Paul Hastings has hired two more partners from White & Case as it rapidly builds its energy and infrastructure practice across the Middle East and Europe.

M&A lawyer Stefan Mrozinski and projects lawyer Habeeb Rahman are the latest of seven partners the firm has hired for the practice across Abu Dhabi, Paris and London since the start of last month, six of them from White & Case.

“Stefan’s and Habeeb’s appointments mark another significant moment in the expansion of our energy and infrastructure platform,” said Gregory Tan, co-chair of the firmwide practice. “Their experience advising clients in the UAE and beyond on corporate transactional projects adds breadth and depth to our international practice and enhances our ability to meet our clients’ evolving needs globally.”

The duo have joined the Abu Dhabi office Paul Hastings opened last month as part of its energy and infrastructure push. The firm hired London-based partners Din Eshanov and George Kazakov from White & Case to launch and co-lead the new office – its first in the Middle East – and earlier this month also added partner Ibaad Hakim to the practice from White & Case.

Mrozinski has joined the team after six years in White & Case’s Dubai office, before which he practised at legacy Allen & Overy. He advises corporates, government-related entities, sovereign wealth funds, private equity investors and family offices on M&A, disposals and joint ventures, as well as restructurings and corporate governance. He brings particular experience in the energy, power, natural resources, tech and infrastructure sectors. 

Meanwhile Rahman has spent the past decade at White & Case, practising out of its Abu Dhabi office. He advises clients in the development and financing of energy, petrochemical and infrastructure projects, with a particular focus on transactional construction, technology licensing and project development work. 

Kazakov said the incoming duo would boost the momentum of Paul Hastings’ Abu Dhabi practice.

“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,” he said. 

Last month Paul Hastings also recruited partners Xavier Petet and Benoit Thirion from White & Case and French firm Hoche Avocats respectively to build its energy and infrastructure practice in Paris. 

The spate of hires brings Paul Hastings’ energy and infrastructure practice to eight partners across Abu Dhabi, Paris and London, according to its website. The firm said the team it was building across the three locations complemented its existing US energy and infrastructure practice, which was ranked first overall for project finance in North America in IJGlobal’s Q1 2025 league tables. The 17-partner US practice works on matters ranging from M&A and joint venture transactions to project development/construction and non-recourse financings to restructurings.

A White & Case spokesperson commented: “We can confirm that Stefan and Habeeb are leaving White & Case. We wish them well in the future.”

White & Case has seen an outflow of energy and infrastructure partners in recent months. Infrastructure partners Tim Sheddick, Tom Pound and Katie Hicks also moved to Milbank in London in April, while last summer Elena Millerman joined Davis Polk in New York as co-head of infrastructure finance.