Fried Frank tops 2026 ranking of NYC real estate law firms

What happened

The Real Deal published its 2026 ranking of New York's top real estate law firms on 11/02/2026. The outlet said rising interest rates and political hurdles did not stop city real estate, and law firms benefited. It cited an office market on pace for its best year since 2000, with 19.6 million square feet leased halfway through 2026. It also said contracts for new condos priced at or above $10 million nearly doubled in the second quarter compared with the same period last year.

The ranking used publicly available Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens commercial and residential sale documents for the year that ended 08/01/2026. Firms were credited when they represented the buyer. For co-op sales, firms representing the seller were credited.

Fried Frank kept the top spot with $2.8 billion across 28 transactions. That included the air rights portion of Extell Development's $500 million deal to complete a Park Avenue assemblage. Greenberg Traurig was second with $2.5 billion across 20 deals, up from No. 7 in 2025. Its deals included the $110 million purchase of the Avant Gardner venue in East Williamsburg by Five Holdings and the Pacha Group. Romer Debbas was third with more than 500 deals worth more than $1.8 billion. Konner Gershburg Melnick Darouvar was fourth and had the most transactions, more than 620 deals totaling $1.5 billion. Sandor Krauss's firm was ninth with more than 300 deals worth more than $900 million.

Lawyers said clients were mostly undeterred by the city's new second-home surcharge, also called the pied-à-terre tax, after a brief pause in deal flow when it was unveiled. Partner Sharon Darouvar said many buyers may qualify for exemptions and that deal flow and price points have risen since the summer. Lawyers also pointed to activity in Tribeca ultra-luxury condos, Upper East Side co-ops and Brooklyn townhouses, where inventory is limited.