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High-performance computing and modern technology continue to drive an increased demand for digital infrastructure. As limited supply, power availability, supply chain constraints, the impact of AI, and increasing costs present both challenges and opportunities for data center users, owners, operators, and investors, our team offers forward-looking solutions across the data center ecosystem.
Complex data center projects and operations span a range of legal issues – from M&A, investments, financing, and real estate to planning, regulatory, and day-to-day operations. Our finance work extends beyond traditional real estate finance to include project finance and hybrid approaches for financing existing data centers and development projects. We understand the nuances of the economics of data center transactions and how and when to use a master services agreement and service order for space occupancy. Negotiating across from hyperscale technology companies positions us to deliver informed strategies for success. No matter the challenge, our integrated, multi-disciplinary team of lawyers across renowned practices comes equipped with deep data center knowledge to tackle issues from all sides – no learning curve required.
As data center challenges and opportunities vary across the country and around the world, our powerful global platform delivers local knowhow when and where you need it. We work seamlessly across jurisdictions to combine global reach with nuanced local legal, commercial, and political nuances in a way no other firm can.
The explosion of AI and machine learning applications puts tremendous pressure on key infrastructure. Data centers are critical in supporting the growth of advanced AI tools and large language models, and increased demand on data centers will undoubtedly impact cost, energy consumption, and supply. We can help you navigate the evolving dynamics to develop forward-looking strategies that reduce risk and optimize opportunities driven by AI.
ESG is a growing priority for businesses across the board and as energy-intensive endeavors, ESG issues are becoming increasingly important for operating and investing in data centers. That’s why we embed ESG strategies into our tailored solutions to proactively identify and mitigate regulatory and business risks without losing sight of your commercial objectives.
At the intersection of digital and physical, we have 30+ years of experience advising on the delivery of digital infrastructure assets and services across the full life cycle of data centers worldwide and can help prepare you for what’s next.
Recognition
The Elite Privacy and Data Security, Chambers Global2024
Ranked Band 2, Privacy & Data Security, Chambers Global 2024
Ranked Band 1, Technology Sector (International & Cross-Border), Chambers USA2024
Ranked Band 1, TMT: Information Technology, Multi-Jurisdictional, Chambers Global2024
Top tier for Nationwide Land Use/Zoning, Legal 500 USA, 2024
Top tier for Nationwide Real Estate, Legal 500 USA, 2024
Top tier for Infrastructure, Legal 500 UK, 2024
Experience
African data center facility, focused on launching a data center market in Africa. After overseeing general corporate, securities, stock-issuance and labor & employment matters, we have been assisting with later stage financing, property acquisition and development.
AirTrunk on the acquisition of a new site in Western Sydney. AirTrunk will develop the land into the largest single hyperscale data center campus in the Asia-Pacific region (excluding China).
Batelco on their strategic data center arrangements and construction agreements with a key hyperscale customer in Bahrain.
BlackChamber in connection with a USD850 million data center and residential, mixed-use project located one mile from the Silver Line Innovation Station and Dulles International Airport, VA.
Blackstone on the real estate-related work in connection with a joint venture investment in Digital Realty data center development projects for hyperscale users in Germany, France, and Northern Virginia. Overall, the data center development will be a USD7 billion project.
Chirisa Technology Parks and American Real Estate Partners/PowerHouse Data Centers in a joint venture to develop a USD5 billion data center campus in Chesterfield County, Virginia. The condominium regime includes a master condominium across multiple campuses, a sub-condominium for the first four data center buildings, and a privately constructed and funded (USD50 million) new electric power substation.
Consortium of investors led by MEAG and Infranity, along with funds affiliated with DigitalBridge Group, on the formation of a multi-billion-euro investment partnership with Vantage Data Centers, a leading global provider of hyperscale data center campuses.
CyrusOne, a global enterprise data center and colocation provider, in several transactions, including: (i) the USD670 million sale of its four Houston data center assets to DataBank Holdings Ltd. (Project Rocket); (ii) its USD490 million acquisition of Sentinel Data Centers, a company that designs, builds, owns, and operates turn- key and multi-tenant data center facilities for large enterprises; and (iii) its USD400 million acquisition of Cervalis Holdings LLC, a privately held owner and operator of data centers.
Digital Edge (Singapore) Holdings Pte. Ltd. (Digital Edge) as it entered into a partnership with the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and AGP DC InvestCo Pte Ltd (AGP) to develop a pan-India portfolio of hyperscale data centers.
EdgeConneX in connection with the USD235 million project financing provided by MUFG, SMBC and Santander for the construction of a cloud-enabled edge data center located in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.
