Bruce Ettelson,

P.C. leads the Firm's Private Funds Group, which was ranked in 2014 by Chambers & Partners as Tier 1 in the U.S., UK, Asia-Pacific and globally – making Kirkland the only law firm in the world to be considered in the top tier for each of these core jurisdictions for three years in a row. His practice focuses on structuring and forming premier private equity funds and their management companies. Bruce has represented more than 100 private equity firms in the formation of more than 300 private equity funds. He is also involved in the structuring and formation of private equity funds associated with commercial and investment banks; representing investors in making and monitoring investments in private equity funds; representing buyers, sellers, management teams and fund sponsors in their investments in the secondary market; and acting for private equity clients in general corporate counseling.

Bruce was selected as one of "40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch" by The Law Bulletin Publishing Company and named as one of "The International Who's Who of Private Funds Lawyers" by Law Business Research Ltd. every year it has been published. The Legal 500 U.S. has recognized Bruce as a leading lawyer in the Private Equity Funds category every year since its first edition in 2007. In the 2014 edition, Bruce was one of 13 private funds attorneys to be selected as a "leading lawyer." According to The Legal 500, clients have described Bruce as "a very strong partner, [and a] first choice for fund formation," with an "almost encyclopedic knowledge of private equity." Additionally, Chambers & Partners has ranked Bruce in the top tier for Private Equity: Fund Formation in its Chambers USA guide every year since the introduction of the private equity fund formation category in 2005. According to Chambers, clients have described Bruce as an "absolutely top-notch, dynamite attorney" who "always has his finger on the pulse of the market." They have also noted that "there's almost no issue he hasn't seen and skillfully solved with his 20-plus years of fund formation experience. He is particularly adept at investor negotiations." He was also recognized as one of the top 30 private equity practitioners in the country by Legal Media Group's The Best of the Best USA 2014.

Bruce is a frequent lecturer, speaker, and panel moderator and has also published numerous articles on private equity and fund formation matters. He currently serves on the University of Chicago Law School Visiting Committee, the Boards of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago and AJC Chicago and the Hillels of Illinois Governing Committee.