David King, who spent nearly the past seven years at buyout giant The Carlyle Group LP, has joined Kirkland & Ellis as an investment funds partner in the Bay Area.

Kirkland, a firm known for deep ties to private equity firms around the world, took the lead for Carlyle earlier this year on its acquisition of packaged-ice maker Arctic Glacier Group Holdings Inc. from fellow private equity firm HIG Capital LLC, another Kirkland client. While the terms of that deal were undisclosed, HIG Capital bought Arctic Glacier five years ago for $485 million.

During King's time at Carlyle, where he most recently served as general counsel of the latter's real assets business segment, Kirkland stood out among the outside law firms he worked with for its responsiveness and client service, he said.