By Sam Michael
The AI revolution is supercharging a global frenzy for data centers, with hyperscalers like Google and Microsoft funneling hundreds of billions into sprawling campuses—and Kirkland & Ellis is front and center, locking in blockbuster deals that could redefine Big Law’s tech playbook. As U.S. searches skyrocket for “data center boom 2025,” “Kirkland & Ellis data centers,” “AI infrastructure deals,” “hyperscale data center acquisitions,” and “data center legal advisory,” the Chicago powerhouse is turning silicon dreams into structured windfalls.
Kirkland’s data center squad has been on a tear, advising over 140 sponsors and developers on more than 450 transactions in the past five years alone—a portfolio brimming with hyperscale builds, financings, and M&A plays that span from Texas prairies to Nevada deserts. The crown jewel dropped last month: Kirkland repped a powerhouse consortium—Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Partnership (AIP), Abu Dhabi’s MGX, and BlackRock’s Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP)—in snapping up a majority equity stake in Aligned Data Centers, valuing the Texas-based operator at a jaw-dropping $40 billion. This mega-deal, one of the largest in sector history, underscores Aligned’s rocket ride from startup to AI powerhouse, complete with custom-built facilities for cloud giants.
Not resting on laurels, Kirkland inked another win advising Switch, the Las Vegas-based data center titan, on a $659 million asset-backed securities offering—its fourth green bond ABS since 2024, bankrolling expansions across five U.S. campuses tailored for AI and enterprise workloads. These moves tap into a projected $500 billion U.S. data center investment wave by 2030, fueled by AI’s insatiable hunger for compute power. Kirkland’s edge? A dedicated practice blending real estate, tax, and structured finance expertise, as seen in their counsel on a $9.4 billion construction loan package for a fully leased hyperscale campus.
Experts hail Kirkland’s strategy as a masterclass in foresight. “They’re not just closing deals; they’re architecting the ecosystem—from power purchase agreements to JV structures—that keeps hyperscalers humming,” says Kelly Mellecker, Kirkland’s structured finance partner, who recently dissected financing trends in a capital markets roundtable. Peers at rival firms nod along, with one Latham & Watkins antitrust vet noting in a Bloomberg Law forum: “Kirkland’s Texas foothold, planted over a decade ago, positions them perfectly for this energy-tech mashup.” Online buzz amplifies the hype—LinkedIn threads from VCs praise the firm’s “seamless navigation of regulatory thickets,” while Reddit’s r/BigLaw erupts with posts like “K&E’s data center haul: The new PE gravy train?”
For American readers, Kirkland’s surge ripples far beyond boardrooms. Economically, these deals juice job creation in Sun Belt hotspots, from construction gigs in Bosque County, Texas, to engineering roles in Reno—bolstering a sector projected to add 100,000 positions by 2027. Tech-wise, it accelerates AI innovation, powering everything from autonomous vehicles to personalized medicine, while easing lifestyle strains like remote work lags. Politically, amid bipartisan pushes for domestic chip fabs, Kirkland’s advisory on energy tie-ins—like CyrusOne’s JV with Energy Capital Partners and Calpine for a 190 MW campus—highlights law’s role in greening the grid.
Kirkland’s playbook—blending deal velocity with deep-sector know-how—positions it to dominate as big tech’s $400 billion data center splurge unfolds. With “data center boom 2025,” “Kirkland & Ellis data centers,” “AI infrastructure deals,” “hyperscale data center acquisitions,” and “data center legal advisory” fueling search frenzies, the firm eyes even bigger horizons, from ABS innovations to cross-border builds. As AI’s thirst grows, Kirkland isn’t just seizing the boom—it’s engineering the next chapter.
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