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Data
Centers

Winston’s cross-practice Data Centers team has experience across all aspects of this dynamic environment, including finance, real estate, construction, energy/infrastructure, privacy and data security, regulatory, intellectual property, M&A, and private equity.

Data
Centers

Winston’s cross-practice Data Centers team has experience across all aspects of this dynamic environment, including finance, real estate, construction, energy/infrastructure, privacy and data security, regulatory, intellectual property, M&A, and private equity.

The laws and legal issues surrounding data centers and related digital infrastructure are constantly evolving, which requires proactive and innovative legal counsel. Winston offers clients a diverse team that can assist all players—lenders, owners, operators, investors—in all phases of the data center lifecycle.

Our experience covers hyperscale, colocation, and traditional data centers and includes securing financing, acquiring real estate, protecting IP and sensitive data, advising on mergers and acquisitions, providing counsel on build-to-suit considerations, mitigating disputes, managing power and infrastructure requirements, and addressing AI risks. This ability to leverage experience from across the firm enables us to handle even the most challenging data center issues.

Capabilities

Real Estate

Litigation

Restructuring

Capital Markets

Energy

Mergers & Acquisitions

Infrastructure

International Trade

Privacy & Data Security

Private Equity

Finance

Intellectual Property

Artificial Intelligence

Cryptocurrencies, Digital Assets & Blockchain Technology

Technology, Media & Telecommunications

Real Estate
Litigation
Restructuring
Capital Markets
Energy
Mergers & Acquisitions
Infrastructure
International Trade
Privacy & Data Security
Private Equity
Finance
Intellectual Property
Artificial Intelligence
Cryptocurrencies, Digital Assets & Blockchain Technology
Technology, Media & Telecommunications

Representative Matters

  • Represented Silver Oak Services Partners in its acquisition of Summit Hosting LLC, one of the largest providers of cloud-based QuickBooks hosting and Sage hosting in the U.S. and Canada.
  • Represented Summit Hosting in connection with:
    • Its acquisition of Server Central (dba Deft.Com), a data center service provider of colocation, cloud, and disaster recovery solutions worldwide.
    • Its acquisition of Tech Commandos, a managed IT service provider.
    • Its acquisition of substantially all the assets of Handy Networks, a managed IT service provider.
  • Represented Dart Interests in its acquisition of an approximately 2.32-acre data center site in Salt Lake City, Utah.
  • Represented an asset manager in the equity investment in an Israeli data storage company.
  • Represented a private equity company in the co-investment in and related bridge facility to a holding company whose platform includes companies that collectively provide private cloud, data center, bare metal, and retail colocation data center services.
  • Represented a private equity fund in its investment in a developer of large-scale data centers in Latin America.
  • Represented a private equity firm in connection with the acquisition of a company that provides power services to data centers.
  • Representing a large infrastructure firm in the acquisition of a company that provides data center and cloud services.

    • Represented Crestline Direct Finance in a senior secured credit facility for DR Fortress, LLC, the operator of the largest carrier-neutral data center operating in Hawaii.
    • Represented the lender in converting its loan for stock of a publicly listed company that develops AI data centers.

  • Successfully represented US Bitcoin (now Hut 8) in a dispute with Lancium in a patent matter asserted in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Lancium asserted seven different patents, claiming that is systems and methods were being infringed upon by US Bitcoin.

  • Represented Stream Data Centers In various fund formation, corporate, and real estate matters.
  • Represented a company specializing in bitcoin mining infrastructure in its corporate reorganization and fundraising.

    • Represented Blockfusion USA, a crypto data center operations and services company, in a strategic co-mining agreement with Bit Digital.
    • Represented SAITECH in a definitive business combination agreement with Tradeup Global. SAITECH is a bitcoin mining operator that engages in the hosting of bitcoin mining machines.
    • Represented a company specializing in bitcoin mining infrastructure in its corporate reorganization and fundraising.
    • Represented the owner of a waste-coal generator in an agreement to sell power behind-the-meter to a co-located digital asset mining company.

Hear From The Team

Jason Lewis explores the critical role of electric power in data centers. From cloud computing to AI and crypto mining, discover how data centers manage their diverse power needs.

Tony Busch explores the intersection of trade and data centers.

Tom Millar delves into the complexities of colocation arrangements and the regulatory questions they pose.

Scott Naidech discusses how private equity models are driving investments in data centers to meet the growing demands of AI and cloud technology.

David Sakowitz discusses how data center companies are accessing capital markets through debt, equity, and hybrid securities.

Patrick Selinger discusses innovative solutions like co-location and integration with renewable energy sources. 

Dan Shapiro covers various data center project scenarios and the applicable financing solutions.

Eric Shinabarger discusses three things to keep top-of-mind when implementing and using a data center.

Andy White delves into the exponential growth of data center transactions and their increasing notional value.

Jason Lewis explores the critical role of electric power in data centers. From cloud computing to AI and crypto mining, discover how data centers manage their diverse power needs.

Tony Busch explores the intersection of trade and data centers.

Tom Millar delves into the complexities of colocation arrangements and the regulatory questions they pose.

Scott Naidech discusses how private equity models are driving investments in data centers to meet the growing demands of AI and cloud technology.
David Sakowitz discusses how data center companies are accessing capital markets through debt, equity, and hybrid securities.
Patrick Selinger discusses innovative solutions like co-location and integration with renewable energy sources. 
Dan Shapiro covers various data center project scenarios and the applicable financing solutions.

Eric Shinabarger discusses three things to keep top-of-mind when implementing and using a data center.

Andy White delves into the exponential growth of data center transactions and their increasing notional value.

By the Numbers

The Data Center Ecosystem

181

Zettabytes of data expected by the end of 2025

11%

Expected compounded annual growth in the market

180

Billion invested by Microsoft and others in 2024

1+

Trillion in investments to scale infrastructure for the AI revolution

180

Billion invested by private equity in 2024

3x

Estimated demand growth in electricity over the past decade
The Data Center Ecosystem
The Data Center Ecosystem

External Resources

Data Center 101: Introduction to Data Centers, Colocation, and the Cloud
A Primer on Data Centers
Data Center 101: Introduction to Data Centers, Colocation, and the Cloud
A Primer on Data Centers

Key Contacts

Key Contacts

Michael E. Pikiel

Partner

New York

Email

+1 212-294-6654

Michael J. Blankenship

Partner

Houston

Email

+1 713-651-2678

David A. Sakowitz

Partner

New York

Email

+1 212-294-2639

Dan Shapiro

Partner

New York

Email

+1 212-294-2691

Alessandra Swanson

Partner

Chicago

Email

+1 312-558-7435

Andrew T. White

Partner

Chicago

Email

+1 312-558-6393

Becky Troutman

Partner

San Francisco

Email

+1 415-591-1401

Tom Millar

Partner

Washington, DC

Email

+1 202-282-5334

Patrick Selinger

Partner

Houston

Email

+1 713-651-2679

Kevin Simpson

Partner

Los Angeles

Email

+1 213-615-1778

J. Laurens Wilkes

Partner

Houston

Email

+1 713-651-2642

Tony Busch

Associate

Washington, DC

Email

+1 202-282-5691

Scott Naidech

Partner

Chicago

Email

+1 312-558-3769

Michael E. Pikiel

Michael J. Blankenship

David A. Sakowitz

Dan Shapiro

Alessandra Swanson

Andrew T. White

Becky Troutman

Tom Millar

Patrick Selinger

Kevin Simpson

J. Laurens Wilkes

Tony Busch

Scott Naidech

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