Mintz is pleased to announce that Ayaz R. Shaikh, an internationally recognized project finance and energy lawyer with a broad U.S. and global practice, has joined the firm as Co-chair of Project Development & Finance. Mr. Shaikh's experience spans over 25 years and 30 countries across five continents advising on a range of energy and infrastructure projects from $20 million to $7 billion in size. 

Mr. Shaikh represents domestic and foreign companies, sponsors, developers, banks, fund and other financial investors, government ministries, and other participants in the structuring, development, construction, financing, acquisition or sale of a wide array of projects. His transactions have covered a diverse spectrum of industries: from renewable energy facilities to petrochemicals, mining to satellites, and sports arenas to cell towers. They have often involved foreign governments, multilateral organizations, and export credit agencies. He has also represented lenders and debtors in several project restructurings.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Shaikh has led pioneering transactions, such as the World Bank's first Prototype Carbon Fund investment implementing the Kyoto Protocol, establishing the model framework for future emissions credits generating clean energy projects. He advised a Middle East government in the establishment of its first independent power projects, and a Central Asian government on the development of a vast new rail infrastructure network.

“Ayaz is an important addition to our substantial clean energy and renewables practice and his arrival is a key step in the continued expansion of our project finance capability,” said Bob Bodian, Mintz’s Managing Member. “As one of the top lawyers in this space, he brings skills honed across an expansive sphere of energy and infrastructure projects in both the U.S. and in emerging markets. We’re delighted to welcome him to the firm.”

Mr. Shaikh is consistently ranked among top project finance and energy lawyers by Chambers Global, Euromoney, Who’s Who Legal, and The Legal 500, among others. He previously received Smart CEO’s Esquire Award, and was named a “Project Finance MVP” by Law360 (one of five attorneys selected in the United States).

Mr. Shaikh also has banking, commodities, derivatives, and other corporate experience, and is familiar with Islamic finance techniques. He has authored a book on project finance, lectured and published extensively on international transactions and foreign affairs topics, and taught a projects seminar. Additionally, Mr. Shaikh brings business and quantitative skills from his investment banking experience at Bankers Trust and Goldman Sachs.

Mr. Shaikh joins Mintz from Sidley Austin LLP and will be resident in the Washington, D.C. office.

Understanding the urgent need for sustainable energy solutions in the marketplace, Mintz was one of the first law firms to develop a practice focused on energy and sustainability innovation, and has been the leading law firm in the industry since the earliest days of this technology revolution. The Mintz Energy & Sustainability Practice now serves more than 250 clients, spanning the ecosystem from emerging companies to large corporations, private equity and venture capital funds, investment banks, project developers and project finance funds, and family offices.