Seasoned energy specialist Girgis Abd El-Shahid leads the group at Shahid Law Firm, handling transactions and dispute resolution. The team advises on oil and gas exploration, production, transportation and distribution, as well as the financing and development of renewable energy projects. Inji Fathalla handles international investment and commercial arbitration as well as non-contentious mandates, while Osama Hammad, Karim Hanafy and Salma Nasreldine are further names for disputes work.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Profile
Work Department
- Competition and Compliance
- Corporate/Commercial
- Dispute Resolution
- TMT
Position
Managing Partner
Career
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Overview
With over 20 years of experience, Girgis Abd El-Shahid, Managing Partner at Shahid Law Firm, is a distinguished legal expert in Egypt and the MENA region. He specializes in dispute settlement, energy-related disputes, mergers and acquisitions, corporate and commercial agreements, joint venture arrangements, banking and finance, securities offerings, telecommunications, and intellectual property.
Girgis heads the firm’s Project Finance and Banking, Arbitration, Litigation, and TMT departments. He advises lenders and sponsors on complex projects, including BOT, BOOT, and PPP models, focusing on renewable energy and infrastructure. His expertise extends to financing documents, regulatory compliance, and large-scale investments.
As a renowned expert in arbitration, Girgis handles high-profile cases across sectors like energy, telecommunications, and real estate, with extensive experience in institutions such as ICC, ICSID, CRCICA, and DIAC, particularly in complex multiparty arbitrations. In litigation, he oversees international dispute settlements, setting legal precedents in Egypt across diverse industries. Additionally, he advises on corporate deals, restructuring, and mergers and acquisitions, facilitating foreign investment in the region.
Rankings
Girgis is a globally ranked legal practitioner who has been recognized by numerous international legal directories such as The Legal 500, Chambers and Partners, IFLR1000, Who’s Who Legal, GAR100, and many others.
Languages
- Arabic (native)
- English (fluent)
Memberships
- American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham)
- British Egyptian Business Associations (BEBA)
- Swiss Egyptian Business Associations (SEBA)
- Egypt-US Business Council
- International Court of Arbitration (ICC)
Education
Background
He is a former Public Prosecutor with an LL.M. in International Legal Studies from Georgetown University Law Center (2004), an LL.B. from Cairo University (2003), and a BA in Economics and Business Administration from the American University in Cairo (2001). Appointed by the ICC World Council, Girgis serves as a member of the International Court of Arbitration and the Advisory Committee of the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration. He frequently speaks at conferences on arbitration, energy, and infrastructure projects, and teaches The Legal Aspects of Finance at the American University in Cairo.
Content supplied by Shahid Law Firm
Key clients
- Alexandria Port Authority EDF International Networks El Nasr Automotive Manufacturing Company Engineering Automotive, Manufacturing Co. Globeleq Africa Limited National Authority for Tunnels New & Renewable Energy Authority PTT Energy Resources Company Limited Samsung C&T Corporation Scatec Solar SYSTRA Group Talaat Mostafa Group The Egyptian National Railways Authority The Egyptian Navy Varel Egypt Voltalia
Work highlights
Advising Voltalia on the implementation of a USD 25 million local security related to their PV power facility in Egypt, as well as on the engineering, procurement and construction regulatory and labour requirements of the project.