The firm's officials note that within the past few years it has represented clients in numerous transactions that utilized efforts from its corporate, real estate and tax attorneys. "Our M&A, capital markets, financing and corporate governance practice groups have always worked closely with our real estate department," says Fried Frank chair Valerie Ford Jacob. "Given the size and complexity of many of the corporate real estate transactions we are involved with, we believe that forming a corporate real estate group will enhance our ability to provide advice seamlessly to our clients in these sophisticated transactions."

Some examples of these more complex transaction include Rouse, in its $12.6-billion acquisition by General Growth Properties Inc., its $223-million property swap with Crescent Real Estate Equities Co., and its $5.3-billion joint acquisition with Westfield America Trust and Simon Property Group of Rodamco North America NV. The firm also worked with GS Capital Partners in its $1.1-billion acquisition of National Golf Properties Inc. and American Golf Properties and with Brascan Corp. in its proposed acquisition of Canary Wharf. Working with partners throughout the firm, the group will be spearheaded by Scheinfeld, a partner with 20 years experience in both corporate and real estate law. "By formalizing our tradition of collaboration, we are able to combine the strengths of these practices … to continue to serve our clients efficiently and comprehensively," Scheinfeld says.

Within the past year, Fried Frank's real estate group negotiated the sale of the Plaza Hotel, the acquisition of 717 Fifth Ave. and the sale of 350 Madison Ave., a 25-floor office building neighboring Grand Central Terminal. During the summer months, the 560-attorney firm represented the owners of the New Jersey Nets in their sale to developer Bruce Ratner. The international law firm has offices in New York, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, London, Paris and Frankfurt.