Pirical Rankings: Which Law Firms Are Powering The Data Center Boom?
Space X recently announced a plan to launch up to 1 million satellites into the Earth's orbit, part of a grand vision to start putting data centers in space.
The logic? Land-based data centers require large volumes of water to power the cooling systems, whereas a space-based network would rely on the radiative cooling that occurs naturally in space. The reason? The explosive demand for data centers that's come with the rapid evolution of AI. For now at least, that demand needs to be met on Earth.
So this got us thinking, which law firms are most involved in data center work? Which firms are actively hiring attorneys with data center experience and building out the largest teams poised to benefit from this ever-growing industry?
Using publicly-available data tracked by Pirical, we've ranked the law firms powering the data center boom.
The Volume of Lateral Partner Hires With Data Center Experience Jumped by +65% in 2025
Legal demand for data center expertise is clearly rising fast among the AM Law 200. Lateral Partner moves with data center experience have grown steadily since 2020 (+168%).
The rise partly reflects the fact that an increasing number of attorneys have worked on matters related to data centers. However, lateral demand is heating up, evidenced by the +65% spike in lateral Partner hires in 2025. Competition for Partners with data center experience is likely to intensify, with law firms expecting more and more work in 2026 — "Many firms have now formed special teams of lawyers across a broad range of practices to handle data center projects."
“Our investment in Data Center talent has been deliberate and forward-looking. We are seeing sustained client demand at the intersection of real estate, energy, infrastructure and technology, and we have aligned our lateral hiring strategy accordingly.
By prioritizing partners with deep, hands-on Data Center experience, we are not only strengthening our national platform but also ensuring we can guide clients through the full lifecycle of these complex projects, from site selection and incentives to financing, construction and long-term operations.
Being recognized among the top firms for Data Center-focused lateral hiring reflects a disciplined growth strategy driven by where the market is heading and where our clients need us most.”
Lauren Tapper
Chief Talent Officer, Benesch
Ranked: Which AM Law Firms Have Been Hiring the Most Lateral Partners with Data Center Experience?
Global, AM Law 200, > 5 Lateral Partner Hires, Jan 2020 - Jan 2026
“In just the past three months, we’ve continued adding leading deal makers and other senior attorneys across many disciplines, including digital infrastructure and energy, to strengthen our capabilities as data center work accelerates globally.
Our data center practice tripled in 2025 compared to the prior year, and we’re advising hyperscalers and other industry leaders around the globe on all facets of data center work, from digital infrastructure development and transactions to power supply solutions and navigating regulatory hurdles.”
Jonathan Gordon
Technology Global Chair, Baker Botts
The AM Law Top 20 Have the Deepest Benches of Data Center Partners, But Kirkland & Ellis Leads the Way
Looking at the number of 'data center' lateral hires relative to total hires shows us which firms are prioritizing and growing their data center expertise. But which firms are already dominant in the space, with the largest existing teams of Partners with data center experience?
The AM Law top 20 largely come out on top; Kirkland & Ellis have almost 250 Partners with data center experience and Dentons (195), Latham & Watkins (110), Greenberg Traurig (101), and DLA Piper (100) all boast teams numbering in the hundreds.
Across the AM Law 200, 21% of Partners with data center experience primarily practice in Real Estate, followed by 16% in Corporate.
Ranked: Which Firms Have the Largest 'Data Center' Teams?
Global, AM Law 200, > 20 Partners, Data as of Jan 2026
Chicago Has Been Rising as a Major Hub for Data Center Work, Alongside Texas
The cities with the highest number of AM Law 200 'data center' Partner hires are the usual major legal markets of New York City (131), London (87), and Washington, DC (85).
Looking beyond them,
Chicago (43 hires) has been emerging as a
tier 1 market for data centers. The Windy City now houses
over 70 data centers, with major players like Equinix, Digital Realty, and CyrusOne driving its prominence. Chicago offers a strategic central location, with the robust infrastructure and reliable power supply needed for data centers.
Texas is another market with significant momentum, with most lateral hires occurring in
Dallas (39) and
Houston (35). The state has become the
second largest data center market in the US, collectively attracting hyperscale and AI-driven infrastructure investment in recent years.
Note on methodology
'Data Center' Partners are Partners with references to Data Center experience in their professional bios and previous matters worked
Source: Publicly-available data tracked by Pirical Legal Professionals (PLP)
Timeframe: Jan 2020 - Jan 2026
Analysis powered by Pirical Legal Professionals (PLP)
Pirical Legal Professionals is the largest attorney database built with the most comprehensive data on the market. Specifically designed for legal recruitment and legal market research.
Pirical seamlessly aggregates data from a wide range of public sources, tracking over 700,000 attorney profiles worldwide. Our data helps law firms source lateral talent quicker, identify candidates with key client relationships, map competitor firm strategies & team structures, and much more.
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