depression and was no longer able to work. Years down the line, it resulted in her needing to file for bankruptcy.

Another client I think about is a woman who had a dream of becoming an entrepreneur. She was working as a nurse, saving up money, and ultimately used that money to purchase a truck and start a delivery business. She personally guaranteed the truck payments and other business obligations. When the business didn’t pan out, she was personally on the hook.

In both situations, I came to understand why the consumer bankruptcy system exists. In the first one, a hard-working person with a great job had an illness that was completely outside of her control and derailed her life. In the second, a person had a dream and took a chance that unfortunately didn’t work out. In both cases, the system was there as a safety net to protect them and give them a second chance. The Consumer Bankruptcy clinic made that possible, and it was very special to be a part of it.

Why do you find this work to be important in our current world? 

Across society, you see how changes in laws and norms can make people vulnerable. Whether it’s the Consumer Bankruptcy clinic, or any number of pro bono programs available, there are ways to use legal skills to protect people and give them the resources they need to navigate a really difficult climate.

How has doing this work affected you and/or your legal practice? 

Pro bono has been essential to my career and my life. In fact, my path to Kirkland and to becoming a lawyer started because of pro bono.

Before law school, I happened to sit next to Ramiro Ocasio, a Kirkland employee, on a plane. Ramiro was partnering with then-Kirkland restructuring partner Jon Henes to form the Foundation for Education in Honduras (FEIH), an organization building schools in rural Honduras. Kirkland agreed to take on FEIH as a pro bono client and do the legal work to form the foundation.

Ramiro and I stayed in touch after the flight, and I ended up forming a Junior Board for FEIH. Through my work there, I built strong relationships with Ramiro, Jon, and a number of other attorneys and staff at Kirkland. I learned about their careers and thought restructuring law sounded quite dynamic and impactful. I ultimately decided to go to law school and came back to Kirkland restructuring, where I’ve been ever since.

Kirkland’s willingness to take on FEIH as a pro bono client was life-changing not only for the thousands of students who have had their lives improved in Honduras, but also for me! FEIH has built 25 schools and counting since that flight.

What would you say to someone who hasn’t volunteered with the City Bar Justice Center but is thinking about starting? 

I would assure them that it’s going to be an extremely rewarding experience, and I would emphasize what I said before – just a few hours of your life could completely alter the course of someone else’s life for the better. You should start volunteering sooner rather than later!

What song do you currently have on repeat? 

Give It Time by Goose. Everyone should check out their Madison Square Garden debut show on YouTube!