NEWS
Paul Hastings Adds Band 1 Energy and Infrastructure Partner in Asia
January 20, 2026
SEOUL – Paul Hastings LLP announced today that leading energy and infrastructure partner Sungjin Kang has joined the firm in Seoul.
Kang’s arrival follows Paul Hastings’ recent high-profile energy and infrastructure partner additions in Abu Dhabi, London, Paris and Houston, with 10 partners joining in the past 10 months, and strengthens the firm’s elite Energy & Infrastructure platform in Asia. He reunites with nine former White & Case partners who have joined the energy and infrastructure team over that span. In addition to adding a new practice area to Paul Hastings’ leading capital markets and M&A capabilities in Korea, Kang will spend considerable time in Tokyo.
“Continuing to build our global energy and infrastructure platform remains a strategic priority for the firm,” said firm Chair Frank Lopez. “Our energy and infrastructure platform is up 500% over the last four years, driven by premier talent in New York, D.C. and Houston and our recent expansion into Europe and the Middle East. Sungjin is an instrumental next step in building as we look to expand. He has a stellar reputation, extensive experience and deep industry knowledge that will further strengthen our offering at the top of the market from Seoul to Tokyo and broader Asia.”
Kang’s practice focuses on advising Korean, Japanese, and international developers, sponsors, project companies, asset managers, and export-credit and private-sector lenders on projects and project financings in the power, infrastructure, and oil and gas sectors. He also brings to the firm extensive experience in transportation finance and mergers and acquisitions.
Kang’s representative matters include advising the lenders in connection with the project financing of a 198MW ultra-low-sulfur diesel/natural gas dual-fuel power plant in Guam; Lotte Chemical Corporation and PT Lotte Chemical Indonesia on the development and financing of a $2.4 billion naphtha cracker project in Indonesia; and Marubeni, Korea Midland Power Co. Ltd. and other sponsors in the project development and financing for the US$1.7 billion Cirebon 2 Expansion Project, a 1,000-MW ultra-super critical coal-fired generating facility in West Java, Indonesia.
Kang’s clients have included The Export-Import Bank of Korea (K-EXIM), Green Harbor Investment, Korea Midland Power (KOMIPO), Korea Trade Insurance Corporation (K-SURE), Lotte Chemical, LX Semicon and Samchully Asset Management, among others.
“Paul Hastings’ leading Energy and Infrastructure practice in the U.S., Europe and Abu Dhabi, diverse client portfolio, and exceptional global platform are all very compelling,” said Kang. “I look forward to reuniting with my former colleagues and collaborating with our clients throughout the region and globally to support their most significant and innovative projects.”
Kang is the latest addition to a transformative energy and infrastructure team across offices in Abu Dhabi, Paris and Houston that includes partners Din Eshanov, Ibaad Hakim, Peter Hays, Erin Hopkins, George Kazakov, Stefan Mrozinski, Xavier Petet, Habeeb Rahman, Chris Richardson, Benoit Thirion and Will Watson, bringing additional corporate and project finance experience to the international cross-practice group.
Paul Hastings’ highly ranked Energy and Infrastructure practice in the U.S. tops the league tables, including Infralogic, where the firm is ranked #1 in Global Telecoms and #2 in North America Project Finance and #2 in North America Renewables. The global team was named Project Finance Law Firm of the Year at the 2025 Chambers Latin America Awards, Law Firm of the Year – Caribbean at the LatinFinance 11th annual 2025 Project and Infrastructure Awards.
About Paul Hastings
With widely recognized elite teams across 17 core practices, Paul Hastings is a premier law firm with a culture of excellence focused on providing intellectual capital and superior execution globally to the world’s leading investment banks, asset managers and corporations.