David Nemecek is a prominent American corporate lawyer whose career has been closely associated with debt finance, restructuring, and liability management. Over more than two decades in major U.S. law firms, he has developed a reputation for advising companies and financial sponsors through complicated capital-structure challenges.
His professional path includes senior roles at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Kirkland & Ellis LLP. In 2026, he moved to Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, where he became a partner and head of the firm’s newly established Capital Structure Solutions practice. His work has placed him at the center of some of the most sophisticated financing and restructuring transactions involving distressed and financially pressured companies.
Who Is David Nemecek?
David M. Nemecek is a U.S. corporate finance and restructuring attorney specializing in liability management and debt-related transactions. His practice focuses on helping businesses address complicated financial obligations through transactions that can sometimes provide alternatives to traditional bankruptcy proceedings.
Nemecek’s career has been particularly notable for his work on out-of-court restructurings. These transactions can involve debt exchanges, recapitalizations, financing arrangements, and negotiations among borrowers, lenders, sponsors, and other stakeholders.
David Nemecek’s Facts
| Fact | Details |
| Full Name | David M. Nemecek |
| Profession | Corporate Finance and Restructuring Attorney |
| Primary Expertise | Liability management, debt finance, restructuring, and capital-structure solutions |
| Education | Northwestern University; Harvard Law School |
| Bachelor’s Degree | B.A. in American Studies, 1999, magna cum laude |
| Law Degree | J.D., Harvard Law School, 2002 |
| Early Career | Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP |
| Kirkland & Ellis | Partner, 2011–2026 |
| Simpson Thacher | Partner, from 2026 |
| Current Practice | Capital Structure Solutions |
| Current Offices | New York and Dallas |
| Dallas Leadership Role | Co-Managing Partner of Simpson Thacher’s Dallas office |
| Notable Clients/Transactions | Warner Bros. Discovery, Saks Inc., Macy’s, Carvana, Neiman Marcus, PetSmart, and others |
| Notable 2025 Transaction | Saks Global’s approximately $2.2 billion debt exchange |
| Major Recapitalization | Macy’s $4.5 billion COVID-era recapitalization |
| Bar Admissions | New York, California, and Texas |
| Industry Recognition | Chambers USA, National Law Journal, Los Angeles Times, Law360, Financial Times, and others |
Education and Early Professional Development
Nemecek’s academic background combines a liberal-arts education with an elite legal education. He earned a bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Northwestern University in 1999, graduating magna cum laude. He later attended Harvard Law School, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree in 2002.
After completing law school, he began his legal career at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. He spent roughly a decade at the firm, developing experience in corporate and debt finance before moving to Kirkland & Ellis in 2011.
His early career provided the foundation for the specialized practice that would eventually make him a prominent figure in liability management and restructuring.
Rise at Kirkland & Ellis
In March 2011, Nemecek joined Kirkland & Ellis LLP as a partner, working between the firm’s Dallas and New York offices. Over the following years, he became closely associated with the firm’s liability-management and restructuring work.
At Kirkland, his work expanded beyond conventional corporate finance. He became involved in transactions designed to help companies manage debt obligations, raise capital, restructure liabilities, and navigate periods of financial stress.
His practice developed into what the source describes as a market-leading liability-management and debt-finance practice. This placed him in a position to advise companies and financial sponsors when conventional financing solutions were insufficient or when a business needed to restructure its obligations without immediately entering Chapter 11.
Major Transactions and Clients
Nemecek has advised a broad range of companies across industries. His reported transactions include work involving Warner Bros. Discovery, Saks Inc., Macy’s, Carvana, Neiman Marcus, PetSmart, Guitar Center, Envision Healthcare, Travelport, TriMark, Cineworld, and other major businesses.
Saks Global debt exchange in 2025, involving approximately $2.2 billion in debt. Nemecek was identified as one of the architects of the transaction.
He also advised Macy’s on a $4.5 billion recapitalization during the COVID-19 era. More broadly, his pandemic-era work included financing aspects of several large retail restructurings.
His experience has covered a wide spectrum of transactions, including leveraged-buyout financing, debtor-in-possession loans, unitranche financing, convertible exchanges, and other debt and equity-financing arrangements.
Move to Simpson Thacher in 2026
A significant new chapter in Nemecek’s career began in February 2026, when he left Kirkland & Ellis to join Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.
At Simpson Thacher, he became a partner and head of the firm’s new Capital Structure Solutions practice. The practice brings together expertise involving liability management, restructuring, debt financing, and related capital-structure matters.
The move represented more than a change of law firms. It also reflected the growing importance of specialized capital-structure advice for companies dealing with complicated debt markets.
By mid-2026, Nemecek was also named co-managing partner of Simpson Thacher’s newly opened Dallas office alongside Ryan Cox. His professional responsibilities therefore expanded both through his specialized practice and through his leadership role within the firm’s growing Dallas presence.
Recognition in the Legal Industry
Nemecek’s work has received considerable recognition from legal and business publications. Chambers USA has repeatedly ranked him among leading banking and finance lawyers, with recognition dating back to his years at Kirkland.
His professional honors have included recognition as a Banking & Finance Visionary by the Los Angeles Times in 2021 and selection for the National Law Journal’s Trailblazers Under 45 list in 2019. He has also received recognition from publications including Law360 and the Financial Times for his work in debt restructuring.
Earlier in his career, he was recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in California and later as a Super Lawyer in banking and finance. His professional profile has also included recognition from the Los Angeles Business Journal.
These honors reflect the specialized nature of his practice and his standing among lawyers working in sophisticated finance and restructuring matters.
Professional Challenges and Industry Debate
Nemecek’s career has not been entirely separate from the debate surrounding liability-management transactions.
His work sometimes placed competing interests, such as lender groups and private-equity sponsors, on opposite sides of complex transactions. According to the source material, this contributed to a business conflict involving Kirkland’s private-equity client base and the firm’s approach to certain liability-management practices.
Kirkland subsequently curtailed some of these practices, particularly in consideration of its private-equity relationships. The situation was widely viewed as one factor contributing to Nemecek’s eventual departure in 2026. The transition did not lead to litigation between Nemecek and Kirkland.
Current Role and Professional Impact
As of 2026, David Nemecek serves as a partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and leads its Capital Structure Solutions practice. He works across the firm’s New York and Dallas platforms while maintaining a focus on debt restructuring, financing, and complex capital-structure solutions.
His career illustrates how the role of a corporate finance lawyer has evolved alongside increasingly sophisticated debt markets. Traditional restructuring remains important, but companies and their advisers now frequently explore transactions that can modify liabilities outside formal bankruptcy.
Nemecek has become closely associated with that evolution. His combination of restructuring knowledge, financing experience, and deal-making expertise has made him an influential adviser in special-situations finance.
David Nemecek’s Professional Legacy
David Nemecek’s professional legacy is still developing, but his influence on modern liability management is already significant. He has participated in major transactions involving distressed companies, large debt exchanges, recapitalizations, and complex financing arrangements.
His move to Simpson Thacher in 2026 further underscores the strategic importance of liability management and capital-structure expertise within major corporate law firms.
For companies facing financial pressure, the ability to restructure debt without immediately turning to a formal bankruptcy process can be critical. Nemecek’s career has been built around helping clients navigate precisely those difficult situations.
His story is therefore less about public fame and more about influence behind the scenes. Through high-value transactions and sophisticated financial strategies, David Nemecek has established himself as a notable figure in the evolving world of corporate restructuring and liability management.
