Real Estate: £150 million and above | UK

The team at Ashurst handles a variety of complex, high-end real estate work. Areas of expertise for the group include urban regeneration projects and development matters, as well as substantial investment and leasing transactions. The team is also recognised for its work with domestic and inward investors on sales and acquisitions, development projects and financing arrangements, with a notable focus on advising investors from South Korea. Practitioners at the firm regularly advise on high-value residential development projects as well as mixed-use and retail sites.

BCLP has a formidable presence in the London real estate market, with a deep bench of practitioners who are regularly instructed to advise on some of the highest-value deals in the market. Lawyers within the group are active across the full spectrum of real estate development including large residential schemes, infrastructure projects and regeneration initiatives. The team acts for an enviable array of blue-chip clients, including leading domestic and international investors, asset management companies and major landowners. It is also frequently involved in negotiating major lettings and pre-lets with high-profile corporate occupiers.

The real estate group at Herbert Smith Freehills is widely recognised as a market leader and is experienced in all aspects of property work. The firm represents a diverse range of clients, including institutional investors, leading developers and public sector bodies, and has been instructed on many high-value and high-profile deals in the market, as well as handling major urban regeneration work. The team is notable for its ability to complete structured transactions that feature a blend of corporate, finance and land issues.

Mayer Brown is well equipped to handle big-ticket property acquisition and financing transactions, as well as major commercial and residential redevelopment schemes. The team has notable experience in cross-border transactions involving international investment into the UK market, with a particular focus on Asia. The firm's clients also include UK property companies, private equity funds and other institutional investors. The team demonstrates strong expertise in transactions concerning alternative asset classes such as student accommodation, data centres and care homes.

Clifford Chance is able to bring the strength of a combined corporate and real estate group to bear when advising on high-value property matters, including acquisitions and disposals, development projects and leasing matters. The firm fields a number of experts on tax structures, cross-border investment and other complex structured real estate deals, including strategic investments and large-scale developments in the private rental and student accommodation sectors. The team also exhibits further strength in handling major real estate matters in the rail sector, including infrastructure improvements and station redevelopments.

CMS has an experienced team offering high-level expertise across an array of commercial real estate areas, with notable strength in hotels and leisure sector work, mixed-use developments and high-value landlord and tenant matters. It also handles acquisitions and disposals of the highest value, from major city office blocks to substantial portfolios of business and industrial properties. The group frequently advises blue-chip clients including developers, private equity funds and overseas investors.

DLA Piper has a substantial real estate team with strong cross-border resources and the ability to draw on complementary areas of expertise across a global firm. The team regularly acts for significant clients on large-scale investment and development transactions and is particularly active on portfolio-related matters, including asset management, sales of portfolio properties and restructurings. The group also advises both landlords and occupiers on high-value pre-let arrangements.

Hogan Lovells has a notable real estate investment practice that acts for a number of private equity houses, major UK institutions and sovereign wealth funds on some of the largest deals in the market. The team offers considerable strength in the handling of significant investments and developments in both the residential and commercial real estate spaces and also demonstrates skill in assisting clients with the formation and dissolution of real estate joint ventures. The group also has further expertise in complex commercial leasing transactions, including big-ticket pre-lets and headquarter relocations.

Macfarlanes demonstrates excellent capabilities in big-ticket transactional work, high-profile lettings and portfolio asset management. Its team can draw from a deep pool of practitioners in related disciplines, such as tax, funds, finance and procurement, to provide a comprehensive real estate offering. The group also has experience handling matters involving joint ventures, consortiums and other co-investment arrangements. Macfarlanes advises both domestic and international clients, including property companies, institutional investors and major corporate entities.

Mishcon de Reya is particularly noted for its deep level of experience in regeneration and redevelopment projects, with additional strength in high-value acquisitions and disposals. It provides both strategic investment and ongoing management advice to clients with substantial property portfolios both in the UK and abroad. The firm's clients also include a range of household names in development and financing as well as corporate occupiers. The group is further noted for its expertise in the student accommodation and house building markets.

Addleshaw Goddard's well-regarded real estate practice has a national presence and regularly acts for REITs, well-known retailers and UK-based institutional investors. The team is adept at handling investment transactions and portfolio management, as well as redevelopment matters across various asset classes. Lawyers in the group are also frequently involved in major London regeneration projects as well as matters concerning build-to-rent schemes.

