Weil strengthens German Private Equity practice with return of Kamyar Abrar

Based in Frankfurt, Abrar is widely recognized in the German legal market for advising leading global private equity sponsors on complex transactions, including cross-border acquisitions and strategic investments. He joins from Willkie Farr & Gallagher, where he served as Germany co-managing partner and developed a prominent sponsor-side practice.

His arrival follows the high-profile recruitment of Sebastian Pauls in late 2025, who joined Weil from Latham & Watkins with a team including partners Susanne Decker and Andreas Holzgreve, as well as counsel Julia Schöfer. Together, Abrar and Pauls are expected to shape the next phase of the firm’s private equity offering in Germany, focusing on large-scale transactions and strategic mandates for international investors.

Weil’s leadership views the move as part of a broader effort to consolidate its global private equity platform. Over the past three years, the firm has seen a notable number of partners return, reflecting what it describes as a collaborative culture and strong deal flow in core transactional practices. Abrar is the seventeenth partner to rejoin the firm since early 2023.

The expansion in Germany forms part of a wider European growth strategy. In London, the firm recently added secondaries specialist Simon Saitowitz, known for advising on several major GP-led transactions in Europe. The firm has also promoted new private equity partners in both London and Paris, underscoring continued investment in the practice across the region.

Weil’s private equity group advises a broad range of financial sponsors, including major global buyout funds, sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and family offices. The firm reports advising more than 300 private equity clients worldwide, including a significant share of the largest global funds.

In Germany, Weil operates from Frankfurt and Munich, advising domestic and international clients on M&A, private equity, restructuring, finance, disputes, tax, antitrust, and employment matters. The offices play a central role in the firm’s cross-border transactional work in continental Europe.

With Abrar’s return, Weil aims to further strengthen its position in the competitive German private equity legal market while continuing to build an integrated international platform for sponsor-focused transactional work.

Sophie Stevenard