Gerald T. "Jerry" Nowak is a managing director and the chief administrative and legal officer at Thoma Bravo. Based in Chicago, he oversees the firm's Compliance and Legal, IT and Support functions. Jerry is a member of Thoma Bravo's leadership team and works closely with the firm’s Investment Committee, frequently serving as the lead legal advisor on major transactions.
Jerry joined the firm in 2021, bringing extensive legal experience as lead counsel on hundreds of private equity, M&A and capital markets transactions. Prior to Thoma Bravo, he was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago, where he spent nearly 20 years advising the firm as outside counsel on a variety of transactions and mandates. A former Air Force officer and computer systems cost analyst, Jerry began his career in the U.S. Air Force before transitioning into private practice.
Outside the firm, Jerry is a long-standing supporter of the arts and currently serves as a member of the board of trustees at the Chicago Symphony.
He holds a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, an M.B.A. from Auburn University, an M.F.A. in creative writing from Northwestern University and a B.A. in economic policy analysis from Michigan State University.
Jerry has been widely recognized as a leading practitioner in the industry – named in The International Who’s Who of M&A Lawyers, a “Super Lawyer” by Law & Politics Magazine and a top high-yield debt practitioner in The Legal 500 U.S. He was also honored as a “Leading Lawyer” for Corporate Finance Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law and Securities & Venture Finance Law by Leading Lawyers Network.