Simpson Thacher & Bartlett has announced the opening of a new office in Chicago, marking a notable milestone in the firm's continued U.S. and global expansion. The Chicago launch establishes the firm's 16th office worldwide and reinforces its commitment to serving clients across major American financial and commercial centers. The move reflects a broader strategic emphasis on deepening the firm's presence in markets that are increasingly central to sophisticated corporate and investment work.
The new office is anchored by a five-partner team joining from Kirkland & Ellis, bringing significant experience in private investment and family office matters. Ryan Harris will serve as the managing partner of the Chicago office, leading a group that includes Cole Parker, Kyle McHugh, Ryan Jackson, and Ziyad Ziyadzade. Together, this team brings a well-established practice focused on advising private capital sponsors, high-net-worth families, and closely held enterprises on their most complex legal and structural needs.
The addition of this group underscores the intensifying competition among elite law firms for talent in private investment and family office advisory work. These practice areas have grown substantially in recent years, driven by the increasing complexity of private capital transactions, the expanding role of family offices as direct investors, and the demand for tailored guidance on governance, succession, and cross-border structuring. By anchoring its Chicago platform with attorneys focused on these high-value areas, Simpson Thacher signals its intention to compete aggressively for sophisticated client work in the Midwest.
For clients across the region, the launch offers expanded access to top-tier advisory services from a firm with a longstanding reputation in private equity, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, and related transactional matters. The Chicago office is positioned to complement Simpson Thacher's existing U.S. platform, enabling more seamless collaboration on cross-market engagements and offering local access to attorneys with national and international transactional experience. Clients in the private investment and family office sectors, in particular, stand to benefit from an expanded roster of advisors in a market long recognized as a hub for private capital.
This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Clients and prospective clients should seek tailored legal counsel regarding their specific circumstances.