Peter J. Faust

Pete Faust is the president and managing shareholder of O’Neil Cannon and an experienced deal and corporate lawyer. 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, ranging in deal size from few million dollars to $500 million.

Pete Assists Clients With

Mergers, acquisitions, sales, 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, confidentiality agreements, and employment agreements
Corporate governance issues
Tax-exempt organizations

Professional Associations and Affiliations

Member, American Bar Association, Mergers and Acquisitions Committee
Member, American Bar Association, Private Equity and Venture Capital Committee
Advisory 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)

Award/Distinctions

Recognized by Chambers and Partners for M&A and general corporate law
Recognized in Wisconsin Law Journal’s M&A Power List
Named 2022 Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” for Mergers & Acquisitions Law
Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® –Corporate Law and Mergers & Acquisitions Law, 2013–present
Selected for inclusion in Wisconsin Super Lawyers in Law & Politics and Milwaukee Magazine, 2005–present
Selected as one of the “Top 25 Lawyers” in Milwaukee by Law & Politics and Milwaukee Magazine
Selected as one of the “Top 50 Lawyers” in Wisconsin by Law & Politics and Milwaukee Magazine
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
Editor-in-Chief, Marquette Law Review

Articles/Presentations

Speaker, Meritas Capability Webinar, “Transactions in a COVID-19 Environment”
Speaker, Private Client Breakfast–HNI “Liability Protection”
Speaker, ACG–Wisconsin Next Gen “Trends and Takeaways from the ABA Private Target Deal Points Study”
Quoted in, Marquette Lawyer Magazine, “Practicing Business Law at the Speed of Change: How Technology is Changing the Practice of Business Law”
Speaker, Park Bank Business seminar, panel discussion “Working on Your Business”
Speaker, Hot Topics for Small Firm and Solo Practitioners seminar, panel discussion “The Drafting of Business Documents: Perspectives from Transactional and Litigation Attorneys”
Speaker, Hot Topics for In-House Counsel seminar, panel discussion “Legal Ethics Issues Relating to the Media & Dealing with the Media”
Speaker, BizTimes Business Strategy seminar, “Preparing Your Business for Sale: A Legal Perspective”
Panelist, MBBI Conference on Deal Momentum
Speaker, Corporate 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.)

In The News