Key Takeaways
- • Peter Feist rejoins Weil, Gotshal & Manges as U.S. Co-Head of Private Equity, based in New York, after departing for Cravath, Swaine & Moore in 2023—marking a significant leadership return to the firm where he previously practiced for nearly 20 years.
- • Feist brings 25+ years of private equity experience advising sponsors on leveraged buyouts, public and private acquisitions, take-private transactions, minority investments, recapitalizations, and exits, positioning him as a trusted dealmaker in the institutional investment community.
- • The appointment reflects Weil's broader leadership expansion and growth strategy, coinciding with recent partner additions Jonathan Stott and Michael Hanna (San Francisco Private Equity Group) and the elevation of Kyle Krpata and Michael Lubowitz to Co-Chairs of the Corporate Department.
- • Feist serves as U.S. Co-Head alongside Kyle Krpata and Ramona Nee, creating a three-person leadership structure for the firm's private equity practice and reinforcing Weil's competitive positioning in high-stakes institutional transactions.
- • The move signals competitive positioning among BigLaw firms in the private equity market, with Weil actively recruiting senior laterals to strengthen its advisory capabilities for major sponsors and financial investors.
Summary
Weil, Gotshal & Manges announced on September 25, 2026, that Peter Feist, a leading private equity attorney, has returned to the firm as a partner and U.S. Co-Head of its Private Equity practice in New York. The appointment marks Feist's return after he departed Weil in 2023 to become Head of Private Equity at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, one of the nation's premier transaction law firms.
Feist's professional profile underscores his prominence in institutional dealmaking. With more than 25 years of experience advising private equity sponsors and financial investors, his practice encompasses the full spectrum of leveraged transactions: leveraged buyouts, public and private acquisitions, take-private transactions, minority and structured investments, recapitalizations, and exits. His return to Weil positions him as a central figure in the firm's strategy to compete for marquee private equity mandates.
The timing of Feist's appointment reflects Weil's deliberate expansion of its private equity and corporate leadership. The firm recently recruited dealmakers Jonathan Stott and Michael Hanna as partners in its San Francisco Private Equity Group. Concurrently, Weil promoted Private Equity leader Kyle Krpata and M&A leader Michael Lubowitz to Co-Chairs of the Corporate Department, signaling comprehensive investment across multiple practice areas. Feist will serve as U.S. Co-Head of Private Equity alongside Krpata and Ramona Nee, creating a robust triumvirate leadership structure.
Barry Wolf, Weil's Executive Partner, characterized the hire as a strategic homecoming, noting Feist's deep familiarity with the firm's clients, culture, and cross-practice capabilities. The firm's public statements emphasize Feist's role in advancing "the Firm's broader growth strategy" and strengthening client service—language reflecting competitive dynamics in BigLaw's private equity marketplace, where institutional sponsors routinely evaluate counsel based on partner stability, transaction experience, and lateral movement patterns among elite practitioners.
Feist's professional profile underscores his prominence in institutional dealmaking. With more than 25 years of experience advising private equity sponsors and financial investors, his practice encompasses the full spectrum of leveraged transactions: leveraged buyouts, public and private acquisitions, take-private transactions, minority and structured investments, recapitalizations, and exits. His return to Weil positions him as a central figure in the firm's strategy to compete for marquee private equity mandates.
The timing of Feist's appointment reflects Weil's deliberate expansion of its private equity and corporate leadership. The firm recently recruited dealmakers Jonathan Stott and Michael Hanna as partners in its San Francisco Private Equity Group. Concurrently, Weil promoted Private Equity leader Kyle Krpata and M&A leader Michael Lubowitz to Co-Chairs of the Corporate Department, signaling comprehensive investment across multiple practice areas. Feist will serve as U.S. Co-Head of Private Equity alongside Krpata and Ramona Nee, creating a robust triumvirate leadership structure.
Barry Wolf, Weil's Executive Partner, characterized the hire as a strategic homecoming, noting Feist's deep familiarity with the firm's clients, culture, and cross-practice capabilities. The firm's public statements emphasize Feist's role in advancing "the Firm's broader growth strategy" and strengthening client service—language reflecting competitive dynamics in BigLaw's private equity marketplace, where institutional sponsors routinely evaluate counsel based on partner stability, transaction experience, and lateral movement patterns among elite practitioners.
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