Paul Hastings is to open its first Middle East office in Abu Dhabi following the hire of an energy and infrastructure team in London, Paris, and Abu Dhabi from White & Case.
The lawyers who will be joining the firm, according to a source with knowledge of the situation, include Abu Dhabi partner Dinmukhamed ‘Din’ Eshanov and London partner George Kazakov.
The newly appointed team will oversee an international group across London, Paris, and Abu Dhabi, and will work closely with the energy and infrastructure practice co-chairs Gregory Tan and Rob Freedman, who joined the firm’s New York office in 2022.
Eshanov advises on various project development and construction matters across a range of industries, including the infrastructure and renewable energy sectors. He joins the firm after just under four years as a partner at White & Case, prior to which he worked for over 13 years at Akin in the New York and Abu Dhabi offices.
Kazakov also joins the firm after less than four years at White & Case, where he was a partner. His practice focuses on private equity M&A and finance transactions in the infrastructure sector. He previously worked in-house as global investment counsel at Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners.
Paul Hastings’ new Abu Dhabi office is its first in the Middle East, according to its website. 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.
Skadden recently opened an office in Abu Dhabi with Michael Hilton, who was formerly regional managing partner at Freshfields, at the helm.
