The Data Center ecosystem is filled predominantly with engineering, real estate, operations, and IT staff. Rarely will you find a lawyer in the room. On the other hand, the local, state, and federal ecosystem has an abundance of legal expertise.
I found this Dilbert comic with a lawyer and a technical guy talking to the CEO, and it is funny and gets across the point that companies go to the technical guy first.
One of my data center friends is a lawyer, Jim Grice, and he is presenting at 7x24 exchange on Monday, Nov 14 at 3p.
Breakout B: Site Selection, Incentives, and Sustainability: Legal Issues and Beyond
James W. Grice
Partner & Leader, Project Solutions Group
Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLPNancy Heimann
Jim has been making great progress being one of the few attorneys who can help the client's legal strategy in data center development. I know there will be a bunch of us in the room ready to throw out more lawyer jokes. :-)
How many attorneys does it take to develop a data center?