Hagai Zaifman joins Sidley Austin
Sidley Austin LLP has announced that Hagai Zaifman has joined the firm in New York as a partner in its Tax, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice supporting Sidley’s work in the renewable energy sector and other infrastructure projects. He joins Sidley from White & Case LLP, where he was a partner.
Mr. Zaifman is a leading practitioner in the renewable energy area, advising sponsors, private equity funds and other investors, and lenders in connection with the structuring, planning and negotiating of all types of renewable energy transactions. He regularly advises clients on project development and financing, repowering, M&A transactions and tax equity investments, including in flip partnerships and all forms of leasing transactions. Mr. Zaifman has significant experience in the qualification of projects for the various energy tax credits and other government incentive programs, including the production tax credits (PTCs), investment tax credits (ITCs), new markets tax credits (NMTCs), and carbon sequestration tax credits. For several years, he served in various tax leadership roles, including as the tax director of one of the leading investors in the renewable energy industry in the country. Mr. Zaifman oversaw the underwriting, investing, managing and disposing of a debt and equity portfolio of over $10 billion of U.S. and foreign wind and solar projects.
“Hagai is one of the most respected tax equity lawyers in the industry,” said Laura M. Barzilai, global leader of Sidley’s Tax, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice and member of its Executive Committee. “His lengthy track record and firm grasp of the renewable energy market, together with his experience in complex partnership structures, further bolster the strength of our global tax group.”
“We are excited to have Hagai join our market-leading renewables team,” said Cliff Vrielink, global leader of Sidley’s Energy and Infrastructure practice and a member of its Executive Committee. “We are fortunate to represent many of the leading players in wind, solar, hydroelectric, battery storage, carbon capture and other developing renewable energy technologies. Hagai’s thought leadership and expertise will be a great complement to our existing capabilities in the renewables space.”
With more than 60 lawyers in both U.S. and Europe, Sidley’s tax practice offers a wide range of industry-leading services in investment funds, capital markets, M&A, private equity, insurance, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and securitization and structured finance.