Due Diligence

At Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy, ReedSmith partner Martin Meissner found that his political-science master’s studies “enriched my background in law and initialized my J.D. thesis on federalism.” 

Rockefeller College’s “worldwide reputation for excellence” and its partnership with Julius Maximilians University in Würzburg, where Meissner studied law, were attractive, as was UAlbany’s “multinational environment.” Students with different work experiences, ages, and nationalities shared their perspectives, “enriched discussion and promoted understanding,” he says, noting that he also “benefited from the small classes.”

Meissner, who earned a J.D. from Humboldt University in Berlin, adds: “The faculty possessed deep knowledge and profound expertise. Bruce Miroff, an extremely hard worker, guided us through the program. He listened and was a great mentor. Martin Edelman advised me during my master’s thesis. He never was comfortable with only three dimensions; he constantly asked the alternative position and cast light from further perspectives. A great teacher.”

Since 2000, Meissner has been professor of law at the University of Applied Science in Mainz, Germany. “I teach classes such as International Title Enforcement and Legal Framework of Business Decisions,” he notes.

Based in Frankfurt, Meissner works with his team at the global law firm ReedSmith, “advising mostly international clients who intend to invest in, and/or who have invested in, German real estate. 

“We conduct due diligence, draft agreements for acquisitions and financing, negotiate with the partners, and advise in the completion. 

“In addition, we counsel and represent national and international real-estate project developers in planning, construction, finance, and transactional issues. Also, I advise in public administrative matters, e.g., privatization of army facilities, public-private partnerships, and municipal development.”