Paul Hastings has hired a three partner-strong projects and infrastructure team from Shearman & Sterling in New York to strengthen its energy transition offering.

The trio include high profile project development and finance lawyers Robert Freedman, Alexandro Padres and Gregory Tan, with Tan and Freedman set to co-chair the firm’s infrastructure and energy practice. The team regularly advises some of the world’s largest asset managers and banks on energy and infrastructure deals.

Seth Zachary, chair of Paul Hastings, said: “This exceptional group is defined by superior intellectual capital, execution and reputation. Widely recognised 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.”

The group’s arrival follows the Los Angeles-based firm hiring an 18-partner restructuring team from Stroock & Stroock & Lavan in March, with most of the team based in New York. 

Freedman had been at Shearman for more than 15 years, most recently serving as co-leader of its global project development and finance practice group and lead industry co-ordinator for energy. Prior to that he worked in-house at GE Energy Financial Services, having started his career at Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy. His practice focuses on finance and development, asset acquisitions and sales and restructurings across the power, renewables and transport sectors.

Padres spent 14 years in his most recent stint at Shearman, latterly serving as head of its Latin America practice group. He also worked at Shearman between 2002 and 2007 prior to a brief stint at Debevoise & Plimpton. He started his career at Curtis Mallet-Prevost Colt & Mosle in Mexico City back in 1996. His practice focuses on infrastructure projects in the electricity, oil and gas, and metals and mining sectors.

Tan, meantime, spent more than two decades at Shearman, most recently leading the firm’s global project development practice alongside Freedman, as well as being co-head of global finance. His practice focuses on project development, structured financing and restructurings in renewables, conventional power and oil and gas, among others.

Tan said: “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.”

The hires come off the back of a strong financial year for Paul Hastings, which grew its global revenue by 20% in 2021 to hit $1.57bn against a 20.5% increase in PEP.

Womble Bond Dickinson made its own team hire in New York last month when it added five lawyers from intellectual property boutique Abelman Frayne & Schwab to open an office in the city, its 20th in the US.  

And in January Brown Rudnick added an eight-lawyer team in New York from McCarter & English, significantly boosting its global technology practice.