Deals & development · 11/06/2026, 6:00 AM
Top NYC residential law firms handled over $12 billion in home sales
A TRD Data review of city records ranked law firms by home sales recorded from 08/01/2025 to 08/01/2026 in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. The top 20 firms negotiated just over $12 billion across more than 5,100 sales. Romer Debbas kept the top spot by dollar volume for a second year, amid rising prices and low inventory, especially in luxury.
Reported by The Real Deal · New YorkRead the original ↗
What happened
The Real Deal published its ranking of the top residential real estate law firms in New York City on 11/06/2026. The ranking comes from a TRD Data analysis of recorded home sales in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens from 08/01/2025 through 08/01/2026, compared with the year before. Firms got credit for deals where they represented the buyer. For co-op sales, the firm representing the seller got credit.
The top 20 residential firms handled just over $12 billion across more than 5,100 home sales. Total dollar volume rose about 5 percent year over year. The number of sales was flat. The Real Deal tied the activity to rising prices and low inventory, especially in the luxury market.
Romer Debbas ranked first by dollar volume, with about $1.7 billion across 511 deals and an average deal size of $3.4 million. It was also the top residential firm in 2025, with $1.3 billion across 468 sales. Sullivan & Cromwell had the largest average deal, $10.4 million, but the fewest sales in the top 20, just 23. The article lists its total as $238.7 billion. At 23 sales averaging $10.4 million, the total would be closer to $239 million, so that figure appears to be a typo.
On 11/02/2026, The Real Deal published its ranking of all real estate law firms, residential and commercial, based on the same period. Fried Frank kept the top spot with $2.8 billion across 28 deals. Greenberg Traurig was second with $2.5 billion across 20 deals. Romer Debbas was third, with more than 500 deals worth more than $1.8 billion. That differs from the roughly $1.7 billion in the residential ranking. The 11/02/2026 piece also reported that lawyers said buyers were largely undeterred by the city's new pied-a-terre tax after a brief pause, because many may qualify for exemptions.
Key facts
- Outlet
- The Real Deal, residential ranking published 11/06/2026
- Period covered
- Recorded sales from 08/01/2025 through 08/01/2026
- Boroughs
- Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens
- Top 20 residential firms
- Just over $12 billion across more than 5,100 home sales
- Year-over-year change
- Dollar volume up about 5 percent; number of sales flat
- Top residential firm by volume
- Romer Debbas, about $1.7 billion across 511 deals, $3.4 million average
- Largest average deal
- Sullivan & Cromwell, $10.4 million average across 23 sales
- Top 50 firms, all sectors
- $31.1 billion across more than 6,100 deals; Fried Frank first with $2.8 billion across 28 deals
What it means
Buyers and owners
The ranking shows heavy activity at the high end of the market, with total dollar volume up while the number of sales stayed flat. Lawyers told The Real Deal that many buyers were not deterred by the new pied-a-terre tax because they may qualify for exemptions. Owners affected by the tax should confirm their own status with counsel.
Landlords
This is a ranking of law firms, not a change in rules or enforcement. It does not change any obligations for small landlords.
The highlights
- Romer Debbas ranked first with about $1.7 billion across 511 deals.
- Sullivan & Cromwell led on average deal size at $10.4 million, over 23 sales.
- Total sales value rose about 5 percent, while the number of sales stayed flat.
Why it matters Landlords
Rising sale values and tight inventory point to a strong luxury market, but the ranking has little direct effect on rentals or vouchers.
Not known yet
- How the rankings would look if the Bronx and Staten Island were included
- The terms of the pied-a-terre tax and who qualifies for the exemptions lawyers mentioned
- Why Romer Debbas's total is about $1.7 billion in the residential list but more than $1.8 billion in the overall list
- How many of the sales were co-ops versus condos or houses
Background
Most New York City property sales are public. Deeds and mortgages are recorded with the Department of Finance and can be searched in its ACRIS system, which is why outlets can build rankings from city records. Co-op sales work differently. A co-op buyer purchases shares in a corporation rather than real property, so these deals are documented differently from condo or house sales.
Also drawn from: Here are 2026’s top real estate law firms in New York (The Real Deal · New York)
Summary written by Bulwark from The Real Deal · New York’s reporting. The original story is at therealdeal.com. This is general information, not legal advice.
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