Weil, Gotshal & Manges has named Peter Feist a partner and U.S. Co-Head of its Private Equity practice as the veteran deal lawyer returns to the firm in New York.
Feist brings more than 25 years of experience advising private equity sponsors and other financial investors on major transactions.
His practice spans leveraged buyouts, public and private acquisitions, take-private transactions, minority and structured investments, recapitalizations and exits.
Feist will serve as U.S. Co-Head of Private Equity alongside Kyle Krpata and Ramona Nee.
His return is part of a broader expansion of Weil’s transactional business and follows the recent additions of private equity partners Jonathan Stott and Michael Hanna in San Francisco.
The firm also recently appointed Krpata and Michael Lubowitz as Co-Chairs of Weil’s Corporate Department.
Feist is the eighth former Weil partner to return to the firm during 2026.
He is also among more than 50 lateral partners who have joined Weil since the beginning of 2025, with the firm indicating that additional partner hires are expected.
Weil plans to draw on Feist’s experience leading private equity practices and his existing relationships across the firm as it continues investing in its private equity platform.
The firm’s broader private equity offering combines capabilities across M&A, finance, capital markets, tax, executive compensation, antitrust, restructuring and disputes.
Feist rejoins Weil from Cravath, Swaine & Moore, where he served as Head of the Private Equity practice.
KEY QUOTES:
“Peter is an exceptional private equity lawyer, trusted adviser and longtime friend and colleague to many of us at Weil, and we could not be more pleased to welcome him home. Peter knows our Firm, our clients and our culture extraordinarily well, and he shares our commitment to excellence, collaboration and developing the next generation of talent. He is a natural leader, and we are thrilled that he is returning to Weil in this important role.”
Barry Wolf, Executive Partner at Weil
“We have tremendous ambitions for Weil, and we are investing to build an even stronger Firm for the future. Peter’s return reflects the scale of our ambitions and our commitment to investing in the very best talent. He is an extraordinary lawyer and practice leader, and we are proud that he has chosen to come home to Weil and help lead one of our flagship practices. This is the kind of significant investment we intend to continue making as we build for the future.”
Ramona Nee, Incoming Executive Partner at Weil
“Peter’s return in a leadership role is an important investment in the continued growth of our Private Equity practice. He is an outstanding lawyer who understands both our clients and the distinctive strengths of Weil’s platform, and his deep experience advising sponsors will further strengthen our ability to serve clients across the full range of their most sophisticated transactions. Just as importantly, Peter is a generous colleague and mentor who has always invested deeply in the people around him. We know firsthand what he brings to Weil, and we are incredibly excited to work alongside him again.”
Kyle Krpata and Michael Lubowitz, Co-Chairs of Weil’s Corporate Department
“Coming home to Weil and taking on this leadership role is incredibly exciting to me. I know firsthand the quality of the lawyers, the strength of the platform and the collaborative culture that distinguishes the Firm. I am looking forward to rejoining a growing and vibrant Private Equity team and to work alongside my longtime friends and colleagues to build on the extraordinary strength of the practice and deliver the very best of Weil to our clients.”
Peter Feist, Partner and U.S. Co-Head of Private Equity at Weil
