Christian Schede is Co-Chair of the firm's global Real Estate Practice of Greenberg Traurig and Founding Chairman Germany. He focuses on complex M&A transactions in real estate, infrastructure and related financings as well as project developments.
Christian's experience covers all real estate asset classes as well as projects in the energy and transportation sectors. His expertise includes advising on joint ventures, investment management platforms, and restructuring of property and infrastructure investments. Christian represents major national and international institutional investors, private equity funds, real estate companies and infrastructure funds as well as financiers, developers, investment managers and government bodies.
Christian is recognized by several legal directories as a leading lawyer in his field, ranked Tier 1 for Real Estate and among the leading senior partners in the German real estate market. He was awarded “Lawyer of the Year” for Real Estate Law by Handelsblatt / Best Lawyers several times (most recently: 2022). Christian is perceived as “one of the strongest real estate lawyers in the German market” (client, Chambers and Partners Europe, 2022), a “top-dealmaker” and “leading person in the real estate industry” with “high emotional intelligence for both situations and people” (The Legal 500, 2021).
Christian frequently speaks at leading real estate industry events. Prior to Greenberg Traurig, Christian used to be Managing Partner at Olswang and was a Partner in the Real Estate Group at Freshfields.
Concentrations
•Corporate/M&A and joint ventures
•Real estate transactions
•Real estate financings and restructurings
•Project developments and infrastructure projects
•Investment regulations
•Digital real estate
•Land development
Recognition & Leadership
Awards & Accolades
•Listed, The Legal 500 EMEA, Real Estate 'Hall of Fame,' 2024-2025
•Listed, The Legal 500 Germany, Real Estate 'Hall of Fame,' 2026
•Team Member, a Law360 “Environmental Practice Group of the Year,” 2022
•Team Member, U.S. News - Best Lawyers, 'Law Firm of the Year: Litigation - Real Estate,' 2022
•Listed, Chambers Germany, Real Estate, 2025-2026
•Listed, Chambers Europe, Real Estate, 2020 and 2022-2024
•Listed, Lawdragon, 500 Leading Global Real Estate Lawyers, 2024-2025
•Listed, IFLR1000, 'Notable Practitioner,' Real Estate Acquisitions, 2019-2025
•Selected by Handelsblatt/Best Lawyers in Germany as “Lawyer of the Year 2015” for Real Estate Law and again “Lawyer of the Year 2019” for Real Estate Law
•Recognized as “Leading Senior Partner in Real Estate Law”, JUVE, 2017 and 2018
•Recommended by Best Lawyers in Germany in the fields of Real Estate Law as well as Mergers and Acquisitions Law (since 2013)
•Team Member, Chambers USA Award for Excellence, Real Estate, 2017
•Leading Individual, The Legal 500, 2017 and 2022-2023
•“a true real estate man, passionately committed to the interests of his clients” (client), “excellent expertise with broad scope of work, goal-oriented working ethics' (competitor), JUVE 2018
•“very hard-working, pragmatic and experienced lawyer” (client), Chambers and Partners - Europe, 2018
•“Practice leader Christian Schede is also regarded as a ‘highly connected lawyer with considerable negotiating skills’.” The Legal 500, 2017
•“The team around the well-known Dr. Christian Schede is always in motion and with its Legal-Tech-Solution one step ahead of the market.” “very dynamic”, “passionate networker” (competitor), “impressive” (competitor), JUVE, 2017
•Who’s Who Legal recognizes Christian as one of “the leading individuals within the practice area worldwide” for Real Estate in 2016 and lists him again in 2017
•“Market commentators describe him as ‘a real rainmaker,’ while interviewees appreciate his pragmatism and organisation.” Chambers and Partners, 2016
•“deal-oriented, determined, no unnecessary showmanship” (client), JUVE, 2016
•“recognized as ‘the best in his field’ ‘due to the ideal combination of clear legal assessment and expertise’”, The Legal 500, 2015
•“‘excellent connections” (client), JUVE, 2015
•“excellent knowledge and judgement”, Chambers and Partners, 2015
•Leading legal directory JUVE recommends Christian for his “first-class sector know-how”, JUVE, 2014
•“The ‘impressive’ Christian Schede enjoys an excellent reputation for the breadth of his knowledge of real estate matters in Germany.” Chambers and Partners, 2014
•“‘first-class sector know-how” (competitor), JUVE, 2014
•“Practice head Christian Schede is ‘strong and focused’.” The Legal 500, 2014
•“Both clients and peers hold real estate practice head Christian Schede in high esteem.” Chambers and Partners, 2013
•“Christian Schede is ‘not married to form as are many European lawyers’ and ‘makes things happen’.” The Legal 500, 2013
•“incredible achievements with the team” (competitor), JUVE, 2013
•“Christian Schede is ‘an inspiring leader’.” The Legal 500, 2012
•“Practice head Christian Schede is admired for his skill in negotiations, with clients saying: ‘He is very elegant and experienced. You feel safe with him at your side.’ Sources also praise his strong commercial instinct and hands-on, responsive approach.” Chambers and Partners, 2012
•“very good negotiator and top expert” (client), JUVE, 2012
•“The ‘highly experienced’ Christian Schede ‘identifies client’s needs and priorities’.” The Legal 500, 2011
•“Clients admire his experience, pleasant manner and resoluteness in negotiations, commenting: ‘For more complicated matters, I always prefer to have him on the deal.’” Chambers and Partners, 2011
•“They dared to do something - and won. The market environment was difficult when the ex-Freshfields team came on board with real estate and corporate law expert Dr Christian Schede in 2009.” JUVE Awards, 2011
•“Christian Schede, ‘one of the engines of the change,’ is praised for his ‘combination of legal skills, analytical strength and outstanding knowledge, as well as understanding of business and economics’.” Chambers and Partners, 2010
