Shariff Barakat > Akin > Washington DC, United States > Lawyer Profile
Akin Offices
Robert S. Strauss Tower
2001 K Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20006-1037
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
United States
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Shariff Barakat
Work Department
Partner; Projects & Energy Transition
Position
Shariff represents clients involved in the acquisition, development and financing of power generation and infrastructure projects, with a particular focus on tax equity financing. His experience spans billions of dollars in closed and funded investments supporting gigawatts of renewable energy, including large and small utility-scale solar and wind projects, large and small residential solar portfolios, community solar projects, C&I solar projects, geothermal projects and biomass projects. More recently, Shariff has also worked on carbon capture, hydrogen and waste-to-product projects currently under development.
To learn more about Shariff, please visit his profile here: https://www.akingump.com/en/lawyers-advisors/shariff-n-barakat
Career
Prior to joining Akin, Shariff practiced as a project finance lawyer in Washington, D.C. Additionally, Shariff worked at a large consulting firm where he provided tax advice and opinions, financial modeling services and valuation services in connection with renewable energy projects. He also provided tax advice and opinions on a number of large M&A and tax-advantaged leasing transactions.
Languages
English
Education
LL.M., Georgetown University Law Center, 2012
J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 2012
B.A., University of Southern California, 2008
Lawyer Rankings
United States > Energy > Renewable/alternative power
(Next Generation Partners)Shariff Barakat – Akin
The projects and energy transition group at Akin handles a range of work in the renewables area, its recent slate including project development, financing, and joint ventures. Pre-NTP funding structures for renewable energy projects and tax credit transferability advice were also areas of recent focus for the department which is co-led by Matt Kapinos inHouston and Ike Emehelu in New York. Washington DC-based Shariff Barakat acts for clients across acquisition, development, and financing of power generation and infrastructure projects, focusing particularly on tax equity financing. Hayden Harms in Houston is an up-and-coming figure in the market who made partner in January 2024. April Kim joined the Los Angeles office from Greenberg Traurig LLP in September 2024.
United States > Finance > Project finance
Frequently sought out for its expertise in debt and equity energy project financing, Akin operates as lenders counsel to commercial banks, investment banks, and private equity outfits and borrower and corporate counsel to global energy producers and developers. Despite deep roots to the traditional power sector, the group is increasingly engaged with a strong body of work in the energy transition space, advising on solar, wind, battery storage and capture capture ventures along with the associated tax credit issues. Helming the practice from Houston, Matt Kapinos is able to cover the entire lifecycle of a project, overseeing the acquisition, financing, development and refinancing piece. Follow co-lead Ike Emehelu is based in New York and is chiefly recognised as a key advisor to lenders and investors engaging with renewable projects, whereas Zachary Wittenberg focuses on energy-related corporate matters from New York. Washington DC’s Shariff Barakat is highlighted for his tax equity financing know-how, whereas Hayden Harms focuses on commercial contract negotiations and agreements from Houston. Battery storage finances have increasingly become a core part of LA attorney Dan Lynch‘s broad practice. New York’s Brad Warner represents sponsors and investors.
United States > Energy > Energy transactions: electric power
Akin not only leads on high-end debt and equity financings for a range of energy projects, but also possesses a strong bench of advisors who competently handle the specialist regulatory, tax and development aspects of these substantial builds. In addition, the firm also oversees M&A, joint ventures, and power purchase agreements. Matthew Kapinos co-heads the team from Houston and covers the full range of energy transactions, financings and asset types, with particular engagement with battery storage over the past twelve months. Co-head Ikenna Emehelu and Daniel Lynch operate out of New York and Los Angeles respectively, largely focusing on renewables and energy transition matters. Washington DC’s Shariff Barakat advises sponsors, tax-equity investors and lenders across the acquisition, development and financing piece. New York-based counsel Brad Warner has been a strong supporting presence on a range of renewable matters.
Lawyer Rankings
- Next Generation Partners United States > Energy > Renewable/alternative power
- Renewable/alternative power United States > Energy
- Energy transactions: electric power United States > Energy
- Project finance United States > Finance
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- International trade and national security > Customs, export controls and economic sanctions
- Government > Government relations
- Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate
- International trade and national security > Trade remedies and trade policy
Firm Rankings
- Investment fund formation and management > Alternative/hedge funds
- Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection)
- Industry focus > Education
- Energy > Energy transactions: oil and gas
- M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market ($500m-999m)
- Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional
- Industry focus > Native American law
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Corporate governance
- Government > Government contracts
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: middle-market (Up to $500m)
- Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital)
- Energy > Renewable/alternative power
- Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
- Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings
- Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings
- International trade and national security > CFIUS
- Energy > Energy transactions: electric power
- Environment > Environment: transactional
- Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes
- Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions)
- Antitrust > Merger control
- Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (International Trade Commission)
- Finance > Project finance
- Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: regulatory
- Tax > US taxes: non-contentious
- Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling
- Healthcare > Life sciences
- Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage)
- Real estate > Real estate
- Industry focus > Sport
- Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)
- Finance > Commercial lending
- Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Shareholder activism