The team at A&O Shearman operates from the firm’s Shanghai office, and is well known for its solid track record in handling real estate and construction-related financings, investments and acquisitions. The group has expertise in advising on multi-jurisdictional cases. Matthew Bisley, who is a key port of call for financial real estate matters, jointly heads up the practice with Wayne Lee, who specialises in private equity specialist and is well versed in advising on equity financing. In the Hong Kong office, Roger Lui and Patrick Wong are key contacts.

Baker McKenzie FenXun‘s team continues to handle an increasing amount of real estate work involving warehouses, storage facilities and data centres. Practice head Edmond Chan is active in in real estate transactions in the Hong Kong market, and acts for Chinese clients in outbound real estate investments. Other key practitioners in the team include May Lau, who focuses on real estate finance matters. In Shanghai, Alexander Gong, who is part of joint operation firm FenXun Partners, leads the real estate team.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP’s team works in tandem with the firm’s broader network in mainland China to assist clients with complex construction disputes, and the group has a strong reputation for its expertise in the infrastructure area. Under the leadership of the recently promoted partner Murphy Mok, the team is well-versed in advising on a broad spectrum of construction matters, including contractual issues, project finance and implementation. Li has a solid track record in handling transactional and contentious construction mandates. Hew Kian Heong left the firm in December 2023, and Michelle Li departed in December 2024.

At Johnson Stokes & Master, the team is ‘composed of specialists in both real estate and construction‘, and regularly advises on the full life cycle of a real estate transaction. The group is also well versed in handling real estate financings and outbound real estate investment work out of Hong Kong. Keith Cheung, Tom Fu, Andy Yeo and Geoffrey Chan head up the practice. Other key practitioners include counsel Rosalyn Han, who regularly acts for international developers and contractors, and senior associate Ellen Zhang.

DLA Piper's team stands out for its 'ability to seamlessly integrate legal expertise with a deep understanding of the commercial landscape'. The group has an excellent track record in advising on cross-border transactional matters pertaining to inbound and outbound investments into China, and is equally adept at handling acquisitions, often for clients in the financial services sector. Practice head Susheela Rivers is well supported in the Hong Kong office by Ed Sheremeta. In Shanghai, senior associate Sherry Ma stands out for her experience in advising on real estate developments.

Pinsent Masons reports an increase in work from contractors, often advising on large-scale real estate disputes and investment projects throughout Asia. Mark Hu, Dean Lewis, and Alvin Ho jointly head up the practice; Hu divides his time between Beijing and Hong Kong and is well versed in handling inbound and outbound Chinese infrastructure projects, while Lewis, who operates primarily out of Hong Kong, is sought after for his expertise in advising on contentious matters. Also based in Hong Kong, Ho is a key name for arbitration. Sam Boyling is sought after for his strength in acting for Chinese state-owned enterprises in arbitration proceedings.

Clifford Chance LLP's team draws on the bench strength of the firm’s global financial markets in order to assist clients with real estate funds work. The group is also well known for working closely with the gaming and lodging practice, and as such has a solid track record in handling real estate-related M&A, finance, and joint ventures, as well as high-end real estate conveyancing matters. Hong Kong-based Amy Ho brings expertise in corporate real estate issues; she co-heads the department with Mark Currell, who is based in Sydney and is a key point of contact for private equity clients. Matthias Feldmann divides his time between Hong Kong and Singapore, and regularly acts for REITs and real estate investors.