Moritz Von Kulessa

Competent on German real estate, but communication was a challenge

I engaged Moritz Von Kulessa of Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner for assistance with a cross-border property acquisition involving a commercial building in Cologne. My situation was complex, requiring navigation of both German real estate law and specific local construction regulations. Mr. Von Kulessa's recognized expertise in Real Estate and Construction Law, as noted by his Best Lawyers recognition, was evident in the technical documents he prepared and his understanding of due diligence protocols for the German market. The substantive work on the purchase agreement was thorough. However, the experience was marked by significant communication hurdles. As a client based in San Diego, the time zone difference with Cologne was a predictable obstacle, but responses to emails were often delayed by several business days, and scheduled call-backs were sometimes missed without prior notice. While his legal analysis was sound once received, the process lacked the proactive updates I expected for an international transaction of this scale. For straightforward matters requiring deep German legal knowledge, he is clearly capable. Yet, for clients who prioritize consistent communication and clear timelines, the logistical and responsiveness aspects fell short of my expectations, leading to a fair amount of stress during the process.