Robert A. Hager

Partner

Overview

Robert A. Hager represents clients in a wide range of infrastructure matters, including the development and construction of airports, road, rail, energy and telecommunication facilities. He has been involved in projects throughout the world and has worked in Qatar for over 14 years. Since 2006, he has served as lead outside counsel for the Hamad International Airport construction project, one of the largest infrastructure projects in the Middle East and one of the largest airport projects in the world.

 

Robert has served as counsel to governments, airports, airlines, public private partnerships, private companies, developers, lenders, borrowers, suppliers, and engineering and construction firms in multibillion dollar projects and transactions supported by sovereign funding or international lending institutions, including the World Bank, International Finance Corporation, and the Export-Import Bank of the United States. He has prepared and negotiated privatizations, PPPs, joint venture agreements, financing documents, sponsor guarantees, engineering and procurement contracts, construction and consulting agreements, technical services agreements, supply agreements, operations and maintenance agreements, and host country enabling decrees.

He also advises clients in contentious matters, including multibillion dollar construction and investment disputes.

In addition to his international experience, Robert has worked on a wide range of U.S. transactions including the private placement of equity and debt securities, mergers, acquisitions, the formation of new companies, and complex transactions involving the sales of goods and services, technology transfer, and the protection of intellectual property.

He is the founding chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Qatar.

Career & Education

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    • Georgetown University, B.S.F.S., cum Laude, 1987
    • Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1991
    • Georgetown University, B.S.F.S., cum Laude, 1987
    • Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1991
    • District of Columbia
    • Virginia (Inactive)
    • District of Columbia
    • Virginia (Inactive)
  • Professional Activities and Memberships

    • American Chamber of Commerce in Qatar

    Professional Activities and Memberships

    • American Chamber of Commerce in Qatar

Representative Matters

  • Since 2006 lead outside counsel for the development and construction of Hamad International Airport. This project is one of the largest airport projects in the world. Throughout this period, managed and participated in both contentious and non-contentious matters (including ICC and ICDR arbitrations and mediations) valued in the billions of U.S. dollars.
  • Provide counsel and legal guidance to Qatar Airways on national and worldwide acquisitions and investments, construction projects, corporate structural issues, disputes and various operational matters, including acting as lead legal advisor for the airline’s strategic investment in a new greenfield airport project and national airline in Africa.
  • Assisted Qatari Diar, Qatar’s largest real estate development company, in structuring its joint ventures, including a joint venture with one of the world’s most prominent construction companies.
  • Representing the State of Qatar in a US$25 billion joint venture project for designing, building, and operating a passenger and freight rail network in Qatar.
  • As lead member of the team representing the Government of Guam, Robert was responsible for the preparation, authorizing legislation,  and transactional implementation for the privatization of the Guam Telephone Authority.
  • Represented U.S. exporters in connection with structuring, negotiating, and documenting Export-Import Bank facilities supporting a seacoast protection and rural electrification project for the Republic of Ghana.
  • Represented a government oil and gas corporation in connection with the project financing of a US$1 billion oil and gas project in Africa, including a proposal for a follow-on project.
  • Worked on several technology cases dealing with copyright and trade secret protection. He participated in one of the first U.S.  cases concerning the liability of internet service providers (ISPs) for alleged copyright infringement and misappropriation of trade secrets.