Kirkland & Ellis LLP is pleased to announce that it has earned the Above and Beyond Award, which will be presented by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) in the Firm’s Chicago office on Friday, May 15.

The Above and Beyond Award recognizes employers at the local level who have gone above and beyond the legal requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act by providing their Guard and Reserve employees with additional, non-mandated benefits such as differential or full pay to offset lost wages during military duty, extended health benefits and other similar benefits.

Kirkland improved its benefits for employees in the military after then-litigation associate David Tressler was called up to serve in Afghanistan in 2009. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 2006, he joined the U.S. Army Reserve. He spent 10 months in Afghanistan in a very remote area near the Pakistan border as a Civil Affairs Team Leader for the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Khost Province. During his deployment he was awarded the Combat Action Badge, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

When the Firm improved its policy to make up the difference in Mr. Tressler’s military pay and civilian salary, it helped him and his wife who had a 3-month-old and 3-year-old. Today, he is a Kirkland litigation partner who handles antitrust and government investigation matters and complex multidistrict litigation. He remains an active reservist and still dedicates significant time to the U.S. military. He and his wife now have three children. Mr. Tressler and litigation partner and Global Management Executive Committee member Leslie Smith will be accepting the award on the Firm’s behalf.

In addition, Michael Slago, an associate director in Kirkland’s Risk Management Department, received the Patriot Act Award, presented to supervisors for support provided directly to a nominating service member and his or her family.