Author: Eloise Badenhorst.

This month, the focus is specifically on real estate and New York City, answering one of the most frequently searched questions about midsized law firms in the region. Midsized law firms are ideal for commercial real estate interests that want to leverage the resources of larger practices to handle complex transactions and the client-centered approach of smaller boutiques. The New York City property market is highly competitive. Stakeholders are litigious, and the landscape is full of regulatory hurdles. Therefore, you need a reliable legal partner to navigate the business environment and manage risks.

Here are the three leading firms offering real estate transaction lawyers in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and other NYC boroughs.

Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP — Best Overall

Olshan represents an alternative to the Am Law 50 business model, demonstrating the sophistication of larger firms without Big Law overhead. As a nationally recognized practice that offers personalized service, deep partner involvement is integral to its business model, ensuring that senior attorneys directly handle deals.

This law office is well-versed in complex transactions, such as like-kind 1031 exchanges, purchases, sales, joint ventures, space leasing, and financings and refinancings. It’s also experienced with assemblages containing air rights, ground leases and condominium parcels. Its team typically deals with office buildings, multifamily properties, hotel development sites, retail facilities and distressed assets.

Olshan integrates its commercial real estate lawyers in NYC with its litigation, tax and securities groups for seamless coordination. The synergy between the brilliant legal minds at this firm reduces inefficiencies, improves responsiveness and ensures transaction success for the least possible cost. “We are adept at developing realistic budgets and working within them,” the practice says.

Key features of Olshan:

  • Collegial culture
  • Strategic, pragmatic deal-making
  • High value-to-cost ratio
  • Recognized as “Best Law Firm” by Best Lawyers for Real Estate

Windels Marx — Best in Attorney Count

Windels Marx is one of NYC’s top midsized law firms specializing in real estate. It has in-house bankruptcy, corporate, construction, environmental and tax expertise, allowing it to handle complicated deals under one roof competently. It provides direct partner access, efficiently completing billion-dollar transactions without the bureaucracy of Big Law.

This practice’s strengths include affordable housing developments, such as public-private partnerships and 80/20 projects, as well as construction finance and distressed property workout and restructuring. Its team has a wealth of experience representing lenders and borrowers. Windels Marx’s dual perspective enables it to anticipate and prepare counterarguments in advance, thereby easing negotiations and attaining desirable outcomes.

Budget-consciousness gives this law office a competitive edge. “We are committed to providing high-quality work and exceptional responsiveness to clients in an environment that is increasingly budget-sensitive,” the firm shares. Its combined deep knowledge of the intricacies of the city’s rent regulation system and land use approval processes makes it a cost-effective legal partner.

Key features of Windels Marx:

  • Innovative transactions
  • Long-term relationships with over 100 financial institutions
  • Multidisciplinary capability

Belkin Burden Goldman LLP (BBG) — Best in Litigation

BBG takes pride in its NYC regulatory mastery. Its team expertly navigates the city’s stringent rent regulations. It fruitfully engages with various agencies, including the NYC Housing Preservation & Development and New York Homes and Community Renewal’s Division of Housing and Community Renewal.

This practice combines transactional, administrative, litigation and regulatory capabilities to deliver the highest level of NYC property development legal counsel. BBG advocates for property owners’ rights, championing the interests of landlords in an increasingly tenant-friendly regulatory climate. The firm has “had the opportunity to partner with real estate industry groups and trade associations.” It has long-standing relationships with the New York Apartment Association and the Real Estate Board of New York.

This law office’s tenacious litigators have decades of courtroom success, providing critical support to real estate investors facing the city’s combative legal landscape. Its fearless brand of representation has earned it the trust of blue-chip institutional clients and hundreds of co-ops and condo boards.

Key features of BBG:

  • Exclusive focus on real estate
  • Scalable service model
  • Strategic business partnership

Table Comparing Midsized Real Estate Law Firms in NYC

Learn about the number of legal experts at Olshan, Windels Marx and BBG, the most recent accolades they have received and the high-profile clients that trust them.

Evaluating Commercial Real Estate Lawyers in NYC

Consider these factors when hiring property development legal counsel and commercial lease attorneys in New York City.

  • Expertise: Understand a practice’s specialization within the broader field of commercial real estate law to ensure it employs experienced subject matter experts with competencies that align with your company’s needs.
  • Capabilities: Know whether a law office provides litigation support, offers advisory services and/or handles the specific transactions relevant to your business.
  • Attorney count: Learn about the size of a practice to determine whether it has sufficient resources to meet your legal needs and capacity to juggle the requirements of multiple clients.
  • Philosophy: Familiarize yourself with the fundamental beliefs guiding a firm’s approach to client service, case strategy and definition of success to see if it aligns with your organization’s values and objectives.
  • Track record: Research a law office’s accomplishments to appreciate the results it delivers for clients.
  • Clientele: Note a practice’s most notable commercial real estate clients, which should speak volumes about its legal prowess and history of excellence.
  • Awards: Check the recognitions a legal office has received over the years to know how it stacks up against other NYC midsized real estate law firms.
  • Fee arrangement: Analyze how reasonable and flexible a company’s rates and payment terms are to get the most value.

Hire the Midsized Real Estate Law Firm in NYC That Suits You

Choosing a team of New York attorneys specializing in commercial leasing, purchases, assemblages, property development or whatever transaction you require necessitates judiciousness and prudence. Find a practice whose philosophy aligns with how you conduct business to overcome legal obstacles to your goals. Consider Olshan, Windels Marx and BBG, and learn more about their strengths to determine which firm best fits your needs.

About Eloise

Eloise Badenhorst is a digital media analyst at WebFX with over 15 years of writing experience in real estate, construction and home improvement. Her expertise in these related niches brings a unique perspective to BUILD, offering insights into the latest trends, sustainable practices, and innovative designs shaping the construction and engineering industry. Eloise provides valuable analysis on the intersection of design, property, infrastructure and cutting-edge technologies.