Blank Rome has added Tarek F. Abdalla as a partner and appointed him Co-Chair of its Construction & Infrastructure practice alongside Patrick D. Harder, strengthening the firm’s capabilities across major construction, energy and infrastructure projects.
Abdalla joins Blank Rome from Jones Day and will also practice within the firm’s Business Litigation group and Energy industry team.
His practice spans the full lifecycle of large public and private infrastructure projects, including project development, execution, dispute avoidance and dispute resolution.
Abdalla has advised clients in connection with power plants, pipelines, manufacturing facilities, municipal infrastructure, roads, bridges and data centers, giving him experience across both traditional infrastructure and rapidly growing areas such as digital infrastructure.
These projects can involve substantial capital commitments, complicated contractual arrangements and coordination among owners, developers, contractors, engineers, lenders and other stakeholders.
Abdalla’s experience allows him to advise clients before disputes emerge as well as represent them when disagreements escalate into litigation or arbitration.
His work includes helping clients structure project relationships, evaluate contractual risk and address problems that arise during construction and development.
On the contentious side, Abdalla handles complex construction and commercial disputes involving major infrastructure assets.
His practice also includes international arbitration proceedings before institutions in the U.S., Europe and the Middle East, giving him experience representing clients in cross-border disputes involving projects and counterparties across multiple jurisdictions.
International infrastructure projects can present additional challenges involving different legal systems, contractual standards and dispute resolution mechanisms, making arbitration expertise particularly important for companies operating globally.
Abdalla’s energy-sector experience also complements Blank Rome’s broader capabilities as investment continues across conventional and emerging energy infrastructure.
Power generation, pipelines and related facilities often involve extensive regulatory, engineering and contractual considerations, while the rapid expansion of data centers is creating additional demand for power and infrastructure development.
His appointment as Co-Chair gives Abdalla a leadership role within Blank Rome’s Construction & Infrastructure practice as the firm continues expanding its capabilities in these areas.
He will work alongside Harder to help lead the practice and support clients across project development, construction execution and disputes.
The hire continues Blank Rome’s broader expansion across construction, energy and infrastructure following recent partner additions in Los Angeles and Pittsburgh.
By adding Abdalla, Blank Rome is increasing its senior experience across complex domestic and international infrastructure matters while strengthening the connection between its construction, business litigation and energy practices.
KEY QUOTE:
“Tarek brings exactly the kind of sophisticated construction and energy experience our clients need as they invest in increasingly complex infrastructure and energy projects.”
Grant S. Palmer, Chair And Managing Partner Of Blank Rome
