Recently got DUI — am I screwed for PE recruiting?

There are a distribution of outcomes. Some firms will say no way fuck that. Some will, like the person above, be understanding. My guess is that the distribution of those who are understanding is significantly large enough that it still merits PE recruiting, but I also imagine you might hit a roadblock once or twice. Good luck.

One highly performing guy at my firm had his drug tests come back real nasty but because the director really liked him, he took him in a room, told him to quit shit for 2 weeks and redo it. 

It worked but the associate did eventually move to Paris... 

I was in a similar position to you. Blew twice - once was over by a .001 and the other was under. Was able to plea down to reckless driving (but arrest for DUI shows up on DMV report). I was already in my first PE role post-IB. When recruiting for new PE firm this came up. They were upset I did not flag it to them and they had to ask me about it. I explained situation and they were OK with it and hired me. Said at some point I may need to talk to LPs and comfort them as well if it ever got brought up in fundraising stuff. But that never happened. 

Agree with the top comment, learn your lesson and be glad it didn't impact your health/others around you.

Regarding recruiting, it'll cut both ways. You'd be shocked at how many MDs/Partners/Execs have similar types of things on their record. Some might look at it very negatively, others probably won't care. Given it's a misdemeanor and not a felony, you won't need to check the felony box on applications, which I would imagine would be tougher to get around.

My advice would be to live your life normally, I wouldn't volunteer the info, but if it comes up either in conversation or via a background check, I'd be honest and straightforward about it.

I had too fast of a car when I was a teenager, got some pretty bad speeding tickets/had issues, could have lost my car/license, but fortunately didn't. Even worse could have hurt myself/others. Learned my lesson and haven't gotten a speeding ticket for ~20 years now. 

I personally wouldn’t care at all and would go to bat for you if you were otherwise competent as I do not believe this should matter

Have a DUI on my record from many years ago. I pulled over, passed out in my car safely in park, and was found the next day. No one got hurt, but obviously a very dumb decision on my part.

Never recruited for PE, but have recruited for two PEG PortCos, a F100, and a F50 company in that time frame. It has never became an issue, but it did delay the background check at the F100 which irritated the hiring manager, but HR never told them why. I have also never disclosed it other than checking the box about having been convicted of a crime. This is how I suggest you handle it.

Just make absolutely sure you disclose it. The background checks are quite thorough and will find it, which is an automatic ding if you don’t disclose. At least if it’s disclosed you’ll (usually) get a chance to tell your side of the story.

By age 30 everyone knows someone good who got a DUI, or at least remembers that they've driven a couple times slightly buzzed and could've gotten a DUI themselves but luckily didn't.  

Some firms may care, some will definitely not.

Recruiting for PE usually involves a Tier 3 or 4 background check that specifically looks for misdemeanors within the last 7 years. Your best move is to delay the court date or try for a deferred judgment so you don't have a final conviction on record during the hiring window. I had J.B. Katz, who provides representation for repeat DUI charges look at my case and she was able to negotiate a plea that didn't immediately trigger the red flags on a standard FINRA search. Check if your state offers a non-disclosure agreement for first-time offenders because that can save you during the compliance review.