Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) today announced the addition of a real estate partner in Abu Dhabi.
Philip Hecht joins from Miral, where he was director of legal affairs.
At Miral, he managed all development and construction legal matters, spanning the entire asset lifecycle, from development through to asset management. He was also responsible for handling intellectual property legal matters with some of Miral’s partners, such as Warner Bros. Discovery, SeaWorld, teamLab, and Ferrari, as well as all general corporate-commercial legal business.
He brings over 16 years of experience in the UAE and in-house experience at regional entities including Miral, Aldar, and Etihad Airways. He has also spent over a decade in private practice with CMS and DLA Piper.
Over his career, he has advised on the delivery and asset management of over US$35 billion in real estate and infrastructure assets, including theme park attractions, retail developments, hotels, master communities, hospitals, transportation networks, and major energy and water infrastructure. This includes Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi and SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, two of the world’s largest indoor theme parks, as well as the UAE’s largest structural steel building and one of the Middle East’s largest solar energy plants.
“Having collaborated with the team at BCLP on several occasions in my previous role, I am thrilled to join the firm and work alongside its highly respected professionals,” said Hecht in a statement. “I look forward to building a successful, sustainable practice and enhancing the firm’s real estate and commercial construction offerings, while contributing to the firm’s broader growth ambitions.”
BCLP’s UAE managing partner Richard Davies added: “We’re delighted to welcome Philip to our growing Middle East team. His extensive in-house experience managing complex, high-value projects across real estate and infrastructure brings a fresh perspective that complements our focus on client intelligence and delivering innovative solutions.”
