Paul Hastings has continued its raid on White & Case with the hire of two more partners.
M&A specialist Stefan Mrozinski and projects lawyer Habeeb Rahman have joined the firm’s burgeoning Abu Dhabi office, its regional hub for clients across the UAE, Europe, and Asia.
With their addition, the firm has hired a total of seven partners in as many weeks. Other notable hires include Dinmukhamed ‘Din’ Eshanov and George Kazakov, co-chairs of the firm’s Abu Dhabi office; Paris-based partners Xavier Petet and Benoit Thirion; and Abu Dhabi-based partner Ibaad Hakim. All of the partners have joined from White & Case, with the exception of Thirion who joined from French law firm Hoche Avocats.
The group strengthen the firm’s growing energy and infrastructure practice spanning Abu Dhabi, London, and Paris, and complements its existing US practice. The firm-wide practice, led by co-chairs Gregory Tan and Rob Freedman, who joined the firm in 2022 in New York, work on mandates ranging from M&A and joint venture transactions to project development, construction, non-recourse financings, and restructurings.
“Stefan’s and Habeeb’s appointments mark another significant moment in the strategic expansion of our global energy and infrastructure platform,” said Tan. “Their wealth of experience advising clients in the UAE and beyond on a broad range of corporate transactional projects adds further breadth and depth to our international practice and enhances our ability to meet our clients’ sophisticated and evolving needs globally.”
Mrozinski advises on corporate matters, with a focus on energy, natural resources, tech, and infrastructure.
Rahman advises on the development and operation of major energy, oil & gas, petrochemical, and infrastructure projects across the Middle East and internationally.
“Din and I are delighted to have Stefan and Habeeb join our growing team and to work together again,” said Kazakov. “Their arrival boosts the momentum of our Abu Dhabi-based practice, and their experience is additive to our broader Middle East strategy, which is focused on helping to expand the reach of European investors into the Middle East and to facilitate investments from the region into Europe.”
“We are delighted to reunite with many former colleagues on the Paul Hastings platform and continue building our presence in Abu Dhabi,” said Mrozinski. “It’s exciting to join the firm at such a pivotal moment in its expansion.”
“It is clear that Paul Hastings has a strategic focus on expanding its global offering across the full spectrum of energy and infrastructure. We look forward to collaborating with the team and working with clients across the region on their most complex and high-profile projects,” added Rahman.
Paul Hastings’ new Abu Dhabi office is its first in the Middle East. The US-headquartered firm has 23 offices across the Americas, Asia, and Europe.
Abu Dhabi is abuzz with activity, driven by sovereign wealth fund investments and cross-border deals. Energy transitions, digitalisation, and supply chain diversification bring further opportunities to the UAE capital.
