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Mehdi Haroun specializes in a broad range of corporate and commercial matters, particularly in the energy (oil & gas, power) and infrastructure sectors (major infrastructure projects), covering France, North Africa and Francophone Africa. A partner in our Paris office, Mehdi is both a transactional and dispute lawyer, splitting his time equally between the two.

Mehdi is one of the few partners in an international law firm to be qualified to practice both in France and Algeria. He works with leading energy and infrastructure clients on mergers and acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures and restructurings, as well as on project development and dispute resolution relating specifically to these areas.

Mehdi has extensive experience in upstream oil and gas, including large unconventional projects, as well as midstream and downstream (refineries, fertilizer plants, LNG, etc.). He has also worked on several power projects, both on conventional (various IPPs and IWPPs in North Africa and France) and renewables (PV, CSP, Biomass, Wind and Hydro), and also on nuclear projects in France. He advises throughout the energy value chain, from company/asset acquisition or divestiture as well as greenfield/brownfield project development and when related disputes arise. He also advised on several infrastructure and industrial projects in France and North Africa, mainly in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya advising both owners, developers and EPC contractors. His experience covers railway, motorway and airport infrastructures as well as maritime transportation but also food, beverages and cigarettes sectors.

Mehdi began his career in 1994 as a dispute lawyer and has continuously been involved in international disputes. He focuses on arbitrations relating to energy, industrial and transport infrastructure, EPC contracts, shareholders disputes as well as production sharing or concession agreements and unitization agreements and has been involved in several international arbitrations under ICC, ICSID, UNCITRAL and ad hoc arbitration rules.

Fluent in French, English and Arabic, Mehdi served as Algeria’s representative at the ICC International Court of Arbitration for four years and is currently a member of the board of the Franco-Arab Center of Mediation and Arbitration and a member of the Center of Arbitration of the Algerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACI). He was on the committee that drafted the rules of arbitration of the CACI arbitration center.

Full Bio

Credentials

Ph.D., University of Montpelier, cum laude, with distinction

Magister Juris, Oxford University, UK

Master/DESS, University of Montpelier, summa cum laude with honors

Algeria

France

AIPN

Algerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACI)

Franco-Arab Chamber of Commerce (Center for Mediation and Arbitration)

Arabic

English

French

‘Mehdi Haroun has deep in-country knowledge that goes beyond an understanding of the law and its application.’


Legal 500, 2020

A thought leader in Energy, France


Who's Who Legal, 2020

His expertise and knowledge of the local environment, and the fact he speaks the local language, make a huge difference'


Chambers Global (Algeria Corporate/Commercial), 2022

Expert Based Abroad for Algeria (Corporate/Commercial) and Tunisia (General Business Law)


Chambers Global, 2023

Leading lawyer in mining, oil & gas and natural resources (France)


Legal 500, 2023

In the Hall of Fame for Algeria, Corporate/Commercial and a leading individual for Tunisia Foreign Firms


Legal 500, 2023

'Described by peers as "one of the most talented lawyers in this market"'


Chambers Global, 2018

'Mehdi Haroun is an acclaimed lawyer who is highly distinguished for matters in Algeria and across North Africa'


Chambers, 2023

Ranked for Projects & Energy International (France) and Africa-Wide Projects & Energy


Chambers Global, 2022

'This Paris-based team is a heavyweight contender in corporate and commercial matters'


Chambers Global, 2017

'An acclaimed practitioner .. highly distinguished for matters in North Africa'


Chambers Global, 2021

'One client praises his "huge experience in the oil and gas industry"'


Chambers Global, 2021

Close

Recognition

‘Mehdi Haroun has deep in-country knowledge that goes beyond an understanding of the law and its application.’


Legal 500, 2020

A thought leader in Energy, France


Who's Who Legal, 2020

His expertise and knowledge of the local environment, and the fact he speaks the local language, make a huge difference'


Chambers Global (Algeria Corporate/Commercial), 2022

Expert Based Abroad for Algeria (Corporate/Commercial) and Tunisia (General Business Law)


Chambers Global, 2023

Leading lawyer in mining, oil & gas and natural resources (France)


Legal 500, 2023

In the Hall of Fame for Algeria, Corporate/Commercial and a leading individual for Tunisia Foreign Firms


Legal 500, 2023

'Described by peers as "one of the most talented lawyers in this market"'


Chambers Global, 2018

'Mehdi Haroun is an acclaimed lawyer who is highly distinguished for matters in Algeria and across North Africa'


Chambers, 2023

Ranked for Projects & Energy International (France) and Africa-Wide Projects & Energy


Chambers Global, 2022

'This Paris-based team is a heavyweight contender in corporate and commercial matters'


Chambers Global, 2017

'An acclaimed practitioner .. highly distinguished for matters in North Africa'


Chambers Global, 2021

'One client praises his "huge experience in the oil and gas industry"'


Chambers Global, 2021

Matters

CEPSA in relation to the renegotiation of its contractual arrangements with Sonatrach.

