Career

Studied law in Göttingen. 1982 first State examination, 1986 second State examination. Research assistant at the Institute for International Law at the University of Göttingen 1982 to 1984. 1984 doctoral degree with Prof Dr Zieger, Göttingen. Lawyer in Hanover 1986 to 1987. Worked in the Department of Law and Insurance at the Federal Association for the German Industry (BDI) in Cologne and at the same time lawyer with the firm, 1988 to 1989. Head of the office of the President of the German Bundestag 1989 to 1991.

Joined the firm in 1991. Worked at the London office from 1991 to 1997. Working at the Berlin office since July 1997. 2003‐2009 member of the firm's management committee.

Practice

Civil, Corporate and commercial law, competition law, trademark and copyright law, litigation, conflict of laws.

Listed by Handelsblatt/​Best Lawyers in “Germany's best lawyers” in intellectual property law, corporate and litigation (since 2017) and winner of the 2018 CorporateLiveWire M&A awards in the category “Most Outstanding in Copyright Law”.

Since 2001 Chairman of the Board of the Gollwitz Meeting Place Foundation. Until 2022 Chairman of the Bristow Village Church Foundation and member of the board of the Konrad Redeker Foundation. From 2011 to June 2021, member of the permanent advisory staff of the Archbishop of Berlin for advice on dealing with the sexual abuse of minors and adult charges. Since 2017 one of the directors of the “Humboldt Center for the Legal Profession” (previously “Research Institute for Lawyers' Law”) at the Humboldt University of Berlin and since 2024 Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees the Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz (German Foundation for the Preservation of Monuments).

Honorary professor at Humboldt University Berlin on German, European and International law of civil procedure, conflict of laws and litigation.

Acting as counsel in cross‑​border and international litigation and arbitration proceedings, including FIDIC Dispute Adjudication Boards; conduct of litigation for large national and international corporations; legal advice in German and international commercial law;

Legal advice and representation of public and policy‑​related institutions; international and European civil procedure law and private international law.

Publications

Various publications in the areas of private international law, German, European, and international civil procedure law, and European law.

publications

Languages

German, English

¹ member of the partnership with limited professional liability