Paul Hastings boosts Abu Dhabi team

Paul Hastings LLP announced today that energy and infrastructure lawyer Ibaad Hakim has joined the firm as a partner in Abu Dhabi, further strengthening the transformative international energy and infrastructure team spanning Abu Dhabi, London and Paris that was announced in April. Hakim focuses on major oil and gas, infrastructure and power projects, many of which are project financed. His practice covers the entire lifecycle of a construction and engineering project — from procurement strategy and contract drafting/negotiation to claims advice and dispute resolution. His experience spans a wide range of procurement models, including traditional, design and build, EPC/turnkey, construction management and collaborative contracting, using both standard form contracts and bespoke agreements. Dual-qualified in England & Wales and Pakistan, Hakim advises sponsors, lenders, government agencies, contractors and consultants across diverse industries and jurisdictions. He joins from White & Case.

“Ibaad brings strong experience advising on some of the region’s most significant infrastructure and energy mandates,” said Rob Freedman, co-chair of Paul Hastings’ Energy and Infrastructure practice. “His addition will continue to elevate our ability to advise clients on complex, cross-border matters and bolsters our commitment to delivering premier legal services in the UAE and beyond.” “George and I have worked closely with Ibaad for several years, and his experience dovetails perfectly with the existing capabilities of our new team at Paul Hastings. Ibaad’s arrival continues the momentum of the Abu Dhabi-based practice and broader UAE strategy, and we are delighted to have him on board as we continue to build a world-class international energy and infrastructure group,” added Din Eshanov, co-head of Paul Hastings’ Abu Dhabi office.

Based in Paul Hastings’ new Abu Dhabi office — the firm’s regional hub for serving clients across the UAE, Europe and Asia — Hakim will work closely with office co-heads Eshanov and George Kazakov, as well as Paris-based partner Xavier Petet, who all joined the firm in April, strengthening its international energy and infrastructure platform and complementing its existing U.S. practice. “Following the success of the firm’s Energy and Infrastructure practice in the U.S., it is an exciting time to join Paul Hastings, as it expands in the Middle East and Europe to build a top-tier global energy and infrastructure platform,” said Hakim. “I am looking forward to working with our clients across the region to advise on some of the most transformative and innovative projects in the sector.”

The new international team is part of the significant expansion of Paul Hastings’ global Energy and Infrastructure practice. The team will work closely with Energy and Infrastructure practice co-chairs Freedman and Gregory Tan, who joined the firm in 2022 in New York, to accelerate the practice’s global growth, as well as with a broad range of other practices and geographies.