Farewell to an outstanding expert and an endearing man - Professor Michał Kulesza

On 13 January, Professor Michał Kulesza died. Professor Kulesza was a prominent lawyer, an invaluable public administration specialist, special adviser to the President on local government matters, and Partner in our law firm since 2009. A noble person, full of goodness and personal charm, mentor and friend to us all. We will miss him terribly. Our thoughts go out to the Professor's family and close ones.

Professor Kulesza was co-creator of the legal foundations supporting the development of local democracy. He was co-author of both local government reforms: that of 1990, which led to the municipal system in Poland, and that of 1998, which resulted in the creation of local province and voivodship governments. He was an tireless advocate of the idea of local government. He was honoured on numerous occasions by all Polish local government organisations for his work towards the reconstruction of local democracy. In September 2009 he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta for his outstanding services to local democracy and public administration, and for his achievements relating to academic and public work he was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta by the President of Poland, Bronisław Komorowski.

Head of the Administrative Science Department at Warsaw University's Faculty of Law and Administration, in 1991-92 associate dean of the Faculty of Law and Administration at Warsaw University.

From 1980 onwards, Professor Kulesza was actively involved in work on restoring local government and rebuilding the Polish administrative system (in co-operation with Professor Jerzy Regulski). He took part in the Round Table talks in the local government group. He was a member of the Prime Minister's Legislative Council (1991-1992), Under-Secretary of State in Hanna Suchocka's government (1992-1994) and Secretary of State in Jerzy Buzek's government (1997-1999). In 1988 he co-created the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman, where he headed the Studies and Analyses Team.

From 2008 he was a special adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration in Donald Tusk's government. From October 2010 he was a special adviser on local government matters to President Bronisław Komorowski.

Founder and first editor-in-chief of Wspólnota weekly, creator and editor-in-chief of Samorząd Terytorialny monthly. In the years 2001-2004 President of the Public Administration Education Association. Adviser to the Union of Polish Cities and Council of Europe expert.