Gibson Dunn targets data centre boom with White & Case double hire

Gibson Dunn has hired two White & Case real estate partners in London as the US firm continues to build out its practice around the booming data centre market.

James Johnson and Victoria Delacey will join Gibson Dunn after long spells at White & Case.

Johnson spent more than 21 years at the firm after joining as a trainee and made partner in 2018, while Delacey spent more than 12 years there and was promoted to partner earlier this year.

The pair specialise in data centre work, advising developers, operators and investors on leases and customer contracts for major projects.

Real estate focus

The hires continue a steady expansion of Gibson Dunn’s London real estate team.

Partner Chris Slack joined from Jones Day in May, followed by Angus Lennox - who was formerly an MD in Blackstone’s European real estate business - from Simpson Thacher in July.

Last year, the firm hired real estate finance specialist Mark Manson-Bahr from A&O Shearman, after previously recruiting corporate real estate partner Hayden Cameron from the same firm.

Gibson Dunn said Johnson and Delacey will deepen its global data centre practice, which has worked on more than 350 matters this year.

Data centres have become a major source of work for law firms as tech companies and investors pour billions into the infrastructure required to support the AI boom.

“The growth of AI is driving an unprecedented level of investment in data centers by our real estate, infrastructure, and lender clients,” said Eric Feuerstein, co-chair of Gibson Dunn’s global real estate practice.

He said Johnson and Delacey were among a relatively small number of lawyers in Europe with significant experience negotiating the leases and commercial agreements behind major data centre projects.