Real Estate: Finance | Germany

A&O Shearman maintains a pioneering real estate finance practice with the full range of financing expertise at its disposal. The team enjoys an excellent standing in classic real estate lending transactions, as well as bond issuances and CMBS transactions, primarily advising domestic and international banks, with additional expertise in refinancing, development financing and large-scale portfolio restructurings. The team's real estate activities comprise asset and portfolio acquisitions and sales, acting for investors and project developers, as well as providing advice on project development, with strength across the full spectrum of asset classes, including logistics spaces, offices, residential buildings and retail units. The firm remains a top choice for complex, cross-border transactions thanks to its strong international network, as well as its ability to offer a seamless service across transactional, financing, tax and regulatory advice.

Greenberg Traurig is highly regarded for both classical real estate and real estate finance matters, and is a strong choice for complex, cross-border property transactions on a pan-European and transatlantic scale, with experience in both asset and share deals across all types of properties. The team possesses significant strength in project development matters including urban regeneration mandates and distressed assets. The real estate finance practice regularly advises on originations, mezzanine financing, portfolio financing, refinancing and debt restructuring. It is often active on the buyer side, but also represents banks and lenders. Its key clients include mortgage bond banks, private equity firms and asset managers.

Clifford Chance has a stellar team advising on the full range of real estate matters. The firm offers a formidable transactional practice which enjoys a first-rate reputation for both big-ticket and mid-sized real estate transactions across all asset classes, with a proven track record of representing leading industry clients on both the buy and sell sides. An impressive international network facilitates the seamless handling of cross-border single-asset and portfolio transactions. The team also offers an integrated service by working closely with the firm's corporate, tax and restructuring departments. It is a good choice for complex property financing matters, advising borrowers on acquisition finance and refinancing. Its client roster comprises investors, project developers, private equity funds, REITs and financial institutions.

Ashurst capably advises clients throughout the entire lifecycle of a real estate deal. The team's broad-ranging transactional expertise encompasses acquisitions and disposals, as well as project development acquisitions and sale and leaseback transactions, with notable experience concerning logistics and residential assets. The team also offers noteworthy expertise in financing, regularly assisting borrowers with acquisition finance, single-asset and portfolio financing, development financing and refinancing. Ashurst counts domestic and international investors, asset managers, project developers, financial institutions, insurance companies and private equity firms from across Europe and East Asia among its clientele.

CMS is a law firm with a strong presence throughout Germany and other European jurisdictions, assisting key clients both domestically and internationally. It is recommended for mid-sized and big-ticket portfolio transactions concerning retail, office, hospitality and logistics targets, and is notably active in the housing sector. The team also assists institutional investors with asset management and developments, in addition to handling real-estate related joint venture structures and distressed transactions. CMS also boasts a strong German real estate finance outfit, whose lawyers possess expertise regarding acquisition finance, portfolio financing and alternative lending, regularly acting for both borrowers and lenders.

DLA Piper offers a full-service practice that focuses on real estate transactions in the form of asset, share and financing deals. The team also advises on acquisitions, disposals and pan-European portfolio financing across several asset classes, including logistics, commercial and retail, with increasing strength in transactions involving data centres. The firm is also regularly mandated on hotel transactions, often acting for foreign investors, with further capabilities in handling project development matters and real-estate related corporate mandates. Its finance practice represents lenders as well as borrowers, including investors, banks and fund managers. The lawyers have experience with loan amendments, distressed structuring matters and asset financing, including green aspects. It is also frequently recommended for cross-border mandates thanks to its impressive international network.

Freshfields has an excellent real estate team that offers the industry's full range of services. The law firm frequently handles headline real estate M&A transactions with cross-border elements and acts for a number of high profile clients. The team offers further expertise in innovative project developments and complex leasing matters. The practice also has noteworthy capabilities in complex real estate acquisition finance including distressed restructuring and investment matters. Freshfields offers strength in all asset classes, with regular activity in the office, logistics, retail, defence and hotel sectors.

Hengeler Mueller utilises its formidable transactional expertise to handle the full spectrum of high-end real estate M&A deals, while additionally advising on asset financing and refinancing. Its expertise spans joint ventures, sale and leaseback structures and lease agreements with particular strength in assisting with logistics properties and project developments. Furthermore, it is well versed in handling cross-border transactions for well-known banks, real estate funds and asset managers. The team also assists with project and portfolio financing in addition to loan items and bridge financing.

McDermott Will & Schulte advises on a broad range of real estate matters, including M&A, fund structuring, restructurings and developments. The firm is best known for its work in the retail sector, and is also present on notable transactions across hospitality and office properties. A further focus is lease negotiations, an arena in which the firm represents household-name corporates in commercial spaces. The real estate finance practice is experienced in acting for both borrowers and lenders on various acquisition and development financing mandates, with senior and junior loan structures. The team frequently advises on cross-border matters, utilising its considerable international network.

Noerr's real estate practice is an active department offering comprehensive coverage of both the real estate and real estate finance markets. The law firm regularly advises on property transactions concerning both single assets and portfolios, as well as acting on real estate M&A, joint ventures, project development and asset management. The firm is also well equipped to advise on lease agreements. Its solid real estate finance practice handles acquisition finance and project development financing transactions, as well as real estate loan restructurings and distressed items. The team is well versed in advising on retail, office, logistics and large residential spaces.

Taylor Wessing has noted expertise in both transactional real estate matters and real estate financings. The real estate finance practice is adept at acting for both lenders and borrowers and handles the full gamut of real estate finance work, including acquisition and development financings, as well as refinancings, extensions and restructurings. Its transactional team is regularly sought out for its advice on the sale and acquisition of office, logistics, hospitality, residential and mixed-use commercial properties, with additional strengths in real estate M&A, ESG implementation and project development across hotels, research centres and urban spaces.

Gleiss Lutz offers a strong practice that regularly handles all types of real estate transactions and also covers financing matters. The law firm has considerable strength in real estate M&A, with expertise in asset deals, share deals and pan-European portfolio transactions concerning retail, residential and commercial spaces. The team additionally advises on the acquisition and sale of project developments across Germany, benefiting from exceptional planning law capabilities. The team is also recommended for property financing and restructuring. Its client base includes numerous multinational investors, municipal groups and property developers.

GSK Stockmann is a full-service law firm that offers longstanding expertise in the real estate sector. It frequently advises investors and project developers on acquisitions, disposals and forward deals, while also assisting with joint venture structuring and asset management. The firm's work spans all asset classes, including offices, hotels, residential buildings and data centres, and the team is additionally sought out for lettings advice. GSK Stockmann offers further support for real estate finance matters, including multi-tiered asset and acquisition financings across commercial and industrial properties for both borrower and lender clients.

King & Spalding's Frankfurt office boasts an impressive real estate finance practice that assists large real estate outfits, international organisations and financial groups. It assists with asset financing, portfolio restructuring, investment matters and fund-related items concerning medical, logistics and retail properties.

Latham & Watkins has an active real estate and finance practice that handles a range of transactions and property developments. The team displays impressive work with data centres in addition to commercial and industrial properties. The law firm has further experience with real estate M&A mandates comprising joint venture structures, investment matters and project financing.

Norton Rose Fulbright is noted for its well established German real estate team, comprising lawyers based in Hamburg, Frankfurt and Munich. The law firm regularly advises on property transactions in the logistics, retail and hospitality sectors, as well as those concerning offices and commercial spaces. The lawyers also assist with leasing matters, urban development and property management advice. The team at Norton Rose Fulbright offers further support to investors and lenders with acquisition financing across multi-tiered structures and large restructuring mandates.