About the Firm
Built on Integrity.
Defined by results.
When the stakes could not be higher, Khalil Kinchen brings deep experience, measured strategy, and a proven record of outcomes that protect individuals, executives, and businesses.
Overview
A firm formed at the intersection of two exceptional careers.
Khalil Kinchen was built on a simple principle: clients facing their most serious legal challenges deserve representation led by seasoned lawyers.
The firm's partners bring decades of collective experience from the Department of Justice, the Federal Public Defender, and the country's most demanding courtrooms. Together, they represent individuals and corporations when the stakes leave no room for error.
$3B+
In Matter Value Handled
F10
Fortune 10 Clients Represented
50+
Years Combined Federal Practice
What Sets Us Apart
The Khalil Kinchen difference.
Federal Depth, Unmatched Responsiveness
Our partners carry the institutional knowledge of former DOJ prosecutors and federal defenders. Every client matter is handled directly by a partner of the firm. From strategy to courtroom appearances, and for all decisions that matter.
The Origin
Why we built
something new.
After careers at the highest levels of federal practice — one as a DOJ prosecutor, one as a federal public defender — John Kinchen and Samy Khalil founded Khalil Kinchen with a clear mandate: bring the full weight of their experience directly to bear on every matter, without dilution. Not a practice group within a firm — a firm built entirely around the belief that exceptional results flow from exceptional lawyers who are personally invested in every outcome.
The Founding Partners
Two perspectives. One firm.
White-Collar Defense · Complex Commercial Litigation
Former federal prosecutor and former federal public defender whose investigative tenacity and client-centered approach have produced outcomes others considered unachievable.
Founded in Houston, Texas
Khalil Kinchen brings the partners' complementary backgrounds under one roof — a firm built not around practice groups, but around the singular commitment that every client deserves a partner's full attention and personal investment.
The way we approach every matter.
How We Work
Our process is not procedural — it is strategic from the first conversation. What follows is how we think about every engagement from the moment of first contact.
Early, Direct Assessment
Every matter begins with a frank and candid evaluation. We tell clients what we see, including the parts others leave unsaid.
Strategic Planning Before Tactical Action
We do not file motions or engage the government reflexively. Every early decision is made against a theory of the case — one developed in the first days of the engagement.
Rigorous Factual Development
Some of our most consequential results have come not from legal brilliance, but from surfacing a fact the government missed. We investigate as aggressively as we litigate.
Partner Accountability at Every Stage
From investigative response through trial or resolution, both partners are involved. Critical decisions are never made by someone who lacks the full picture or the standing to act on it.
Values & Philosophy
What we believe.
“The firm is built on the belief that truly exceptional legal representation demands rigorous preparation, creative strategy, and an unwavering commitment to the client.”
Our Principles
The standards we hold ourselves to.
Candor Over Comfort
We tell clients the truth about their situation — including difficult truths. Honest early advice is more valuable than false reassurance.
Creative Problem-Solving
The most consequential results in our careers have come from approaching a problem differently than the government expected us to.
Access to Decision-Makers
We maintain real access because real decisions happen in unscheduled moments.
Preparation as Strategy
Our opponents rarely know the law as well as we do. When they do, what distinguishes our outcomes is the depth of our preparation before the first filing.
Tenacity Without Exception
We do not measure our commitment by the apparent strength of a case. Our obligation is the same whether the facts are favorable or not.
Results Over Reputation
We are a firm defined by outcomes. The recognition we have received is a product of results — not a substitute for them.