The 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Real Estate Lawyers

We’re delighted to introduce The 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Real Estate Lawyers.

This is the 2^nd edition of this guide to advisors who specialize in a vast range of skills – development, finance, leasing, litigation, REIT structuring – on a range of property that can range from a tricky environmental site outside San Diego to a megadevelopment for an energy company in the Middle East to a troubled Manhattan skyscraper converting from commercial to residential.

From the development and careful handling of a sublime tropical paradise to the redevelopment of JFK International Airport, these are the lawyers you need to know.

Rick Kiefer of Cades Schutte in Kahului, Maui may have one of the most coveted real estate practices in the world. He specializes in the interdisciplinary work especially valued throughout the Hawaiian islands to develop resorts, condominiums, commercial properties and subdivisions. He has handled the purchases and sales of hotels, golf courses, projects, home and land and is currently president of the Historic Hawaii Foundation.

Michelle Kelban is Global Chair of Latham’s Real Estate practice. Based in New York, she advises an astounding array of interests working with private equity firms, global investors, institutional lenders and family offices. She has represented Ares Management in a number of huge deals, including a $3.7B acquisition of real estate management firm GCP International; a $2.5B acquisition with Pretium Partners of single-family housing provider Front Yard Residential Corporation; and in its acquisition of Walton Street Mexico, a real estate management platform. She has represented Cain International in its $2B financing to support development of the One Beverly Hills mixed use urban project, Silver Lake in its $6.4B equity investment in Vantage Data Centers, and numerous investors and hotels in developments and sales in the hospitality sector.

Skadden partner Nesa Amamoo has a similar breadth of experience with a range of real estate developments and financing, including REITs. President of The Skadden Foundation, Amamoo has represented the Las Vegas Sands in its $6B sale of The Venetian and Palazzo resorts, as well as in its acquisition of Nassau Coliseum. She has represented The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey including the $13B plan to redesign JFK International Airport, the redevelopment of New York Stewart International Airport, and marine terminal transactions and land swaps. She has also represented Silverstein Properties in the equity raise and financing for 55 Broad Street in New York City, and the formation of Metro Fund LLC with the California Teachers’ Retirement System to acquire properties in the New York metropolitan area.

These are just three of an amazing wealth of real estate advisors at the top of their game recognized on this year’s guide. We selected this guide with our proprietary process, combining independent research, easy submissions and vetting. Those individuals marked with an asterisk are permanent members of our Hall of Fame.