Before You Sign: Key Contract Provisions for Tribes Considering Data Center Developments, ICT
Grace Signorelli-Cassady of Jenner & Block’s Native American Law Practice authored an opinion piece for ICT examining key contract provisions tribes should consider when approached about data center developments.
As technology companies increasingly reach out to Native American tribes to propose large-scale data center developments, Grace emphasizes that the decision to proceed rests solely with each tribe as an exercise of its sovereignty. For tribes that choose to consider a data center project, she identifies three areas that deserve close attention at the negotiating table:
- The money: how payment and project participation can be structured such that compensation fairly reflects the advantages of locating on the tribe’s reservation and promotes a sustained relationship
- The law: options for whose laws govern a data center project and related disputes, as well as avenues to protect tribal assets, tribal regulatory authority, and sovereign immunity
- The future: how contracts can address decommissioning, site restoration, and remediation
Grace represents tribes in high-stakes litigation, investigations, and a variety of tribal energy and infrastructure matters. She has spoken at several conferences on the intersection of artificial intelligence, data centers, and tribal economic growth.
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© 2026 Jenner & Block LLP. Attorney Advertising. Jenner & Block LLP is an Illinois Limited Liability Partnership including professional corporations. This publication, presentation, or event is not intended to provide legal advice but to provide information on legal matters and/or firm news of interest to our clients and colleagues. Readers or attendees should seek specific legal advice before taking any action with respect to matters mentioned in this publication or at this event. The attorney responsible for this communication is Brent E. Kidwell, Jenner & Block LLP, 353 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654-3456. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Jenner & Block London LLP, an affiliate of Jenner & Block LLP, is a limited liability partnership established under the laws of the State of Delaware, USA and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with SRA number 615729. Information regarding the data we collect and the rights you have over your data can be found in our Privacy Notice. For further inquiries, please contact dataprotection@jenner.com.
Grace Signorelli-Cassady of Jenner & Block’s Native American Law Practice authored an opinion piece for ICT examining key contract provisions tribes should consider when approached about data center developments.
As technology companies increasingly reach out to Native American tribes to propose large-scale data center developments, Grace emphasizes that the decision to proceed rests solely with each tribe as an exercise of its sovereignty. For tribes that choose to consider a data center project, she identifies three areas that deserve close attention at the negotiating table:
- The money: how payment and project participation can be structured such that compensation fairly reflects the advantages of locating on the tribe’s reservation and promotes a sustained relationship
- The law: options for whose laws govern a data center project and related disputes, as well as avenues to protect tribal assets, tribal regulatory authority, and sovereign immunity
- The future: how contracts can address decommissioning, site restoration, and remediation
Grace represents tribes in high-stakes litigation, investigations, and a variety of tribal energy and infrastructure matters. She has spoken at several conferences on the intersection of artificial intelligence, data centers, and tribal economic growth.
Related Lawyers
Related Capabilities
Related Locations
© 2026 Jenner & Block LLP. Attorney Advertising. Jenner & Block LLP is an Illinois Limited Liability Partnership including professional corporations. This publication, presentation, or event is not intended to provide legal advice but to provide information on legal matters and/or firm news of interest to our clients and colleagues. Readers or attendees should seek specific legal advice before taking any action with respect to matters mentioned in this publication or at this event. The attorney responsible for this communication is Brent E. Kidwell, Jenner & Block LLP, 353 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654-3456. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Jenner & Block London LLP, an affiliate of Jenner & Block LLP, is a limited liability partnership established under the laws of the State of Delaware, USA and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with SRA number 615729. Information regarding the data we collect and the rights you have over your data can be found in our Privacy Notice. For further inquiries, please contact dataprotection@jenner.com.
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