Skip to main content

Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance
All
Data Centres<br />

Data Centres

Offering global expertise throughout the data centre life cycle

With global expertise, we advise on the largest and most complex data centre projects and digital infrastructure transactions.  This expertise enables us to provide top-class support to our clients who range from data centre developers and operators to investors and end-users.

Our full service team has expertise in each discipline relevant to the life cycle of a data centre, including site acquisition, planning, environmental, construction and development, power connection and supply arrangements (including regulatory advice), leasing and commercial contracts (including colocation agreements and outsourcing arrangements), tax and dispute resolution.

Our data centre services

  • Development and Construction

    Our dedicated construction team is fully integrated into our data centre offering. Construction market practice is highly localised and our worldwide team of expert construction lawyers use their local market knowledge to smooth the negotiation process with our client's construction team.

  • Dispute Resolution

    We prioritise early resolution strategies, balancing robust enforcement of our clients' rights with a focus on cost-effective outcomes. Should formal proceedings become necessary, we ensure our clients are in the strongest position by combining sound legal advice with strategic guidance.

  • Financing

    Our finance team provides advice in relation to the full spectrum of financial products including securitisations of customer receivables, project finance, syndicated lending and leveraged and acquisition finance, asset finance, derivative products, financial regulatory, insolvency and restructuring and structured finance.

  • Leasing, Customer and Commercial Agreements

    We are recognised market leaders in negotiating customer and commercial agreements, including co-location agreements, leases cloud services and managed services agreements, co-location agreements, collaboration agreements, IT renewal and transformation projects, and agreements for adoption of new technologies.

  • M&A

    Acting for buyers, sellers and shareholders in joint ventures and investors in existing operations, few firms can match our understanding of the market or experience in advising clients on how best to address the commercial and risk factors of a transaction.

  • Power and Connectivity

    Power connection and supply are critical concerns for data centres. Our team has extensive experience helping clients navigate complex grid connection processes around the world, and regularly advises clients on power supply agreements, whether under a utility tariff or through a bespoke power purchase agreement.

     

  • Real Estate, Permitting, Planning and Sustainability

    Our lawyers provide expert advice on the full range of real estate, environmental and planning issues relating to data centre development and operation, including site impacts, navigating the planning approvals process, environmental assessment, carbon targets and offsetting, sustainability regulation and incentives.

     

     

     

  • Regulatory and Compliance

    Our specialists deliver seamless, coordinated advice that balances regulatory requirements with the commercial realities of each transaction. We focus on identifying and addressing material compliance issues, including assessing and limiting regulatory and reputational exposures. Relevant areas of compliance include matters such as data regulation, cybersecurity requirements, reporting under energy efficient rules and foreign ownership restrictions.

     

How can we help you?

Profound sector knowledge

We are at the forefront of developments in the data centre market, including the move from traditional co-lo to “higher” functions such as managed service and cloud computing.

Highly diversified expertise

Our global capability across the entire product range as one team, covering all relevant areas of the law and regulations. We advise on any industry matter to meet our clients’ challenges.

Our global capabilities

We have advised clients around the world on every aspect of data centre development, financing, construction, acquisition and disposal.  Our team draws on that expertise to provide practical, commercial advice and help our clients achieve their business objectives.

Experience advising on emerging technologies

Our innovative mindset and traditional law firm background means we are well-placed to lead on technology transactions. We keep ahead of market trends and close to both market authorities and participants.

A one-firm approach

Our fully integrated, multi-disciplinary team has in‑depth experience in M&A, project development and finance, real estate, construction, regulation and the technology sector. We will ensure that our client's transactions run smoothly.

Tailored solutions and commercial edge

With years of experience negotiating data centre focused master service agreements, we know where the sticking points will arise, and will work to achieve a commercially sound solution for our clients. 

Recent client highlights

Yondr Group

Yondr Group on its over US$900 million project financing for landmark hyperscale data centre in Malaysia.

Find out more

Castleforge and Galaxy Data Centres

Castleforge and Galaxy Data Centres on the acquisition of Redhill Data Centre, with a development value of over $100 million.

Find out more

Our insights

Data Centre Financings: - What's Next?

 With spiralling energy costs, warnings of supply shortages, growing concerns about water resources and an increasing focus on sustainable lending, we look at what is next for data centre financings.

 Find out more

Data Centre Insights 2025

Five data centre insights to watch in 2025

 Read more

Data Centre World and The Tech Show - Key takeaways

There is huge global demand for data centres driven by cloud computing, high performance computing, AI and 5G, but the industry faces an increasing number of hurdles. Teams from Clifford Chance recently attended two major events – Data Centre World and The Tech Show – which highlighted some of the challenges ahead. Here are our key takeaways.

 Read takeaways
Move carousel left Move carousel right

Related services

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via email
Back to top

Toolkits & Client Log-in