Senior Legal Director, Real Estate Ops -NorAm

Sr. Legal Director Real Estate, Infrastructure & Procurement (North America) Location: Dallas, TX About the role Digital Realty’s global Legal, Risk, Sustainability & Compliance team is seeking a Senior Legal Director to lead the Real Estate, Infrastructure & Procurement team in North America. Reporting to the SVP, Deputy General Counsel, this senior legal lead will support real‑estate development, construction, infrastructure and procurement activities across our data center platform, providing strategic, business‑oriented counsel on complex transactions and overseeing a team of legal professionals. What You’ll Do Leadership and Team Management Lead and develop the North America legal team supporting real estate, infrastructure, construction and procurement. Set priorities, allocate work, and support the professional development of team members. Act as escalation point for complex or high‑risk legal matters. Drive consistency in legal positions, templates and negotiation strategies across NAM. Strategic Legal Advisory Serve as senior legal advisor to Development, Construction, Procurement and Operations teams, collaborating with Investments, Finance and Legal teams to align projects with financing and commercial objectives. Provide strategic counsel on data center development, ownership and operational matters, including joint ventures, easements, entitlements and infrastructure projects. Support structuring and execution of large‑scale, multi‑site and multi‑jurisdictional infrastructure projects. Align legal strategy with commercial objectives, delivery timelines and operational requirements. Transactions and Contracting Oversee and support drafting and negotiation of construction, design and development agreements; procurement and master service agreements (equipment, materials and services); infrastructure agreements, including campus developments, reciprocal easements and similar; and real‑estate documentation related to development and operations. Provide guidance on complex, multi‑tiered and multi‑jurisdictional contracting strategies. Ensure appropriate risk allocation and consistency with company standards. Risk Management and Governance Identify, assess and mitigate legal and commercial risks across development, construction and procurement activities. Provide clear guidance on liability, contractual risk allocation and negotiation strategy. Ensure adherence to internal policies, approval processes and governance frameworks. Support dispute management and resolution for construction and supplier‑related matters. Cross‑Functional Collaboration Partner with internal stakeholders (Development, Engineering, Energy, Procurement, Finance, Investments and Operations) to facilitate project execution. Work closely with global legal teams to ensure alignment on standards, processes and positions. Support enterprise‑wide initiatives and cross‑regional projects. Process Improvement and Efficiency Drive continuous improvement of templates, playbooks and contracting processes. Streamline negotiations and remove barriers to execution while maintaining appropriate legal protections. Implement scalable processes to support the growth of the NAM platform. External Counsel Management Oversee engagement and management of outside counsel for specialized real estate, construction or procurement matters. Ensure efficient use of external legal resources and budget control. What You’ll Need Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school. Admitted to the bar and in good standing in the state where the position is located (or otherwise authorized to practice law). Minimum 12‑15 years of relevant legal experience, with a strong focus on real‑estate development and transactions, construction and infrastructure projects, procurement and commercial contracting, and complex agreement negotiation. Strong business and commercial judgment with the ability to balance risk and execution. Proven leadership experience managing and developing legal teams. Ability to operate effectively in a fast‑paced, high‑growth, international environment. Strong communication and stakeholder management skills. Responsibilities The role leads the legal‑commercial function, managing teams and overseeing complex client‑facing legal matters. It ensures that all legal advice and services are aligned with company objectives and strategies while maintaining a strong focus on customer needs and digital trust. The role requires binding the company contractually to customers and vendors, with broad P&L responsibility, and involves strategic thinking and influence across departments. Qualifications Licensed attorney/lawyer with 15‑20 years of experience in commercial law and risk management, proven leadership in legal advisory roles, demonstrated expertise in contract negotiation and compliance, strong strategic thinking and business acumen, and excellent communication and influence skills. #J-18808-Ljbffr Digital Realty Global