Construction Lawyer - Data Centres and Infrastructure

Help ambitious businesses build, scale, and navigate change.

Altern8 Legal was built around the belief that ambitious businesses should be able to access exceptional senior legal expertise flexibly, while experienced lawyers should have greater ownership over how, where, and with whom they work.

We are partnering with a major international data centre developer and operator seeking an experienced construction lawyer to support an expanding portfolio of technically complex development projects.

This is an opportunity to work at the heart of the data centre lifecycle, supporting the legal arrangements behind the design, construction, delivery, and operation of major sites across an international business.

The opportunity could be structured as either an interim consulting engagement or a permanent appointment. The client would ideally like someone able to start at relatively short notice.

The role

You will work closely with the legal, development, procurement, engineering, and operational teams, providing practical legal support throughout the delivery of major construction projects.

The work is expected to include:

• Drafting and negotiating design, build, engineering, and construction contracts
• Advising on contractor, consultant, architect, and professional appointments
• Supporting procurement exercises, tenders, and supplier negotiations
• Negotiating framework agreements, master services agreements, work orders, and statements of work
• Advising on operations, maintenance, facilities management, and other post-construction arrangements
• Supporting project teams on contractual risk, liability, warranties, insurance, delays, variations, and delivery issues
• Working with technical and commercial stakeholders to develop pragmatic solutions
• Coordinating external advisers where specialist or jurisdiction-specific advice is required
• Developing templates, processes, and contracting frameworks that can be used consistently across multiple projects

About you

We would be particularly interested in speaking with lawyers who have:

• Strong front-end, non-contentious construction experience
• Approximately 6-10 years’ PQE, or an equivalent level of relevant experience
• Experience drafting and negotiating design-and-build contracts, professional appointments, consultancy agreements, and related project documentation
• A practical understanding of how major construction and engineering projects are procured, contracted, and delivered
• The confidence to work directly with engineers, project managers, procurement teams, contractors, consultants, and suppliers
• A commercially focused and solutions-oriented approach
• The ability to operate autonomously within a fast-moving international environment

Direct data centre experience would be particularly valuable, but it is not essential. We would also welcome applications from lawyers with strong experience across major infrastructure, energy, utilities, engineering, industrial, logistics, telecommunications, or other technically complex developments.

Experience with recognised construction-contracting frameworks, including JCT, NEC, FIDIC, EPC, or comparable international forms, would also be helpful.

Why this opportunity?

Data centres sit at the intersection of technology, infrastructure, construction, energy, and AI. This role offers the opportunity to apply your construction expertise within one of the fastest-growing and most strategically important areas of the global economy.

You will have the chance to work closely with the business, contribute directly to significant international developments, and help shape how projects are contracted and delivered.

Working with Altern8 Legal

We work with senior lawyers who want access to genuinely interesting, business-critical work without being constrained by a traditional career model.

Depending on the opportunity, our lawyers may work on an interim, fractional, project-based, or longer-term basis. We aim to provide transparency around the work, commercial arrangements, and client expectations, and we stay closely involved throughout each engagement.

Joining our network is non-exclusive, and there is no obligation to accept any opportunity that is not right for you.

If this sounds like the kind of work you would enjoy, we would be pleased to hear from you. Please apply with your CV or LinkedIn profile.