Jessica Hanke

Competent on real estate matters, but communication could improve

I engaged Jessica Hanke of Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner to assist with a cross-border property acquisition, drawn by her recognition in Real Estate Law by Best Lawyers. Her understanding of the legal intricacies, particularly the German aspects from her practice in Cologne, was evident and provided necessary confidence. The core legal work on the contract review and due diligence was handled competently, reflecting her solid foundational knowledge. However, the experience was somewhat mixed. While the final product was adequate, communication timelines were longer than I expected. There were periods of several days without updates, which created some anxiety during a time-sensitive process. My emails sometimes received brief, though accurate, replies that didn't always fully address follow-up questions without additional prompting. For a straightforward domestic transaction in Albuquerque, her expertise might be more than sufficient, but for matters requiring frequent client liaison, the responsiveness felt just adequate. She is clearly a knowledgeable attorney, especially for real estate with an international angle, but the client service aspect didn't quite match the technical legal proficiency.