The Legal 500

‘Leading firm’ Kapellmann und Partner has one of the best teams in Germany and has been ‘growing dynamically’. This broad practice continues to act on a range of interesting matters, among them advising the city of Cologne on determining the extent of damage caused by the collapse of the city archive. The team also acted for several Austrian construction companies in disputes relating to the Stuttgart 21 rail and urban development project, and advised ThyssenKrupp on the €100m construction of its new headquarters. The 31-partner team includes the highly regarded Klaus Kapellmann, Werner Langen and Klaus Eschenbruch.

Leinemann & Partner is ‘extremely high quality across the board’, and the team continues to advise clients on major projects such as Stuttgart 21 or JadeWeserPort. It is particularly renowned for its advice to construction companies, but also acts for some project sponsors as well. The team advised Bilfinger Berger on an underground train line project, and acted for Herzog & de Meuron regarding a museum project in Qatar. The firm promoted several new partners and has a growing line of business advising on offshore wind farms. Ralf Leinemann and Marc Hilgers are recommended.

SMNG Rechtsanwälte’s ‘extremely good’ team achieves admirable market penetration despite operating from one office in Frankfurt. It is particularly strong in architectural law. The firm advised a local authority on a railway station alteration; and a façade specialist construction company regarding projects in Saudi Arabia. It also acted for a project developer on the construction of logistics centres and car parks. Christian Niemöller and Rainer Schilling are recommended.

CMS has expertise in plant engineering and renewable energy, and its ‘advice on sensitive issues is particularly efficient’. The team acted for new client Cobra on the construction of a gas-fired power plant, and continues to advise Hochtief Solutions as main contractor on strategic issues pertaining to the Elbphilharmonie concert hall project. Contentious instructions include representing a plant engineering firm in a dispute over alleged defects. Andreas Roquette and Andreas Otto are recommended.

GSK Stockmann + Kollegen capitalises on its renowned real estate practice to advise on project developments. It advised aiP alpha invest Projekt on the inner city development of a residential and shopping complex. It is advising Lang & Cie Real Estate on the construction of logistics facilities at Frankfurt Airport. Holger Lampe and Dirk Oldigs are recommended.

HFK Rechtsanwälte LLP attracted a prestigious instruction from Deutsche Bahn regarding the disputed project Stuttgart 21. The firm is also advising Cells on an underground car park, and represented Alpine in disputes. Photovoltaic plants and PPPs are also areas of expertise. Bernd Knipp and Dietmar Lampe are recommended.

Gleiss Lutz is recommended for its ‘very high quality of advice and the excellent level of service’. The team has a focus on plant construction work, and recently advised Vattenfall Europe on two new coal-fired power station projects. The practice also regularly acts for shopping centre operator E. Breuninger on construction and project development matters. Tobias Boecken is ‘an excellent construction lawyer’.

Graf von Westphalen has expertise in contentious and non-contentious project matters, including in the solar energy space. The team advised the developer on the Elbdeck Hamburg project, acts for YIT on projects and contentious matters, and advised Barceló Group on the construction of a hotel. Lorenz Czajka heads the practice and Robert Theissen is recommended.

Redeker Sellner Dahs leverages its outstanding public law practice to attract instructions. It is advising two energy companies on plant developments, and also recently advised on a hospital project and an underground rail project. Thomas Thierau and Burkhard Messerschmidt ‘deliver work of extremely high quality’.

The ‘perfectly set up’ practice of Clifford Chance spans real estate finance, property transactions and large project developments. Highlights were advising insurers administered by Allianz Real Estate on investments totalling €360m in Frankfurt’s Skyline Plaza, and acting for RREEF Real Estate during the €408m sale of the PEP shopping centre. The team underlined its seamless real estate and finance capabilities when advising Aareal Bank as senior lender on the €300m secured refinancing of a logistics property portfolio. Klaus Minuth is ‘among Germany’s best’, Cornelia Thaler ‘does a fantastic job’, and Stefan Löchner gives advice ‘based on practical requirements and a detailed knowledge of the relevant jurisdiction’.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s ‘clearly market-leading’ team is ‘expensive but worth it when it comes to crucial deals’. It underlined its strength by advising Barclays Bank on the restructuring and financing of the BauBeCon portfolio and the subsequent €1.2bn takeover of the BauBeCon Group. The team also advised mfi on the entry of Unibail-Rodamco as a new shareholder, and advised Axa Investment Managers and Norwegian sovereign wealth fund NBIM on the €784m acquisition of trophy buildings, ‘Die Welle’ and ‘Neues Kranzler Eck’. Johannes Conradi is ‘smart’ and ‘tough in defending the client’s position’, and Heinz Joachim Kummer ‘convinces the counterparty to compromise’.

CMS has picked up a number of financing instructions, and has been advising Allianz 
Real Estate, Aareal Bank and Landesbank 
Hessen-Thüringen Girozentrale on the 
high-value CentrO refinancing. The team also advised HUK-Coburg on the purchase of Condor’s headquarters, and assisted Credit Suisse Real Estate Fund with a shopping centre acquisition. ‘Strategic thinker’ Matthias Kuß produces ‘clear and precise work’, and Sebastian Orthmann provides ‘acute and straightforward feedback’. Andreas Otto heads the group.

Gleiss Lutz’s comprehensive practice has traditionally been known for the strength of its Berlin offering, but the Frankfurt team is increasingly visible with its work on various matters, for example in advising ProLogis on the sale of a portfolio of logistics centres and parks. The firm is also advising Edinburgh House Estates on refinancing. Tim Weber has ‘very detailed knowledge but never loses sight of the big picture’, and Christian Steinke is ‘an excellent lawyer for contract design’. Hans Schlarmann heads the practice.

