13 Apr 2026
Cooley Adds Private Equity Fund Formation Partner Derek Pease in New York
"Derek Pease joins Cooley's New York office as a partner in the fund formation practice, bringing 20+ years of private equity fund formation experience from Silver Lake and Kirkland & Ellis."
Pease brings more than two decades of industry experience and joins Cooley as a partner specializing in fund formation and private equity matters.
Immediately prior to joining Cooley, Pease served at Silver Lake as legal director of fund formation, working on a series of investment funds that raised billions of dollars from institutional investors and structuring global technology investments. In that role he led all aspects of fund formation throughout the fundraising process and oversaw multifaceted fund operations.
Before Silver Lake, Pease was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis, where he represented leading domestic and international sponsors in fund development and operations and advised on fund-related transactions, including minority-stake sales, co-investments and joint ventures, as well as related legal and regulatory issues.