Board of Advisors
Christoph has been a lawyer and notary public in the law firm Paul & Partner in Berlin since 1978. He is specialized among other things in family law. He has been working as a certified mediator and mediation trainer with the German Family Mediators Working Group (BAFM since 1995 and was Chair of its Board from 1999 to 2011.
He has launched and conducted numerous projects dealing with cross-border family mediation and has published widely in the fields of mediation, mostly in relation to family conflicts, family businesses, and inheritance. He is co-editor of Cross-border Family Mediation, Wolfgang Metzner Verlag, 2014.
His current focus is on mediation and mediation training in cross-border family conflicts including child abduction cases. Christoph has been Chair of the Board of the German NGO MiKK e.V. International Mediation Centre for Family Conflict and Child Abduction since its inception as an independent entity in 2008.
He lectures widely on cross-border family mediation at hearings such as that of the European Parliament in 2016, and also at universities and bar
associations internationally. Since 2015, he has been lecturing in Japan and Singapore.
Christoph was honoured with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his work in implementing cross-border family mediation in conflicts involving parents and children. In 2010 he received the Socrates Award for Mediation in recognition of his lifelong work as a mediator and as a “mediator of mediation” in institutional contexts.
Being on the PracticeForte’s Board of Advisors.
“Since mediation was launched in Europe about 30 years ago it became an essential part of my life. Alternative dispute resolution has always been a centerpiece of my life. Being a son of a German mother and a Norwegian father balancing cultural differences has been a stimulus for my professional development. Having a lawyer’s background I’ve learned to cooperate with other professionals to help the parties to focus on their values, interests and needs. Lecturing all over the world opened my eyes for human resources to find sustainable solutions for any kind of conflicts. I’m grateful having the chance to participate in the further development of ADR, being on the PracticeForte Board of Advisors.“
A Delicate Balance.
“Beekeeping is my contribution to the balance of nature. Bees are a natural part in the world we live. As such, they are also part of the delicate balance of nature we need to maintain if the world is to continue thriving. We owe it to ourselves and future generations to ensure a sustainable living. We as humans are intrinsically tied together with nature. Besides the practical work at my hives I’m the legal advisor of the Berlin Beekeeper’s Association.“