Hogan Lovells International LLP has seen an increase in finance-related work and is increasingly picking up instructions through the firm’s US network. The team advised listed investment company Berlin III on the sale of a 3,000-unit residential portfolio, and acted for WGF on the €65m sale of three property companies to Natixis by way of a share deal. Hinrich Thieme is ‘highly experienced and very reliable’. Roland Bomhard heads the team, which delivers ‘prompt service’ and represents ‘value for money’.

GSK Stockmann + Kollegen has a broad practice and provides ‘the best legal advice money can buy’, say clients. The team also provides seamless advice when working alongside the firm’s corporate lawyers. Recent work includes advising Pembroke Real Estate on acquiring Maximilianhöfe in Munich and acting for Field Point on the €125m acquisition of Quartier 207 in Berlin. The firm also advised DKB Immobilien when it was targeted for takeover. Michael Eggersberger’s ‘outstanding expertise and negotiating skills are unrivalled’.

Görg Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten’s practice head Jan Lindner-Figura acted for WealthCap on its €340m sale of Gropius Passagen. The team advised Arab Investments on the extension of an €800m shopping, hotel and residential development. Frank Stellmann is ‘a brilliant negotiator’.

Hengeler Mueller provides ‘top-notch quality’ and leverages the firm’s extremely strong M&A and finance practices to advise various clients on real estate loan refinancings and restructuring matters. Highlights were advising Landesbank Baden-Württemberg on the sale of LBBW Immobilien and its portfolio of 21,000 residential units, and acting for GAGFAH on the sale of the Pegasus portfolio to GSW. Georg Frowein is well regarded.

Latham & Watkins LLP lost figurehead Jürgen Hübner, who retired from the partnership in December 2012. However, the ‘goal-oriented’ Cord Lübke-Detring is ‘an excellent counsellor’, and the team’s ‘comprehensive advice leaves no question open’. Highlights were advising Union Investment on its acquisition of the Europa-Galerie shopping centre, and assisting J.P. Morgan Asset Management with the disposal of certain buildings.

Noerr ‘provides business-minded solutions based on deep industry knowledge’. It has been acting on large deals such as advising TAG Immobilien on its €471m acquisition of TLG Wohnen’s housing portfolio. Real estate finance is a growing element of the practice, which 
has been advising Deutsche Postbank on refinancing. The team also assisted Zalando 
with developing a new logistics centre. Alexander Goepfert is ‘outstanding’ and Stefan Weise has ‘a keen sense of the commercial relevance of legal issues’.

Olswang Germany LLP’s continued dynamic development was underlined by the promotion of partners in the team, which ‘constructively negotiates with difficult counterparties’. The team advised Benson Elliot on its acquisition of a portfolio from the insolvent Speymill Group, and acted for GSW Immobilien on its €330m acquisition of the Pegasus portfolio from GAGFAH. Christian Schede is ‘not married to form as are many European lawyers’ and ‘makes things happen’, and Claudia Hard ‘can co-ordinate complex transactions’.

White & Case LLP has significant finance expertise, and advised Deutsche Hypothekenbank as lead manager of a consortium of three banks and an insurance company on the €208m refinancing of a residential real estate portfolio. The team also acted for Tishman Speyer on the development 
of Frankfurt’s TaunusTurm, and advised the Federal Republic of Germany on the planned privatisation of TLG Immobilien. Endrik Lettau 
is the practice’s best-known figure and is recommended along with ‘business-oriented’ new partner Stefan Feuerriegel.

Allen & Overy LLP sustained a blow when Cornelius Fischer-Zernin left to set up his own firm but the practice remains one of the best for real estate finance work. It advised Deutsche Annington on the rescheduling of its €4.5bn German multi-family CMBS. The team also acted for Patrizia Alternative Investments on the €1.4bn acquisition of LBBW Immobilien. Finance expert Olaf Meisen is recommended.

Ashurst LLP provides ‘a truly impressive performance’ which won several new clients. It advised Ernst & Young on the sale of a residential property portfolio to Benson Elliot, and acted for R+V Versicherungsgruppe on its acquisition of a portfolio of three commercial property developments. ‘Seasoned negotiator’ Marc Bohne is ‘always spot on’, and Peter Junghänel and Liane Muschter are also recommended.

Real estate boutique Jebens Mensching LLP is gaining traction in the market and comprehensively advises on transactions, financing and refinancing matters, with particular expertise in real estate tax matters. It advised Axa and Tishman Speyer on two sale transactions, and acted for Natixis on its joint venture with HLG. Philipp Jebens is highly regarded.

Orrick Hölters & Elsing has had a successful year with new client wins and advised on 
high-value deals such as acting for Stadium Group on CentrO’s €650m refinancing. The team also acted for Valad Property Group on the refinancing of the EHI real estate portfolio, and advised Infrared Capital Partners on its acquisition of a logistics portfolio and several commercial properties. Norbert Impelmann has ‘outstanding expert knowledge’ and is ‘great to work with’.

P+P Pöllath + Partners’ team contains ‘numerous excellent lawyers’ and has advised longstanding client Hines on several acquisitions and sales transactions. It also advised Messe Frankfurt on the purchase of a conference centre, and provides asset management advice to BNP Paribas. Wolfram Pätzold, Stefan Lebek, Carsten Führling and Matthias Durst are recommended.

‘More flexible and committed than others’, Taylor Wessing’s growing team advised Pramerica Real Estate Capital on its mezzanine investment to finance the acquisition of shares in Trianon Tower’s property company. It also advised Commerz Real on the disposal of Premino. Thomas Fehrenbach heads the practice, while Claus Goedecke leads on the finance side.