James Dodsworth is head of White & Case LLP’s global real estate industry group. “He balances technical awareness with commercial flair.”
Chambers UK 2016
James Dodsworth is head of White & Case LLP’s global real estate industry group. “He balances technical awareness with commercial flair.”
Chambers UK 2016
James Dodsworth leads White & Case's real estate practice across the world. He advises clients on the investment, structuring, leasing and financing of commercial real estate, and is also widely acknowledged as an authority on the European data center industry.
With experience of both the UK and European real estate industries, James provides clients with access to current market trends and legal thinking, particularly as they relate to private equity investment and related structuring and financing. His diverse list of clients ranges from corporates (including private equity companies and investment banks) to real estate investment and development companies.
James has particular knowledge of the acquisition, development, leasing and funding of data centers on numerous projects around the world, regarding which he has advised a number of the world's global end users, as well as internationally active developers and operators.
He is a regular speaker at data center industry events throughout the UK, Europe and Asia and authors industry-related articles relating to the legal challenges facing those involved with data centers.
Experience
James advised Oaktree Capital Management, a leading global alternative investment management firm, on its sale of the SACO property portfolio, one of the UK's leading providers of serviced apartments with an extensive network of properties around the world, to Brookfield Asset Management.
James advised IO Data Centers, LLC, a data center services company, which provides colocation and cloud services to businesses and governments worldwide in connection with its sale of its UK Data Centre Groups to Equinix (UK) Limited.
James advised Credit Suisse on the cross border sale and leaseback of critical data center facilities in both London and Singapore to Iron Mountain.
James advised Citibank on the sale and leaseback of Frankfurt Data Center, the first sale and leaseback of its kind relating to its Western European data center campus.
James advised Blue Horizon Investor Limited, which is owned by an Abu Dhabi based family office, in connection with its acquisition of 10 Hammersmith Grove, a marquee commercial mixed use property located in London for £112 million.
James advised on the high profile commercial real estate acquisition of 105 Wigmore Street, London, W1 from Standard Life. Located next to the iconic Selfridges department store in the heart of London's West End retail district, he advised one of the Firm’s longstanding family office clients on the successful purchase following a competitive bidding.
James advised Corney & Barrow Bars, one of London’s leading wine bar group on the disposal of its London wine bar portfolio.
James advised Digital Realty on their $874m acquisition of "Project Cheetah" assets from Equinix, a divestiture directed by the Group's Commission following the acquisition of Telecity plc.
James advised the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and Harrods Management on their US$1.3 billion real estate financing of the Harrods department store and other related properties.
James advised Labregah Real Estate Company on the US$2.07 billion acquisition of Barwa City, a large scale residential development project in Doha, Qatar offering 5,968 residential units and other facilities distributed over 128 buildings. This was the largest M&A transaction in Qatar in the previous 18 months.
James advised Digital Realty on its US$1.1 billion acquisition of Sentrum, an owner and operator of wholesale data centre real estate and related services.
James advised Capital & Counties on over US$1 billion of commercial real estate acquisitions relating to London's Covent Garden Estate and its subsequent financing, development and asset management.
Data Centres – The alternative investment asset class, March 2018
Data Centres – The linchpins of the new digital economy, February 2015
London calling – Investing in commercial real estate, September 2014
Data Centres – Investments in an Emerging Asset Class, Bloomberg BNA's Tax Planning International Review, May 2013, (co-author with Prabhu Narasimhan)
Sources describe him as "quite simply the best lawyer in the business for data centre transactions."
The Legal 500 noted that "Practice head James Dodsworth was busy in transactional matters, advising Corney & Barrow Bars on the disposal of its London wine bar portfolio."
Nomination for "Real Estate Team of the Year", the British Legal Awards 2017
Data centre expert James Dodsworth heads White & Case LLP's EMEA real estate practice. "He balances technical awareness with commercial flair."
The Legal 500 noted that James is "excellent in all aspects" and "stands out due to his knowledgeable approach."
James is ranked "as a leading individual for "Big Ticket - Real Estate" and is also widely acknowledged as one of Europe's leading legal practitioners to the data centre industry."