Simpson Thacher & Bartlett made its Texas expansion to Dallas official on Tuesday with the addition of Ryan Cox.
Cox is part of a trio of Akin lawyers joining Simpson Thacher’s Hybrid Capital practice. The group, which also includes Payson Lyman of Boston and Joshua Morry of New York, advises on preferred and structured equity, convertible securities, and other bespoke equity transactions.
“Ryan, Payson and Josh are recognized leaders in hybrid capital and have built one of the most active practices in the market,” Alden Millard, chair of Simpson Thacher’s executive committee, said in a statement. “Their arrival meaningfully expands our ability to advise clients on sophisticated capital solutions, and the opening of our Dallas office reflects our continued investment in key U.S. markets.”
Cox will serve as head of the firm’s Hybrid Capital practice and co-managing partner of the Dallas office alongside Dave Nemecek, who moved to Simpson Thacher from Kirkland & Ellis in February. Nemecek leads the firm’s new capital structure solutions practice and is one of the nation’s pre-eminent strategic advisers to distressed companies.
Simpson Thacher, which established its Texas presence in 2011 via Houston, saw its headcount grow 26 percent to 82 lawyers and its revenue jump 34 percent to $187.8 million, respectively, in 2025. The firm’s revenue per lawyer in Texas reached $2,254,000, compared to an RPL of $2,017,000 for the rest of the New York firm last year, according to Texas Lawbook 50 research.
Dallas is Simpson Thacher’s eighth office in the U.S. and 16th worldwide.
Breen Haire, co-managing partner of Simpson’s Houston office, told The Texas Lawbook in an interview earlier this year that “what made us successful in Houston will make us successful in Dallas.
“This firm believes in Texas — we are definitely in growth mode.”