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Associate Corporate- Real Estate (Data Center)

The Practice Group


Job Location:

Chicago, IL - USA

Monthly Salary: Not provided by the employer
Posted: 17 July 2026 (30+ days ago)
Application Deadline: 14 October 2026
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

About Latham & Watkins
Latham & Watkins is one of the worlds leading global law firms advising the businesses and institutions that drive the global economy. We are the market leaders in major financial and business centers globally and offer unmatched expertise and resources to help you grow from an intellectually curious self-starter into an exceptional lawyer. If you aspire to be the best this is where you belong.
About the Practice Group
Lathams Real Estate Practice advises a full spectrum of market participantsincluding private equity funds institutional investors developers and financial institutionson complex high value real estate transactions across asset classes and jurisdictions.

Data center transactions are a key and rapidly growing component of our practice and the team has significant experience advising clients in the data center and digital infrastructure space including hyperscale and colocation leasing acquisitions dispositions developments platform investments joint ventures and related financings. Our teams work seamlessly across offices and disciplines to execute sophisticated transactions at the intersection of real estate infrastructure and technology.
About the Role
The Real Estate Practice is seeking highly qualified associates to support partners and deal teams on complex data center and digital infrastructure transactions. This role will primarily support data center-related transactions with opportunities to assist on other real estate matters as well. The position is designed for candidates with meaningful experience in real estate transactions who are interested in a predominantly deal focused practice involving large-scale developments leasing arrangements joint ventures and financings. Associates will contribute to the execution of sophisticated transactions and collaborate across practices including corporate finance tax and energy and infrastructure to support efficient deal execution.

Associates will draft review and negotiate transactional documents including purchase and sale agreements leases joint venture agreements development agreements and financing documents and will support acquisitions dispositions and development of data center assets and platforms. The role includes assisting with commercial leasing matters including colocation and hyperscale lease arrangements managing and coordinating due diligence processes such as title survey and project-level diligence and working closely with cross practice teams on financing M&A and tax aspects of transactions. Associates will also support deal structuring and execution across domestic and cross-border matters.

Qualifications

Candidates should have at least three years of experience in commercial real estate transactions at a top law firm or in-house legal department with strong exposure to acquisitions dispositions joint ventures development projects and/or real estate financings. Experience with data center leasing ground leases build-to-suit transactions or other large-scale commercial leasing is highly preferred. Ideal candidates will demonstrate the ability to draft and negotiate principal transaction documents and manage due diligence processes and should be comfortable working across practice areas including corporate finance and tax. Candidates should also possess strong analytical organizational and communication skills along with a commercial mindset and an interest in the evolving digital infrastructure and real estate landscape. We welcome exceptional candidates from firms of all sizes who have developed sophisticated skill sets in relevant practice areas.
Main Contact Details
If you have any questions about the application please contact:

Lateral Recruiting Corporate
Additional Information
Investing in the well-being of our lawyers and staff is among the firms highest priorities. Through our LiveWell Latham program we offer best-in-class benefits and comprehensive resources designed to support you and your loved ones through all lifes moments from building a family and taking care of loved ones to managing your health and saving for the future.

Latham & Watkins is an equal opportunity employer. The Firm prohibits discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race (including but not limited to hair texture and protective hairstyles) color religion sex age national origin sexual orientation gender identity veteran status (including veterans of the Vietnam era) gender expression marital status or any other characteristic or condition protected by applicable statute.

We periodically provide demographic data to legal publications bar associations civic and community organizations and in some instances to local state and federal government agencies as required by law or contract. So that the firm can provide this information accurately we request that you consider self-identifying.

Please click here to review your rights under U.S. employment accordance with Latham & Watkins policies associates in this role must protect and maintain any highly sensitive confidential privileged financial and/or proprietary information that Latham & Watkins retains either as part of the legal services the Firm provides to clients or for internal purposes.

Los Angeles: Latham & Watkins LLP will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO). Please click the link above to review the Ordinance.

San Francisco: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Please click the link above to review the Ordinance.

Massachusetts: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. An employer that violates this law may be subject to fines and/or a private right of action for $500 in statutory damages for each such violation among other things.
Pay Range

Associate Base Salary

Discretionary bonuses may be available depending on application circumstances and position.

Class ofUS Payroll
2026$225000
2025$225000
2024$235000
2023$260000
2022$310000
2021$365000
2020$390000
2019

$420000

2018$435000

Required Experience:

IC