Real Estate | Europe

Garrigues advises developers, real estate fund managers and European retail clients on a wide range of real estate projects spanning asset purchases, real estate financing and lease agreements. The firm has experience in the forward purchase or forward funding of build-to-rent residential developments that are in the early stages of construction. Garrigues frequently acts on deals in the hospitality and logistics sectors. In the residential space, the team has experience in senior living and student accomodation matters. The firm maintains teams in Barcelona and Madrid, which advise on the acquisition of land or assets in cities across Spain.

Pérez-Llorca consolidates its position as one of the best real estate practices in Spain. Its client roster includes international investment funds and private real estate developers from North America and Europe. The firm advises on transactions involving a variety of assets, including hotels, offices and residential buildings. It assists with the acquisition of plots of land earmarked for the development of houses, logistics buildings or data centres. The Madrid-based team advises investors on the sale and leaseback of hotels and retail premises, and it regularly assists with the real estate, corporate and tax aspects of investments that are structured through joint venture companies or as share deals.

Uría Menéndez's stellar team is consistently instructed on top-level mandates by an impressive list of investment funds and developers. The firm assists with the creation of joint ventures between Spanish developers and international real estate asset managers, and it has experience in the establishment and listing of Spanish REITs. It advises on the acquisition or disposal of diverse real estate assets, including logistics warehouses and industrial sites. The firm benefits from strong planning and tax capabilities, which are often called upon to support the acquisition of sites under development. It has acted for developers on agreements for the forward funding of residential or mixed-use developments. The team also has experience in the sale of REO portfolios.

Clifford Chance's Spanish team provides full-service real estate advice on issues ranging from individual asset deals to the structuring of real estate joint ventures. It advises investors on the forward purchase of logistics or office developments in various parts of Spain, and it assists lenders with the financing of Spanish commercial real estate projects. The team has experience in large-scale shopping centre transactions on behalf of institutional investors, and is further active in the sale and purchase of REO portfolios. The firm also assists corporate landowners with sale and leaseback transactions in order to access capital tied up in real estate.

Cuatrecasas has a large and experienced team spread across a strong network of offices throughout Spain. It benefits from a market-leading planning team, which is a valuable resource for investors and domestic real estate developers buying land for the construction of new residential, office or shopping centre developments. The firm acts on high-value transactions that entail corporate mergers of Spanish residential developers or the transfer of significant logistics asset portfolios. The firm has experience in significant sale and leaseback transactions on behalf of retailers selling premises in Spain and other countries in Europe. It also advises landowners on the negotiation of commercial lease agreements.

The DLA Piper team provides comprehensive advice on commercial real estate transactions, from the due diligence of assets through to the negotiation of construction contracts. The firm acts for domestic and international investors on the acquisition of office buildings and hotels, either for the purpose of their redevelopment and lease to new tenants or as part of sale and leaseback transactions. It advises on transactions that entail the transfer of plots destined to be the site of new logistics warehouses. The firm also has capabilities on both the lender and borrower sides of real estate finance matters.

Freshfields handles high-value transactional mandates on behalf of international investment funds that are active in Spain. The firm has an impressive track record in the structuring of joint ventures between foreign real estate investors and local developers. It advises on matters involving logistics assets or hotel acquisitions, including in major transactions structured as share deals and targeting large portfolios of assets. The firm has additional experience in the acquisition of land for the development of student housing and also assists with the negotiation of commercial leases. Freshfields also advises borrowers on the financing of their real estate acquisitions.

Gómez-Acebo & Pombo's houses a solid team that has experience in advising both on the developer and investor side of build-to-rent transactions involving the construction of student accommodation and residential blocks, as well as related joint venture formations. It advises Spanish banks on the financing of logistics developments and residential projects. The team acts on the acquisition of land and the subsequent negotiation of contracts for the construction and leasing of retail parks. It also assists hotel owners with issues relating to the refurbishment and management of their hotels.

Linklaters acts on complicated, high-value deals for international and domestic financial institutions, including banks and real estate-focused investment funds. The firm has assisted with the establishment of joint ventures that will invest considerable sums in Spanish residential or student accommodation developments. It advises on shopping centre transactions, having acted on several deals structured as share deals or sale and leaseback transactions. It has experience in the coordination of cross-border transactions for the acquisition of nursing home portfolios. The lawyers also advise on matters that touch on areas of insolvency and the enforcement of real estate guarantees.

Baker McKenzie attracts a broad range of instructions from landowners and international investors. The firm advises on acquisitions of healthcare assets and assists with the negotiation of related lease agreements. The lawyers have standout experience in issues relating to the acquisition, construction and leasing of hotels, with a client list that includes investors and several renowned hotel operators. Baker McKenzie also boasts additional experience in matters related to student accommodation.

CMS's real estate team climbs a tier up due to strong market support. The lawyers assists real estate investors both with significant acquisitions and with ongoing asset management topics. The firm advises on negotiation of commercial contracts for the development and leasing of logistics warehouses and office buildings. It also advises on the acquisition of residential assets and coordinates pan-European real estate portfolio deals across multiple offices.

The firm often advises international investment funds and real estate developers on their first investments in Spain, with experience in the acquisition of completed assets or plots of land for development. It advises on the establishment of joint ventures between developers and financial backers, and it assists with real estate transactions structured as share deals. The firm also assists asset managers with ongoing issues relating to the management of their real estate portfolio.

EY Abogados advises major Spanish SOCIMIs and international property investors on acquisitions, often of Madrid office buildings. It has experience in the acquisition of land plots and the negotiation of development agreements. It is also well versed in hotel and retail sector transactions. EY offers additional advice in financial and planning aspects of real estate operations.

Hogan Lovells is regularly instructed by major international property investors on Spanish transactions. The firm advises on the investment in and establishment of new real estate investment funds, and it assists with acquisitions of logistics or office assets. The team also advises international hotel operators on the acquisition of hotels in Spain, as well as on sale and leaseback transactions targeting hotels and other commercial assets.

Allen & Overy's reputation as a superb Spanish banking and finance practice is partly built on its proven capacity to handle major real estate finance mandates. The team assists lenders with the financing of real estate acquisitions of asset classes such as student housing and offices. It also advises on corporate transactions that entail the transfer either of vast residential portfolios or of high-value commercial assets. The team is increasingly involved in development projects.

Araoz & Rueda's real estate department both supports the corporate team in M&A transactions and handles standalone real estate mandates, including also a planning perspective. It has experience in the drafting of contracts for the construction of new office buildings. The team is also active in sale and lease and turn-key agreements in the industrial sector.

Eversheds Sutherland is notably active on the sale and acquisition of hypermarkets for international funds. The firm has experience on both the lessor and lessee side of sale and leaseback transactions targeting retail assets or industrial sites. It also acts for corporate tenants on the renegotiation of commercial leases.

Eversheds Sutherland is notably active on the sale and acquisition of hypermarkets for international funds. The firm has experience on both the lessor and lessee side of sale and leaseback transactions targeting retail assets or industrial sites. It also acts for corporate tenants on the renegotiation of commercial leases.

Herbert Smith Freehills' real estate team enters the rankings this year as a result of strong market support. The team is well recognised in the market for its expertise in land and buildings transactions. The team is also active in leasing matters The group acts for investment firms, property developers and owners.

Jones Day is an integrated team with the ability to cover a range of real estate matters, from acquisitions and distressed investments to joint venture transactions and planning matters. The team also has experience in build-to-rent transactions and in real estate finance mandates.

Squire Patton Boggs assists with all matters relating to the development and leasing of shopping centres in Spain. It has additional experience in the acquisition or sale of residential and hospitality assets and logistics sites.