Freshfields focuses on high-end real estate development and investment work for clients, including large pension and sovereign wealth funds, REITs, private equity investors and property companies. The firm is well known for its skill at managing corporate real estate deals requiring a global reach and multidisciplinary expertise. As well as regularly advising on large portfolio transactions concerning office, hotel and logistics properties, the team also has notable expertise in the formation of joint ventures.

The real estate team at Linklaters is able to draw on a deep pool of corporate, finance and property experts in order to tackle complex mandates. Core areas of expertise for the group include investment transactions, distressed real estate, regeneration and other development matters, with further expertise in matters relating to real estate joint ventures and corporate occupiers. The firm advises clients both in the UK and around the globe, including funds and other institutional investors.

A&O Shearman offers extensive expertise in real estate investment and development transactions and is also equipped to advise on large-scale headquarter moves. Its team is able to draw on a firm-wide pool of resources to advise on the corporate structuring of acquisitions and disposals, often advising on multi-jurisdictional deals. The group is also adept at facilitating joint ventures and related agreements on behalf of private equity firms, developers and institutional investors. Practitioners at the firm are frequently involved in high-value transactions concerning large industrial and retail portfolios.

Gowling WLG is well regarded for handling big-ticket real estate transactions, from investment acquisitions and asset management to complex development matters. It is equipped to advise on deals in the retail and leisure sectors, among a variety of other areas. The firm's clients include prominent institutional investors, public sector entities and house builders, and it also advises both landlords and occupiers on major corporate lettings.

Jones Day's real estate group has particular expertise in large-scale residential and urban regeneration development projects. It has impressive knowledge of the build-to-rent and student accommodation sectors, as well as matters concerning data centres and logistics sites. The team's clients include investment funds, developers and financial institutions.

The full-service team at Norton Rose Fulbright has expertise in real estate and all supporting areas of law. It represents a diverse client base including energy companies and financial institutions, as well as big-name developers and investors. The group handles various infrastructure matters, is regularly instructed on high-profile long-term projects, and is able to draw on its international network of offices to support clients on complex cross-border work.

The real estate team at Simmons & Simmons carries out a range of high-value investment transactions, as well as handling central London redevelopment projects. The firm is regularly instructed on office building acquisitions as well as leasing matters for both owners and corporate occupiers. The group has notable expertise across a diverse range of property types, including hotels, build-to-rent and mixed-use developments. The firm's clients include a number of real estate fund managers and sovereign wealth funds.

Slaughter and May acts on corporate real estate matters for a wide range of clients, including investors and developers. It offers particular expertise in advising energy sector clients on real estate-related matters and is also regularly instructed on developments related to infrastructure projects, particularly in the transport and leisure sectors. The team has further experience advising high-profile corporate occupiers, including on headquarter relocations.

Taylor Wessing provides a strong platform for overseas investment into the UK real estate sector, frequently advising clients from the Middle East, Far East and USA. The firm often acts on matters involving high-value properties in London, as well as substantial property portfolios, and also has notable experience handling residential and mixed-use development schemes. It also offers specialist expertise in student accommodation matters as well as those relating to logistics sites and light industrial property.

Baker McKenzie can offer clients the benefit of a full-service real estate practice with international capabilities. The firm acts for an enviable list of blue-chip clients, including prominent corporate occupiers, in sectors including hospitality and retail. It regularly handles commercial leasing and asset investment transactions and is also adept at providing real estate due diligence on major corporate transactions. The group has further strength in site acquisition and funding for large-scale development and regeneration projects.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher offers significant expertise to clients in commercial real estate, in both domestic and international contexts. They are equipped to advise on a range of real estate transactions, including acquisitions, disposals, developments and joint ventures.

Greenberg Traurig handles a wide range of real estate matters in both the commercial and residential spheres. The firm has noted expertise in portfolio acquisitions and disposals, development projects and joint ventures for domestic and international clients. It presents strength across a variety of asset classes including student accommodation, private rental, industrial and retail property.

Pinsent Masons has a sizeable real estate group that provides public and private sector clients with a broad range of real estate advice. The firm's expertise includes asset management, development schemes and the structuring of property investments, as well as specialist knowledge of hotel real estate matters. It also represents institutional investors and leading developers in a range of projects involving alternative real estate assets, such as student accommodation and retirement living facilities.

Reed Smith frequently advises investor clients on high-value real estate transactions, often with national and international elements. It also assists with large development projects, including office and mixed-use schemes. The group is regularly called upon to assist with property deals in the hospitality and retail sectors and is adept at handling the purchase and sale of large individual assets as well as extensive property portfolios.