Blackstone Paid Kirkland $88 Million to Guide AI, Energy Work

Blackstone Inc. paid $87.8 million in legal fees to Kirkland & Ellis last year, according to a securities filing Friday.

That payout is a drop from the $101.3 million Kirkland earned in Blackstone fees for 2024, the New York-based alternative asset manager and private equity firm disclosed in prior filings. Blackstone is required to disclose its payments to the law firm because Kirkland partner Reginald Brown is a member of its board. The firm’s relationship with Kirkland pre-dates Brown’s 2020 board appointment.

Kirkland became a behemoth among corporate law firms thanks largely to its work for private equity clients like Blackstone, Bain Capital, and KKR & Co. Inc. The world’s largest firm by revenue is now growing its litigation business into a $3 billion operation.

Kirkland has recently guided Blackstone on several matters focused on scaling AI capacity, data center infrastructure and energy transition assets last year. Key deals include a $10 billion debt financing facility for AI company Firmus; a commitment to invest more than $25 billion in Pennsylvania’s digital and energy infrastructure; and acquisitions of Arlington Industries and Alliance Technical Group.

Blackstone’s chief legal officer, John Finley, received nearly $23.7 million in total compensation during 2025. The sum included a base salary of $350,000 and stock awards valued at $16.7 million. Finley is a former co-chair of the mergers and acquisitions practice at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, and joined Blackstone in 2010. He was among only 13 legal leaders in the S&P 500 with pay packages that exceeded $15 million, according to a Bloomberg Law analysis last year

Vikrant “Vik” Sawhney, Blackstone’s chief administration officer and another Simpson Thacher alum, earned nearly $27.8 million, according to the 10-K filing.

Blackstone previously disclosed that it paid approximately $41.6 million in legal fees to Kirkland in 2023 and $53.4 million in 2022.