David Nemecek, a liability management partner at Kirkland & Ellis whose work led to a business conflict with the firm's private equity base, is now moving to Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. He will lead the firm’s new capital structures solutions group, the firm confirmed in an interview on Wednesday. “I’m exceptionally excited about this,” Nemecek said in the interview. “Simpson Thacher shares the same vision I have for the most client-aligned way to deploy the tools we have to support companies with structure challenges...Most law firms think about this as two different practices: people who do Chapter 11 work and others who do liability management. I think it’s better to integrate those businesses.” The move comes weeks after Kirkland & Ellis dropped client Optimum Communications and stated it would limit its liability management practice after an antitrust lawsuit filed by a different firm on behalf of Optimum angered some key private equity clients. Nemecek’s debt finance practice was worth nine figures, sources told Law.com in January, although Nemecek declined to confirm this in the interview around his move to Simpson. Nemecek was such a highly valued lateral partner candidate that several firms had sought to recruit him. When asked how Nemecek’s practice will fit into the broader firm and coexist with its current client base—which includes key private equity relationships akin to those fostered at Kirkland & Ellis—Simpson Thacher executive committee chair Alden Millard described how the firm nurtures a balance between its core practices and clients. “We’ve always had a balance in our liability management and restructuring practices in the past. We’ve advised clients throughout the value chain, including clients from both borrowers and sponsors companies as well as investment banks and underwriters of credit,” Millard said. “We're used to balancing these things. Clients trust us to get the balance right.” When asked if former colleagues from Kirkland would be joining him in the move, Nemecek acknowledged it was a possibility. As for his clientele, Nemecek said he was optimistic that several of his clients would join him at Simpson Thacher. “Clients get to choose who they work with. We’ll see what happens,” Nemecek said. “Partners, counsel, associates, just like clients, get to do what they want. I have fabulous colleagues at Kirkland, and we’ll see what folks want to do. There’s no immediate plan, but people get to decide who they work with.” A Kirkland spokesperson: “We thank Dave for his contributions to Kirkland and wish him all the best in the future."