Alina Affeld

Competent corporate guidance with some communication delays

I engaged Alina Affeld at McDermott Will & Schulte for assistance with structuring a cross-border joint venture between my San Jose-based tech startup and a German partner. Her recognition in Corporate Law by Best Lawyers was a key factor in our selection, and her substantive knowledge of the legal frameworks in both the US and Germany was evident. The contract she drafted was thorough and strategically sound. However, the experience was somewhat mixed. While the final work product was excellent, response times were inconsistent, sometimes taking several days for a reply on time-sensitive matters. This created some anxiety during negotiations. Furthermore, while Alina is clearly an expert, some of her explanations regarding German commercial code nuances were delivered in a very technical manner, requiring me to seek further clarification. She is undoubtedly a skilled attorney who delivered on the core legal work, but the client service and communication aspects could be more streamlined for a smoother experience.