Gibson Dunn strengthens data centre team

Gibson Dunn has announced the strategic addition of partners James Johnson and Victoria Delacey to its London office, enhancing its already robust data centre practice in Europe. Both partners have extensive experience representing various stakeholders in the data centre lifecycle, including developers, operators, service providers, institutional investors, infrastructure funds, and corporate occupiers, with a specific focus on leasing and customer contracts for hyperscale and large-scale deployments. This move is part of the firm's ongoing commitment to expanding its presence in the data center sector, which has seen substantial growth recently.

Eric Feuerstein, Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s global Real Estate Practice Group, highlighted the impact of AI on the data centre landscape, stating, “The growth of AI is driving an unprecedented level of investment in data centers by our real estate, infrastructure, and lender clients, and the size and scope of those projects continue to increase.” This is a reflection of the increasing demand for skilled legal expertise within this asset class, particularly in negotiating data center leases and service agreements. Feuerstein further noted that Johnson and Delacey possess the requisite experience, being among the few lawyers in EMEA adept in handling this specialised work at scale.

The hiring of Johnson and Delacey aligns with a broader strategy of expanding Gibson Dunn’s data center practice across its global offices. Emily Naughton, who leads the Data Centers and Digital Infrastructure Practice Group, remarked, “Data center clients increasingly expect advice that follows their platforms across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.” She emphasised that with the expertise brought by Johnson and Delacey, Gibson Dunn can now offer comprehensive support to clients throughout the full lifecycle of a data centre investment, from acquisition and development stages to leasing and eventual disposition.

Addressing the evolving nature of data centre transactions, Johnson noted, “The sheer scale and complexity of data center transactions have evolved fundamentally – a project today rarely stops at the lease or power reservation.” He highlighted the need for integrated teams capable of navigating the multifaceted challenges that arise in hyperscale offtake arrangements, digital infrastructure mergers and acquisitions, and energy hurdles. Furthermore, he pointed out that Gibson Dunn’s formidable platform and strong relationships with active global infrastructure and private equity funds provide an ideal foundation for addressing client needs in this dynamic space.

Victoria Delacey echoed this sentiment by saying, “Demand across EMEA and APAC is accelerating rapidly, and activity is extending well beyond the established hubs.” She expressed excitement about joining the firm, stating that Gibson Dunn’s real estate and infrastructure platform is uniquely positioned to meet these growing demands.

Gibson Dunn’s expertise has recently been demonstrated through numerous high-profile data centre matters. These projects spanned teams from various departments, including projects, infrastructure, real estate, and M&A. Noteworthy recent transactions include advising Related Digital on a U.S. $16 billion data centre campus development in Michigan, assisting ACS Group with its €2 billion joint venture to establish a new data centre platform across Europe, the U.S., and Australia, and counselling KKR on its acquisition of ST Telemedia Global Data Centres valued at approximately U.S. $10.9 billion.

Through the strategic addition of experienced partners like Johnson and Delacey, Gibson Dunn is increasingly positioning itself as a leader in the data centre sector, ready to meet the growing complexities and demands of the industry while continuing to deliver exceptional service to its clients.