Europe Germany Real Estate

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 M&A deals across all asset classes, with a proven track record of representing leading industry clients on both the buy and sell side. An impressive international network facilitates the seamless handling of cross-border single-asset and portfolio transactions. In particular the team offers considerable experience acting for Asian clients, including Korean and Singaporean investors, while also providing an integrated service by working closely with the firm's corporate, tax and restructuring departments. It is a top choice for complex property financing matters, chiefly advising borrowers on acquisition finance, refinancing and NPL acquisitions. Its client roster comprises investors, project developers, private equity funds, REITs and financial institutions.

Freshfields has an excellent real estate team offering the industry's full range of services. The 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, including retail and office projects and area developments. The practice also has noteworthy capabilities in complex real estate acquisition finance, including mezzanine loans and MBS transactions. Freshfields offers strength in all asset classes, with regular activity in the office, logistics, retail, hotel and healthcare sectors.

Greenberg Traurig is highly regarded for both real estate M&A 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. The team also possesses significant strength in project development matters. The real estate finance practice regularly advises on originations, mezzanine financing, portfolio financing, refinancing and debt restructuring. It is often active on the buyers' side, but also represents banks and lenders. The firm is also recommended for transactions with significant insolvency law components. Its key clients include mortgage bond banks, private equity firms and asset managers.

CMS is a law firm with 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, where it frequently advises on deals relating to care homes, retirement homes and student housing. The team also assists institutional investors with asset management and related property investment regulatory matters. Its financing expertise encompasses acquisition finance, portfolio financing and alternative lending, regularly acting for both borrowers and lenders.

DLA Piper offers a full-service practice that mainly 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 and refinancing 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 project development, real estate litigation and restructuring. Its finance practice represents lenders as well as borrowers, including investors, banks and fund managers. The team capably handles acquisition financing for single and portfolio assets, as well as mezzanine financings. It is also frequently recommended for cross-border mandates thanks to its impressive international network.

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, portfolio restructuring and NPL acquisitions, where it often acts for major private equity funds. Furthermore, it is well versed in handling cross-border transactions for well-known banks, real estate funds and asset managers.

Hogan Lovells offers a well-resourced team that handles a range of real estate transactions. It has a particular strength in the hotel sector, advising on due diligence, acquisitions, sales and hotel financings, in addition to its considerable experience dealing with logistics and industrial properties. The firm assists with both single-asset and portfolio transactions and is capable of structuring complex share deals, with further expertise in sale and leaseback transactions and project development. The team also capably provides advice on the conclusion of long-term lease agreements. Its client base is made up of investors, developers and asset managers. Hogan Lovells remains a popular choice for multi-jurisdictional deals thanks to its broad international network, and is often highlighted for its full-service resources.

McDermott advises on a broad range of real estate matters, including M&A, fund formation, restructurings, developments and asset management. The firm is best known for its work in the retail sector, and is also present on notable transactions in the hospitality and logistics industries. A further focus is lease negotiations, an arena in which the firm represents household-name corporates in office space negotiations. The real estate finance practice is experienced acting for both borrowers and lenders on various acquisition and development financing mandates. The team frequently advises on cross-border matters, utilising its considerable international network.

Gleiss Lutz offers a strong practice that regularly handles all types of real estate transactions and also covers financing matters. The firm has considerable strength in real estate M&A, with expertise in asset deals, share deals and pan-European portfolio transactions. 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 refinancing. Its client base includes numerous multinational investors 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, whilst also assisting with joint venture structuring and asset management. The firm's work spans all asset classes, including offices, hotels and residential buildings, and the team is additionally sought out for lettings advice. GSK Stockmann provides further support in regulatory issues concerning real estate funds, often working in conjunction with the firm's Luxembourg office.

Linklaters' transactional real estate team advises real estate investment companies, private equity firms and financial institutions on big-ticket, multi-jurisdictional portfolio acquisitions and sales, as well as classic real estate M&A and joint ventures. The team is also experienced in advising multi-jurisdictional investor consortiums. The firm is particularly strong in the logistics sector, whilst also handling deals in the commercial and retail property fields.

Noerr's real estate practice is an active department offering comprehensive coverage of both the real estate and real estate finance markets. The firm regularly advises on property transactions concerning both single assets and portfolios, as well as acting on real estate M&A, joint ventures, real estate fund structuring, 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. The team is well versed in advising debt funds, mezzanine providers and alternative financing institutions on alternative financings, and offers further strength across the retail, office, logistics and residential spaces.

POELLATH is a respected national law firm representing clients in real estate transactions across a number of asset classes - most notably retail, office, residential and healthcare. It has extensive experience in single-asset and portfolio transactions on both the buy and sell side, and is often active on project development mandates, including forward deals. The team also advises on sale and leaseback transactions, as well as the conclusion of lease and asset management agreements. Its client base consists of investors, funds, private equity firms and financial institutions. The team often closely cooperates with its very reputable tax practice to assist with tax-related real estate questions.

Goodwin is best known for its real estate funds work and frequently advises on the structuring and implementation of funds, most notably in the USA and the UK, as well as on the ground in Germany. In addition, it handles investments, sales, lease law and asset management. The firm has a strong footprint in financing, advising both the borrower and lender sides on refinancings and the mezzanine financing of portfolios and single assets, as well as in regard to the financing of construction projects and green financings.

GÖRG is best known for its work on transactions in the retail industry, frequently advising on sales and acquisitions as well as on lease deals for shopping centres. The firm is also active on distressed portfolio transactions representing insolvent estates and administrators. The team's further areas of focus include projects in the logistics, office and energy sectors as well as providing notary services and advice on the restructuring of lease contracts.

White & Case represents lenders in property and acquisition finance transactions and is noted for its longstanding expertise in bank-bond financing and loan portfolio deals within the real estate sector. The team's expertise covers several other financial instruments, including mortgage-backed securities, 'Schuldschein' loans and covered bonds, benefiting from the firm's strength in the capital markets field. The firm additionally handles real estate M&A and portfolio transactions on both the buy and sell side, including sale and leaseback deals and lease agreement disputes. The team also often advises on project developments and acquisitions. Its clients include investors and property developers, as well as traditional and alternative lenders. The firm is able to draw upon its international network to participate in a number of cross-border deals.

Dentons benefits from its global network in its ability to assist with numerous cross-border portfolio transactions on both the buy and sell side. The team additionally handles portfolio restructuring, leasing and asset management matters and covers a broad spectrum of asset classes, including hotels, nursing homes and student housing. The firm also assists real estate clients with joint ventures for the purpose of acquisitions.

King & Spalding is best known for its expertise in the funds domain, where it advises on the structuring, regulation and taxation of open and closed-end real estate investment funds. The firm also assists with the sale and purchase of real estate funds themselves, and takes on a significant transactional workload, handling big-ticket acquisitions and disposals in the commercial, retail and residential sectors. The team's scope of expertise also covers asset management, real estate disputes and financing. It typically acts for investors, asset managers and financial institutions and frequently advises on international mandates.

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. 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.

Willkie Farr & Gallagher has a notable real estate practice with a strong transactional focus. The firm utilises its extensive international network to advise on cross-border transactions and navigate multi-jurisdictional regulatory environments. It is well versed in sales and acquisitions, as well as project development matters, and is frequently mandated by international investors to assist with transactions.