Chicago, Illinois – Kent Hayden, Brendan Ryan, and Zac Ciullo have launched Hayden Ryan & Ciullo LLP, a boutique litigation firm focused on high-stakes commercial disputes. Prior to founding the firm, all three partners practiced for years at Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Collectively, Hayden, Ryan, and Ciullo bring over 30 years of experience handling complex commercial litigation across a wide range of industries and jurisdictions. Their work has included bet-the-company disputes, high-stakes class-action and multi-district litigation, and matters on behalf of Fortune 500 companies and private equity clients.

The firm was founded to deliver the same caliber of strategic advocacy the partners developed in large-firm practice, through a more focused and efficient platform. “Complex litigation always demands top-tier legal talent,” said Kent Hayden. “In some cases, it also requires the scale and resources of the largest firms. But there is a substantial category of complex commercial litigation that can take advantage of a leaner approach. That is the space we designed this firm to serve.”

Hayden Ryan & Ciullo’s model emphasizes direct partner involvement, flexible fee arrangements, and the thoughtful use of modern technology to support high-quality advocacy. “Our clients are highly sophisticated about how they engage litigation counsel,” said Zac Ciullo. “They value experience, judgment, and responsiveness, and they expect teams and fee structures tailored to the realities of the dispute. Our platform is built to meet those expectations.”

The firm expects to continue representing long-standing clients while expanding into new industries and matters. “There has never been a better time to launch a litigation boutique,” said Brendan Ryan. “Firm consolidation and rapid advances in technology are reshaping the industry. We see a significant opportunity to deliver elite litigation counsel in a more flexible and client-aligned way, while continuing to build on the relationships and experience we’ve developed over the years.”