Edged Energy/EDC Venture in creating a joint venture with local developer Stack Real Estate to develop a 26-acre parcel of land in Salt Lake City, Utah valued at USD442 million, into several data centers.
European infrastructure investment manager on the acquisition of a northern European data center business.
GI Partners in connection with (i) the acquisition of a 65% interest in 2 data center properties in Elk Grove, Illinois. The transaction included a joint venture with Digital Realty Trust valued at USD990 million and a USD450 million loan from Morgan Stanley, Citibank and Barclays; (ii) a USD709 million acquisition of a data center (with Google as the sole tenant) in Loudoun County, VA; and (iii) a USD150 million acquisition and financing of a 132,000 SF data center in Ashburn, Virginia from a JV of Starwood and Digital Realty Trust.
Global leader in data center solutions in the negotiation of a data center services agreement with one of its institutional hyperscale clients.
Goldman Sachs on a data center outsourcing project with a Japanese telecommunications company and on the renewal of its data center co-location services arrangements with a Hong Kong based information and communications technology company.
Harrison Street Real Estate and American Real Estate Partners in a joint venture for the acquisition and financing of the headquarters for AOL (formerly America Online) and Yahoo!, a 48-acre corporate campus that our clients will redevelop into a data center. DLA Piper’s northern Virginia land use team will represent the venture after closing to rezone the site, which will ultimately have a value exceeding USD500 million.
Independent asset manager on the acquisition of a German-based data center business firstcolo.
Middle Eastern real estate company and its wholly owned data center subsidiary on an agreement for a hyperscale data center with a video hosting service.
Leading global data center operator on regulatory mapping and country analysis for 10 key target growth countries, across Europe and Asia, focusing on key items to be aware of when investing in new markets, including restrictions on foreign land ownership, foreign ownership restrictions, power issues and planning/zoning concerns.
Middle Eastern real estate company on the acquisition of a leading Scandinavian data center operator which focuses on the building and operation of 100% renewable energy powered data centers.
Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company and NorthPoint Development in a joint venture, as landlord opposite a hyperscaler as tenant, in a series of build-to-suit data center leases (as many as 10) in the Keystone Trade Center for 720 megawatts of capacity – a USD8 billion project. Affinius Capital/Corscale in (i) zoning and due diligence work related to the acquisition of 2 data center developments in Northern Virginia – one in Prince William County and one in Loudoun County; (ii) in connection with a lease to provide up to 54 MW of capacity and space in 3 buildings located in Gainesville, VA; and (iii) a joint venture with Echelon Data Centers, a data center developer based in Ireland, for the development 9 OPTDC buildings, with capacity for at least another 8 buildings.
QTS Data Centers (in collaboration with Compass Data Centers) in securing the challenging approvals for of a 2,200-acre Comprehensive/Master Plan Amendment as well as contentious rezoning applications for the Prince William Digital Gateway. DLA led the team in replanning and rezoning land for 20+ million square feet of data center development located near the Civil War historic Manassas National Battlefield Park in Prince William County, Virginia. This three-year effort and USD40 billion investment has been cited as the single, largest, master-planned data center campus in the world.
Salute Mission Critical in the acquisition of Iconicx Critical Solutions, a provider of commissioning, testing and consulting services for data centers and mission critical environments. Through this strategic acquisition, Salute will expand its capabilities in commissioning and quality assurance/quality control (“QA/QC”), helping its customers eliminate risks and optimize the handoff from deployment to operations.
StratCap Data Centers and HMC Capital in the USD712 million purchase of a data center under construction in Elk Grove Village, Illinois fully leased to Oracle from a JV of Prologis and Skybox Data Centers.
UK developer and operator of data centers through the entire lifecycle of their growth, including site acquisition, planning/zoning, construction documentation, bringing power to site, tax structuring, debt refinancing of their business and lease agreements with key customers including hyperscale customers.
US real estate investor on the acquisition of two data centers in Ireland.
US technology giant on its expansion into Hong Kong through leasing of various logistics/data center sites.
A key Chicago city council committee advanced an ordinance at its meeting today directing city departments to study the environmental and energy impacts of data centers within Chicago.
Deal activity in data centre infrastructure has reached unprecedented levels. Our report, The meteoric rise of the data center: Global data center investment outlook, examines the reasons behind this surge in activity and the increasingly significant role ESG has to play when making investments.
The last 30 years have been driven by the arrival of new technologies such as the internet and smartphones. The COVID-19 pandemic, which has profoundly changed our professional and personal habits, has also amplified and accelerated the use of technology. Shopping has moved online, business meetings have become virtual meetings and streaming services have replaced going to the cinema. Today, the average number of emails sent per hour across the world is expected to reach 12 billion, and we could reach 48 billion connected objects in circulation by 2025.
