About Me

I opened the Law Offices of Tessa L. Schultz in May of 2011 with the intent to bring a high level of dedicated service and expertise to the purchase and sale of residential and commercial properties in the town of Montclair, New Jersey and its surrounding areas. After practicing for 15 years in the city, working both at top Wall Street real estate law firms and at several Swiss investment banks, I felt that it was time to take what I had learned while exclusively practicing in real estate and apply that knowledge and experience to the  community where I live and am raising a family.
In a town with so many great lawyers, I believe what sets me apart is that I have only practiced real estate law for the past 15 years. I have seen a great deal in those years and that experience allows me to come up with creative solutions to the everyday problems of real estate. Another of my competitive advantages is that I have experience working both on the purchaser and the lender side. I worked for several years as in-house counsel at two Swiss investment banks covering their commercial real estate departments. During my tenure, I learned a great deal about how banks work, the processes banks use to close loans and the way banks view both residential and commercial lending. Especially now that banks are driving the closing process, I am finding that my experience in this area is very helpful to my clients in that I am able to get their deals closed more quickly, because I can be more proactive with the banks. I also have experience working with landlords and tenants on the housing issues that they experience. And I regularly represent distressed borrowers in the modification of their loans. In short, if you are looking for a passionate, experienced, dedicated real estate lawyer, who is solution oriented and responsive, look no further.

Sale/Purchase of Commercial Properties
Commercial Transactions

I represent both buyers and sellers of commercial real estate properties, including industrial, retail, office, and warehouse buildings.  I draft and negotiate the Contract of Sale.  I then follow the deal through the diligence period, advising on issues that arise and negotiating with the seller’s counsel for repairs and/or credits.  I conduct a thorough examination of the title to ensure that all issues are removed prior to the closing.  And I assist the buyer with any issues raised by the lender during the loan commitment process.  Finally, I coordinate the smooth closing of the property through obtaining the closing expenses for the HUD1, drafting the HUD1, preparing the adjustments and arranging all of the necessary parties to convene at the earliest possible moment.