On The Merits Law Firms Can't Afford to Miss Out on Data Center Boom
Feb 24, 2026
Roy Strom, Bloomberg Law reporter covering the legal industry, discusses law firms racing to advise on the nationwide data center build-out. He outlines multidisciplinary deal work across zoning, energy, financing and tech transactions. He also highlights novel financing structures and why missing this boom could be riskier than a future downturn.
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Data Center Buildout Is Perfect Work For Big Law
- The data center boom is a perfect storm for Big Law because it combines massive investment with diverse legal needs.
- Roy Strom says hyperscalers plan roughly $650 billion this year, creating opportunities across real estate, regulatory, energy, and transactional teams.
Position Firms To Cross-Sell Project And Tech Work
- Do position your firm to offer cross-disciplinary services because data center projects require financing, project infrastructure and technology transaction work.
- Roy Strom notes firms handle project finance and technology deals like structuring chip-sales and novel financing for companies such as OpenAI and NVIDIA.
How Husch Blackwell Reused A Foxconn Site For Microsoft
- Husch Blackwell converted a stalled Foxconn site in Wisconsin into a Microsoft data center by coordinating zoning, environmental reviews, and tax-incentive negotiations.
- Roy Strom highlights that the site had been approved for Foxconn manufacturing but never materialized before the firm repurposed it for Microsoft.