Paul O’Hop is a partner in the Washington DC office of Squire Sanders, where he is the firm’s Regional Coordinator for Latin America and the co-chair of the Renewable Energy Industry Group.

Paul has represented government agencies, large international companies and banks in transactions around the world in the development and financing of major infrastructure transactions in the energy, transportation and telecommunications sectors. Paul also assists large international corporations in a variety of industries in connection with structuring and managing their overseas holdings, and has substantial experience in the creation of international joint ventures including joint ventures between government and private sector entities (public-private partnerships).

With more than 20 years of experience in the energy sector, Paul has represented large US-based energy companies on power generation, pipeline and production projects in the United States and Latin America including Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Peru and Venezuela. He has also been lead counsel in connection with several “first ever” transactions involving the private sector and government-owned energy companies in Latin America.

Paul also works extensively in the renewable energy industry. For example, in the solar industry, he has been involved in the development of some of the world’s largest solar projects including the negotiation of solar power purchase agreements (PPAs) with the largest utilities in the United States. He also represents some of the largest US solar photovoltaic manufacturers in a wide range of activities including new project development and new supply procurement. Paul is also experienced in all aspects of energy project development including joint ventures, PPAs, interconnection agreements, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts, operation and maintenance (O&M) contracts, etc. His experience includes working on the registration of credits under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. 

In the transportation sector, he has acted as legal adviser to governments in Africa and Central Europe on the commercialization of and private sector participation in transportation infrastructure including port systems and airports.

Paul lectures frequently on topics relating to international development, project finance and international business. He has also been an adjunct professor of international law at The George Washington University. Paul has lived in Spanish-speaking countries on two occasions and has also practiced law in the Netherlands and Belgium as an exchange lawyer.

Významné transakce

• Acting as counsel in the establishment of the first joint venture in history between Mexico’s state petroleum company and a non-Mexico-based company.
• Acting as counsel in the sale of offshore oil exploration and production infrastructure and, for the first time in history, the sale of privately produced gas from Brazil and oil to Brazil’s state petroleum company.
• Acting as counsel to the project sponsor in the development of the first independent power project in Mexico, which was recognized as Deal of the Year by Project Finance magazine.
• Acting as counsel to the project sponsor in the first fully integrated power generation facility in Peru (e.g., extraction, transportation, processing, power generation and transmission), which was recognized as Deal of the Year by Project Finance magazine.
• Acting as counsel on behalf of generating companies in PPA negotiations developing utility-scale solar projects, including projects of 850 MW and 600 MW, and in other development-related activities
• Representing a major solar photovoltaic manufacturer in all aspects of international supply procurement and project development including negotiation of PPAs and EPC contracts.
• Representing a major power company in the acquisition and development of five landfill gas combustion projects in Latin America to generate power and/or Certified Emissions Reduction credits (CERs) under the Kyoto Protocol.
• Advising the governments of Nigeria, Tanzania and Kenya in connection with World Bank-funded efforts to reform their port sectors.
• Advising the government of Serbia in connection with the USTDA-funded effort to develop new air cargo facilities at Belgrade Airport.