A U.S. company in relation to the negotiation of a joint venture with Sonatrach for the manufacturing and supply of oil & gas products and services.

A Spanish construction company in relation to various construction disputes.

See more

Close

Matters

CEPSA in relation to the renegotiation of its contractual arrangements with Sonatrach.

A U.S. company in relation to the negotiation of a joint venture with Sonatrach for the manufacturing and supply of oil & gas products and services.

A Spanish construction company in relation to various construction disputes.

Various IOCs in relation to the prequalification process for the 2014 Algerian upstream bid round.

A U.S. company in relation to the direct negotiation with the Algerian authorities of all aspects of an unconventional development in Algeria, including downstream gas offtake undertakings.

RWE Dea (now Wintershall DEA) in relation to its sale by RWE AG to LetterOne Group in connection with its Algerian assets.

OMV on the US$866 million acquisition of the Tunisian oil exploration and production subsidiaries of Pioneer Natural Resources.

DONG Energy on the tender process, launched by the French Government in July 2011, for the development, construction and operation of five offshore wind farms in France and ongoing advice in relation to the development of the project and Dong’s corporate structuring in France.

BG Group, BHP Billiton, BP, Burlington Resources, Chevron, Japex, Maersk Oil, Petrofac, PetroSA, Sasol-Chevron, Shell, Statoil and others on acquisitions/disposals of interests in production sharing contracts, concessions and construction of related infrastructure, and/or on complex liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, gas-to-liquids and petrochemicals projects in North Africa.

BG Energy Holdings Limited on a review of the general terms and conditions (governed by French law) for access to LNG capacity at the Montoir-de-Bretagne LNG terminal in France, operated by GDF SUEZ.

EnBW on the regulatory framework applicable to capacity bookings and gas network access in France.

BG Tunisia, Chevron Texaco, GE and others on various aspects, including the drafting and negotiation of turnkey engineering, procurement and construction contracts, long-term maintenance contracts and other project documentation, in relation to independent power projects in North Africa and France.

Solar Euromed on the development of the first CSP project in France (Corsica) and the a solar power plant development programme (total capacity 2,000 MW) with the Republic of Sudan.

EDF on the development and operation of France’s second European Pressurized Reactor nuclear power station at Penly in Normandy.

Islamic Development Bank and European Investment Bank on the multi-sourced financing of the TIFERT phosphoric acid production project in La Skhira, Tunisia.

EUTELSAT IGO and International Telecommunications Satellite Organization on their continuing relationships with the operating companies and their shareholders, and the regulators (e.g., leveraged recapitalization and space frequency rights).

A member of the team which successfully represented Kuwaiti telecom operator Wataniya against Egyptian group Orascom Telecom in a US$1.2 billion dispute over the control of their highly profitable cellphone joint venture in Tunisia.

Matters

CEPSA in relation to the renegotiation of its contractual arrangements with Sonatrach.

A U.S. company in relation to the negotiation of a joint venture with Sonatrach for the manufacturing and supply of oil & gas products and services.

A Spanish construction company in relation to various construction disputes.

See more

Close

Matters

CEPSA in relation to the renegotiation of its contractual arrangements with Sonatrach.

A U.S. company in relation to the negotiation of a joint venture with Sonatrach for the manufacturing and supply of oil & gas products and services.

A Spanish construction company in relation to various construction disputes.

Various IOCs in relation to the prequalification process for the 2014 Algerian upstream bid round.

A U.S. company in relation to the direct negotiation with the Algerian authorities of all aspects of an unconventional development in Algeria, including downstream gas offtake undertakings.

RWE Dea (now Wintershall DEA) in relation to its sale by RWE AG to LetterOne Group in connection with its Algerian assets.

OMV on the US$866 million acquisition of the Tunisian oil exploration and production subsidiaries of Pioneer Natural Resources.

DONG Energy on the tender process, launched by the French Government in July 2011, for the development, construction and operation of five offshore wind farms in France and ongoing advice in relation to the development of the project and Dong’s corporate structuring in France.

