Page 42 - AIT1219_E-Paper

SERIEN PERSPEKTIVWECHSEL • CHANGE OF PERSPEKTIVE

M rs Gleich, you studied law in Mannheim and Heidelberg and architec-
ture in Karlsruhe and thus completed two very different, time-consu-
ming studies. How did your dual academic training come about?
First, there was the interest in and the passion for architecture. When I gradua-
ted from high school in 2002, the outlook in the building sector was not very
rosy, the job prospects were more than poor and studying architecture was advi-
sed against. That is why, at the time, I decided in favour of “something useful”
and studied law in Mannheim and Heidelberg. I could also imagine a future as a
lawyer. During my clerkship towards the end of the law studies, I ended up wor-
king in an office which was specialized in construction law and architects law.
Dealing with architecture from the legal side again awakened my latent wish to
also focus on this matter creatively and by designing. That is why, at the last mi-
nute, shortly before the application period expired, I also mailed my application
Foto: Epple GmbH documents to the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences. Right after the se-
cond state law examination, I then began with my studies in architecture. At the

Preisrichterin beim Ideenwettbewerb für AiPs zum preiswerten Wohnen, ausgelobt von der Epple GmbH time, it was a “now or never moment”.
r What did your professional development look like after this? How did you
manage to link your two professions?
After I had finished my architectural studies as well in 2013, I first joined an ar-
chitectural office and completed my internship there. At the same time, along
with my job I participated in a specialist legal course for construction- and archi-
tects law and finally opened my own office in 2016. Initially, I practiced law as a
second profession while my activities as a hired architect was my main job.
When I ventured into freelancing at the beginning of 2017 and made partner in a
Heidelberg located law office with ten employees, both professions were on an
equal footing – I handled building projects for clients and worked as a legal ad-
visor for clients. My professional situation is currently changing again since in-
Aleksandra Gleich in ihrem Mannheimer Büro terfaces between the two activities have shown up. Both fields are connected in
my project, for instance when supervising architecture competitions and in case
of tender procedures. However, I continue to handle select building projects and
mandates as before. Since September 2019, I have also been trying to juggle my
profession and my family situation. I therefore gave up my partnership in the ar-
chitectural office and moved the location of my law office to where I live, in
Mannheim, in the south of Germany.

r Which services do you offer to your private and public clients? And do you
limit yourself to consulting in the just consulting them or do you also appear
in court for private building clients in the case of legal disputes?
My services are at the intersection of architecture and law and extend from clas-
sic building projects and mandates to the reviewing of property purchase and
construction all the way to supervising and organizing planning competitions
and procedures of procurement law. In the case of the latter especially, both dis-
ciplines strongly interlock. I do indeed accept mandates that end in judicial dis-
putes. It is, however, important for me not to accept mandates where an archi-
tect is the respective opposing party. I already learn this in the preliminary talk
even before I am commissioned. I personally refuse such commissions. But fre-
quently clients approach me with claims they want to raise against construction
companies or, the other way round, construction companies turn to me which
are in litigation with their building clients. I am ready to handle mandates of
this kind at any time.

r Which are the benefits your clients enjoy due to your dual role as an archi-
tect and a lawyer compared with “pure” lawyers?
As an architect, from my own practical work I am very familiar with construction
processes and also with technical details. This is definitely a help, for instance
when talking to experts, when the issue is to establish the existence of construc-
tion defects or whenever I find it essential to advise clients in the run-up to a
legal dispute whether there are any chances of winning a legal dispute at all. My
dual role is also important for the topic of competition supervising and in mat-
Foto: Andreas Gross ters of procurement law since there I am able to consider the process sequences
not only from the legal point of view but also based on my practical experiences
as an architect.

042 • AIT 12.2019