Weil, Gotshal & Manges appointed Rebecca Ward as a partner in its Private Equity practice in London as the firm continues expanding its sponsor-side capabilities across Europe.
Ward joins Weil from Freshfields, where she practiced for four years.
Before Freshfields, she spent 17 years at private equity law firm Dickson Minto.
Ward brings more than two decades of experience advising private equity sponsors on complex domestic and international transactions across the investment lifecycle.
Her practice includes leveraged buyouts, acquisitions and disposals, private acquisitions, carve-outs, co-investments, restructurings, and other corporate finance transactions.
The appointment forms part of Weil’s broader strategy to deepen its European private equity platform.
In Germany, the firm has added 11 private equity partners over the past 11 months.
Weil also maintains a significant private equity presence in Paris.
The firm has also recently expanded its U.S. private equity team, adding Peter Feist as U.S. Co-Head of Private Equity in New York, along with Jonathan Stott and Michael Hanna in San Francisco.
Weil said Ward’s relationships with major sponsors and clients across Europe will further strengthen its integrated global private equity platform.
The firm advises more than 300 private equity clients worldwide.
Its client base includes the 10 largest global private equity funds and more than 80% of the 25 largest global private equity funds based on the PEI 300 2025 ranking.
London serves as the hub of Weil’s European private equity practice, where the firm advises European, U.S., and global private equity sponsors, corporations, and financial institutions on domestic and cross-border matters.
KEY QUOTES:
“We are thrilled to welcome Rebecca to Weil’s market-leading Private Equity practice where the firm is a leader, advising clients on their most significant and complex transactions. Rebecca brings longstanding relationships with leading sponsors and clients across Europe, which will complement the strength of our integrated teams across the global platform, adding particular depth to our European Private Equity platform.”
Barry Wolf, Executive Partner of Weil
“Rebecca is a hugely respected private equity partner with a reputation for excellence in the London market. Having worked with her, I have seen first-hand the trusted relationships she builds with clients and the quality of her advice. We are delighted to welcome her to the Firm as part of the tremendous growth across our European private equity practice.”
Marco Compagnoni, Co-Head of the Global Private Equity Group at Weil
“I’m delighted to be joining Weil. It has built a truly exceptional private equity platform, with considerable strength across Europe and internationally, and the opportunities ahead are hugely exciting. Weil has a fantastic group of people – ambitious, collaborative and genuinely committed to building something special. I am very much looking forward to being part of the team and contributing to the next phase of its growth.”
Rebecca Ward, Partner at Weil
