Orrick has added TJ Kuban as a partner in its Data Center practice and Energy & Infrastructure team, expanding the firm’s capabilities across large-scale data center and digital infrastructure real estate transactions.
Kuban joins Orrick from Kirkland & Ellis, where he was a partner, and will be based in Chicago.
His practice focuses on complex real estate matters involving data centers and digital infrastructure across the full project lifecycle, including site acquisitions, powered land arrangements, construction financings, joint ventures, and hyperscaler lease negotiations.
Kuban has advised on several major transactions in the sector.
His experience includes advising Blue Owl Capital on a $20 billion development involving a 1 GW data center campus in New Mexico.
He also advised Colovore, an owner and operator of ultra-dense, liquid-cooled data centers, on a $925 million financing provided by Blackstone.
Kuban was also involved in advising an investor consortium comprising AI Infrastructure Partnership, MGX, and BlackRock’s Global Infrastructure Partners on the $40 billion acquisition of Aligned Data Centers from Macquarie Asset Management.
Orrick described that transaction as the largest data center M&A deal completed to date.
The appointment comes as demand for data center legal services continues to grow alongside investment in AI infrastructure, power generation, grid access, and digital infrastructure development.
Orrick’s Data Center practice advises project sponsors, operators, investors, hyperscalers, AI companies, and energy businesses on development, financing, power, real estate, and transactional matters.
The firm said it has represented or negotiated opposite the five largest hyperscalers, major AI labs, data center developers, and more than 400 energy companies and investors worldwide.
Kuban’s addition also continues Orrick’s broader expansion of its global Energy & Infrastructure platform.
Since January 2025, the firm has recruited 27 partners serving the sector across 14 markets globally.
Recent additions include EPC lawyer Kaleb Walker in Houston, French Project Finance head Antoine Bouzanquet in Paris, energy M&A lawyer Nick Woodruff in Houston, and nuclear regulatory lawyer Amy Roma in Washington, D.C.
Orrick said its data center strategy places particular emphasis on helping clients address front-end development issues, including land, power, financing, and project structuring.
KEY QUOTES:
“Our data center team is fielding extraordinary demand from clients across the spectrum of the AI and tech ecosystem, from project sponsors to operators to investors. TJ brings deep experience closing multibillion-dollar transactions for clients on both sides of the table, which gives him invaluable perspective on market terms in this fast-evolving space.”
Teresa Hill, Orrick Partner And Leader Of The Data Center Practice
“TJ adds a practitioner of the highest quality as we continue to build out our holistic data center offering, which has a distinctive focus on helping clients solve the front-end development issues surrounding these high-stakes projects.”
Giji John, Orrick Partner And Leader Of The Houston Office
“Orrick has demonstrated leadership in innovating on power solutions, and the quality of its clients in the AI, data center and digital infrastructure space is unmatched. I’m thrilled to join the team and collaborate to continue to expand the offering, helping clients build the infrastructure that will power the next generation of technology.”
TJ Kuban, Partner At Orrick
