Fleet Data Centers is seeking a senior-level business-minded VP, Corporate Counsel to provide legal guidance and support for data center leasing transactions with hyperscalers. This role will also support general corporate, governance and transactional matters, including joint ventures with our sister portfolio company.
This is a high-impact, hands-on role for an attorney who can operate independently in a fast-paced environment with seasoned counterparties, draft and negotiate contracts, manage outside counsel efficiently, and collaborate across the business to drive projects to execution.
You’ll sit at the center of the company’s most strategic customer relationships and help shape the contracting engine for a high-growth, world-class data center developer.
How will you make a difference?
- Provide legal expertise for drafting and negotiations of data center agreements (hyperscale and enterprise data center leases, service agreements, change order forms, etc.).
- Support deal structuring on critical terms including joint venture and land purchase agreements, as well as leasing terms including remedies, force majeure, change of control, security/audit rights, insurance, waiver of subrogation, indemnification and confidentiality provisions.
- Partner cross-functionally across the enterprise, including with the Commercial Management team, to support all customer matters and align legal positions with delivery realities and business strategy.
- Draft and negotiate related agreements (MSAs, ancillary site/customer documents, LOIs/terms sheets, NDAs, as needed).
- Build scalable legal infrastructure: templates, playbooks, clause library, fallback positions, approval matrix, and negotiation process to improve speed and consistency.
- Manage outside counsel with discipline: scoping, supervision, budgets, and practical deliverables.
- Take on additional high-priority legal work as needed to help stand up a high-functioning, lean Legal Department (e.g., compliance and risk management activities, key vendor and operations agreements).
Qualification
- J.D. from an accredited law school; active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (or ability to register as in-house counsel, as applicable).
- 10+ years of relevant experience, including a blend of large law firm and in-house roles.
- 5+ years of direct experience negotiating hyperscale and enterprise data center leases.
Required Skills and Experience
- Direct experience with data center construction and lease contracts (powered shell/turnkey, phased delivery, capacity reservation, commissioning/acceptance).
- Experience supporting multi-jurisdictional matters and coordinating local counsel.
- Comfort with legal ops and process building (CLM exposure a plus).
- Highest standards of professional integrity, sound judgment and personal accountability.
- Demonstrated ability to run transactions with minimal oversight, manage competing priorities, and deliver high-quality work product quickly.
- Strong business judgment and clear, collaborative communication style.
Preferred Skills and Experience
- Familiarity with data-center-specific operational terms (availability/SLA constructs, maintenance windows, security requirements, audit rights, change control, and service credits), commercial real estate and financings.
Location and Travel
- Work location is flexible to Seattle, WA or Denver