Peter J. "Pete" Faust

Peter J. Faust is the President and Managing Shareholder of the law firm of O'Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing S.C., a 40-attorney firm headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Pete assists buyers, sellers, borrowers, lenders, and investors with a wide range of business law matters: including, mergers and acquisitions, formation and organization of new businesses, and contract negotiations. Pete has successfully closed hundreds of mergers and acquisitions and financing transactions involving public and private companies.

Pete Assists Clients With

• Mergers, acquisitions, and recapitalizations of businesses
• Private equity and venture capital financing
• Private offerings of debt and equity securities
• Securities laws issues
• Complex contractual matters and negotiations
• Business financing and loan documentation for borrowers and lenders
• Formation of new businesses and exit strategies
• Covenants not to compete and confidentiality agreements
• Corporate governance issues
• Tax-exempt organizations

  Professional Associations & Affiliations

• Member, American Bar Association, Mergers and Acquisitions Committee
• Member, American Bar Association, Private Equity and Venture Capital Committee
• Board Member, State Bar of Wisconsin, Business Law Section
• Member, State Bar of Wisconsin, Business Law Section’s Chapter 180 Former Subcommittee (which reviews and revises Wisconsin’s Business Corporation Law: Chapter 180 of the Wisconsin Statutes)

  Awards/Distinctions

• Named 2022 Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” for Mergers & Acquisitions Law
• Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2013–2024–Corporate Law and Mergers & Acquisitions Law
• Rated a 10.0 out of 10.0 by Avvo, a national attorney rating service which uses a mathematical model to rate attorneys based on experience, professional achievements, industry recognition and professional conduct
• Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™–AV Preeminent, reflecting an attorney who has reached the height of professional excellence and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity
• Selected for inclusion in Wisconsin Super Lawyers in 2005–2023 by Law & Politics and Milwaukee Magazine
• Selected as one of the “Top 25 Lawyers” in Milwaukee in 2011 and 2015 by Law & Politics and Milwaukee Magazine
• Selected as one of the “Top 50 Lawyers” in Wisconsin in 2011 and 2015 by Law & Politics and Milwaukee Magazine
• Editor-in-Chief, Marquette Law Review
• Named one of "Milwaukee's Leading Lawyers" in Corporate/Incorporated by M Magazine in 2014 and in Securities Offerings in 2015. Only 2-5% of the top ranked attorneys published by Avvo for each category, were recognized

  Articles/Presentations

• Speaker, Meritas Capability Webinar, “Transactions in a COVID-19 Environment” (2020)
• Speaker, Private Client Breakfast–HNI “Liability Protection” (2019)
• Speaker, ACG–Wisconsin Next Gen “Trends and Takeaways from the ABA Private Target Deal Points Study” (2019)
• Quoted in, Marquette Lawyer Magazine, “Practicing Business Law at the Speed of Change: How technology is changing the practice of business law” (2019)
• Speaker, Park Bank Business seminar, panel discussion “Working on Your Business” (2015)
• Speaker, O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing, Hot Topics for Small Firm and Solo Practitioners seminar, panel discussion “The Drafting of Business Documents: Perspectives from Transactional and Litigation Attorneys” (2014)
• Speaker, O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing, Hot Topics for In-House Counsel seminar, panel discussion “Legal Ethics Issues Relating to the Media & Dealing with the Media” (2013)
• Speaker, BizTimes Business Strategy seminar, “Preparing Your Business for Sale: A Legal Perspective” (2011)
• Panelist, MBBI Conference on Deal Momentum (2009)
• Speaker, Corprate Practice Institute seminar, “The Enforceability of Employment-Related Covenants Not to Compete”
• Speaker, Lorman Education Services seminars, “Noncompete Covenants in Other Agreements” (Sale of Business, Shareholder, Franchise, etc.)

  Education

• Marquette University Law School (J.D., magna cum laude)
• University of Wisconsin (B.A.)