Prestigious Band 1 Projects and Infrastructure Team Joins Paul Hastings

Latest High Profile Lateral Group to Join the Elite Firm  

NEW YORK, May 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Paul Hastings, a global law firm advising leading financial institutions, asset managers, and corporations, today announced the addition of a high-profile group of laterals specializing in Projects and Project Finance in Energy Transition and Infrastructure from Shearman & Sterling. The Band 1 recognized group, which represents some of the most high-profile asset managers and largest banks in the world, includes three top-ranked partners who will join the firm in New York, advancing Paul Hastings' position as one of the premier firms in the world in energy transition and infrastructure with a global team focused on the United States, Europe and Latin America. Paul Hastings is one of the strongest finance firms in the world across leveraged finance, direct lending and private credit, and capital markets, from real estate finance to energy, projects, and infrastructure finance.

The partners – Robert Freedman, Alexandro M. Padres, and Gregory Tan – are among the most high-profile in their space globally, with top rankings in the gold standard for lawyer rankings, Chambers and Partners. Upon joining the firm, Freedman and Tan will co-chair Paul Hastings' Infrastructure and Energy practice.

The arrival of this prestigious group comes on the heels of Paul Hastings' 18 partner elite financial restructuring addition in New York continuing the firm's focus on strategic investments in areas of growth, given broader macroeconomic and legal trends. The energy transition and de-carbonization imperative is driving unprecedented amounts of capital – including over $1 trillion in global transactions in 2021 – into a wide range of products relevant to the Firm's clients and key practice areas. 

"This exceptional group is defined by superior intellectual capital, execution and reputation," said Seth Zachary, chair of Paul Hastings. "Widely recognized as a top five infrastructure and energy practice this group adds synergies and client value to our existing foundation with our leading Infrastructure and Energy Transition practice," he added.

"Paul Hastings is embracing a unique moment where the firm is firing on all cylinders—from the firm's forward looking growth strategy, stellar financial results and clear attraction of the finest lawyers in the world, it is clear that something exciting is underway at the firm," said Freedman. "The opportunity to join Paul Hastings was incredibly enticing, as was the timing. The energy transition and infrastructure space is incredibly dynamic and we're placing a stake in the ground that says we want to be the firm of choice for clients that want to be ahead of the curve," he added.

Tan added, "At this watershed moment for many industries, the opportunity for us to join forces with the outstanding finance and corporate practices at Paul Hastings when the firm is laser-focused on the energy transition and infrastructure sectors, was a "once in a career" opportunity for us, and we're very excited for us and our clients."

Robert Freedman

Robert Freedman was previously Global Project Development & Finance Practice Group Co-Leader as well as a Lead Industry Coordinator for Energy at Shearman & Sterling. He focuses on finance and development, asset acquisitions and dispositions, and complex work-outs and restructurings of infrastructure assets across the breadth of infrastructure sectors, including power, renewables and sustainable development, and transportation. His clients include major corporations, private equity and other institutional investors, banks and financial institutions.

Gregory Tan

Gregory Tan was previously Global Project Development & Finance Practice Group Leader as well as Co-Head of Global Finance at Shearman & Sterling. His practice is focused on project development, limited recourse and structured financings, and restructurings in the renewables and conventional power, oil & gas, transportation and digital infrastructure sectors in the United States and Latin America. He represents corporate and financial sponsors, as well as lenders, leading financial institutions and funds.

Alexandro M. Padres

Alexandro M. Padrés was the Head of the Latin America Practice Group and a partner in the Project Development & Finance practice at his prior firm. He focuses on infrastructure projects as they relate to the electricity (both conventional and clean/renewable), oil and gas telecommunications, and metals & mining sectors, with a particular emphasis on Mexico and Latin America. He is recognized as a Band 3 attorney by Chambers Latin America, Legal 500 Latin America and Legal 500 Mexico, and was named a Rising Legal Star by Latin Business Chronicle.

Most recently, his practice has consisted of portfolio financings in several jurisdictions in Latin America (in various modalities and levels of complexity), including advising sponsors and lenders on the financing of renewables projects being developed under the auspices of power purchase agreements under the new legislative framework in Mexico arising from the constitutional energy reform of 2013, as well as the development and financing of gas transportation infrastructure and legacy independent power producer projects in Mexico issued by the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE).

Padrés also represents sponsors and lenders throughout Latin America, including more recently on the financing of contracted transmission line projects and desalination projects in Chile. He advises various sponsors, such as Engie, AES Corporation, and numerous multilateral agencies, regional and local development banks, and export credit agencies in all aspects of project and infrastructure finance.

Propelled by strong demand in its M&A, Private Equity, Securities & Capital Markets, Structured Credit, and Real Estate practices over the last year, Paul Hastings has enjoyed strong financial performance, with its New York, London and California offices driving a significant portion of the growth. The new group of laterals adds high-profile talent to serve the firm's top clients, including the most successful and leading investment banks, asset managers and corporations in the world.

About Paul Hastings

Dedicated to helping the world's leading Wall Street and global investment banks, asset managers and corporations achieve their business and legal goals, Paul Hastings is a premier global finance law firm with elite teams in finance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and litigation. We are one of only a handful of law firms ranked across multiple core finance areas including: structured credit, leveraged finance, private credit, capital markets, and real estate finance.

Our unmatched client service has helped us become one of the legal profession's most admired firms, known for a diverse and highly collaborative culture that delivers innovative solutions.

SOURCE Paul Hastings LLP