BG Group, BHP Billiton, BP, Burlington Resources, Chevron, Japex, Maersk Oil, Petrofac, PetroSA, Sasol-Chevron, Shell, Statoil and others on acquisitions/disposals of interests in production sharing contracts, concessions and construction of related infrastructure, and/or on complex liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, gas-to-liquids and petrochemicals projects in North Africa.

BG Energy Holdings Limited on a review of the general terms and conditions (governed by French law) for access to LNG capacity at the Montoir-de-Bretagne LNG terminal in France, operated by GDF SUEZ.

EnBW on the regulatory framework applicable to capacity bookings and gas network access in France.

BG Tunisia, Chevron Texaco, GE and others on various aspects, including the drafting and negotiation of turnkey engineering, procurement and construction contracts, long-term maintenance contracts and other project documentation, in relation to independent power projects in North Africa and France.

Solar Euromed on the development of the first CSP project in France (Corsica) and the a solar power plant development programme (total capacity 2,000 MW) with the Republic of Sudan.

EDF on the development and operation of France’s second European Pressurized Reactor nuclear power station at Penly in Normandy.

Islamic Development Bank and European Investment Bank on the multi-sourced financing of the TIFERT phosphoric acid production project in La Skhira, Tunisia.

EUTELSAT IGO and International Telecommunications Satellite Organization on their continuing relationships with the operating companies and their shareholders, and the regulators (e.g., leveraged recapitalization and space frequency rights).

A member of the team which successfully represented Kuwaiti telecom operator Wataniya against Egyptian group Orascom Telecom in a US$1.2 billion dispute over the control of their highly profitable cellphone joint venture in Tunisia.

Credentials

Ph.D., University of Montpelier, cum laude, with distinction

Magister Juris, Oxford University, UK

Master/DESS, University of Montpelier, summa cum laude with honors

Algeria

France

AIPN

Algerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACI)

Franco-Arab Chamber of Commerce (Center for Mediation and Arbitration)

Arabic

English

French

‘Mehdi Haroun has deep in-country knowledge that goes beyond an understanding of the law and its application.’


Legal 500, 2020

A thought leader in Energy, France


Who's Who Legal, 2020

His expertise and knowledge of the local environment, and the fact he speaks the local language, make a huge difference'


Chambers Global (Algeria Corporate/Commercial), 2022

Expert Based Abroad for Algeria (Corporate/Commercial) and Tunisia (General Business Law)


Chambers Global, 2023

Leading lawyer in mining, oil & gas and natural resources (France)


Legal 500, 2023

In the Hall of Fame for Algeria, Corporate/Commercial and a leading individual for Tunisia Foreign Firms


Legal 500, 2023

'Described by peers as "one of the most talented lawyers in this market"'


Chambers Global, 2018

'Mehdi Haroun is an acclaimed lawyer who is highly distinguished for matters in Algeria and across North Africa'


Chambers, 2023

Ranked for Projects & Energy International (France) and Africa-Wide Projects & Energy


Chambers Global, 2022

'This Paris-based team is a heavyweight contender in corporate and commercial matters'


Chambers Global, 2017

'An acclaimed practitioner .. highly distinguished for matters in North Africa'


Chambers Global, 2021

'One client praises his "huge experience in the oil and gas industry"'


Chambers Global, 2021

Close

Recognition

‘Mehdi Haroun has deep in-country knowledge that goes beyond an understanding of the law and its application.’


Legal 500, 2020

A thought leader in Energy, France


Who's Who Legal, 2020

His expertise and knowledge of the local environment, and the fact he speaks the local language, make a huge difference'


Chambers Global (Algeria Corporate/Commercial), 2022

Expert Based Abroad for Algeria (Corporate/Commercial) and Tunisia (General Business Law)


Chambers Global, 2023

Leading lawyer in mining, oil & gas and natural resources (France)


Legal 500, 2023

In the Hall of Fame for Algeria, Corporate/Commercial and a leading individual for Tunisia Foreign Firms


Legal 500, 2023

'Described by peers as "one of the most talented lawyers in this market"'


Chambers Global, 2018

'Mehdi Haroun is an acclaimed lawyer who is highly distinguished for matters in Algeria and across North Africa'


Chambers, 2023

Ranked for Projects & Energy International (France) and Africa-Wide Projects & Energy


Chambers Global, 2022

'This Paris-based team is a heavyweight contender in corporate and commercial matters'


Chambers Global, 2017

'An acclaimed practitioner .. highly distinguished for matters in North Africa'


Chambers Global, 2021

'One client praises his "huge experience in the oil and gas industry"'


Chambers Global, 2021