Education, experience and appointments
- 1993 Graduated from „High School“ (German „Gymnasium“ to achieve College access), Gymnasium der Stadt Frechen
- 1994 to 1999 Law Studies, University of Cologne, First State Examination in Law
- 1996 to 2003 Research and Teaching Assistant at the Institute for the Law of The European Communities, Chair of Prof. Dr. Jürgen F. Baur
- 2000 to 2002 Law Clerk, State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Second state examination (bar exam)
- Since 2003 Judge at the Landgericht Köln (Cologne Regional Court as Court of Appeals) in criminal as well as civil law cases (currently seconded)
- 2004 to 2008 Adjunct Professor, Sports Law and Public Administrations, Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln [German Sport University Cologne], Course for “Football Trainer Certification” (class to gain highest possible certification for coaches in German football, required to be the responsible trainer in “Bundesliga”)
- 2008 Doctorate in law (Dr. iur.), University of Cologne, Focus: Sports Law, Thesis: Sanctions of Clubs and Associations using the example of Soccer Sport [Vereins- und Verbandsstrafen am Beispiel des Fußballsports]
- 2008 to 2009 Adjunct Professor, Sports Law, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz
- 2009 to 2017 Adjunct Professor for Sports Law, Faculty of Law, University of Cologne, Institute for International Law and Foreign Public Law, Chair of Prof. Dr. Bernhard Kempen
- 2010 to 3/2013 Deputy Spokesman of Cologne Regional Court (Landgericht Köln)
- Since 2010 Examiner, Juristic Examination Department, Oberlandesgericht Köln [Higher Cologne Regional Court]
- August 2011 bis Mai 2012 Law Studies, University of Texas School of Law, Degree: Master of Laws (LL.M.)
- March 2013 until January 2016 seconded to the Ministry of Justice of The State of North Rhine-Westphalia. Head of Division. Responsibility: Statistics, Controlling, Data Evaluation Center of the Justice of the Land North Rhine-Westphalia, Demographic Development/Change, Judicial express services
- Since 2015 Member of an expert group on „Violence in Football“ of the Ministry of Justice of The State of North Rhine-Westphalia
- Since 10/2015 Lecturer in the LL.M. program „Sports Law“ of the University Bayreuth
- Since 2016 Lecturer of the German Judicial Academy for „Sports Law“
- Since 2/2016 Resumption of my judicial office at Cologne Regional Court
- April 2016 Promotion to a „Presiding Judge“ and from then onwards presiding 15th Trial Chamber of the Criminal Court Section of Cologne Regional Court
- Since 3/2017 Spokesman of Cologne Regional Court (regarding Criminal Law cases)
- Since 8/2017 Co Editor and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Sport and Law (Zeitschrift für Sport und Recht, SpuRt), published by C.H.BECK publishers, Munich/Germany
- Since 12/2017 Honorary Professor at the University of Cologne, Faculty of Law
- Since 6/2018 Executive Director of the Research Center for Sports Law [Forschungsstelle Sportrecht] of the University of Cologne
- Since 12/2018 Developer of the iOS App Richtertools (beta)
- Since 5/2019 Member of the Advisory Board of The German Association for Sports Law [Deutsche Vereinigung für Sportrecht]
Publications
Law
- Zivilrecht: “Der misslungene Vatertag” [Civil Law: “Failed Father’s Day” – Review of a civil law exam from the lecture “Law of Obligations”], Juristische Schulung (Juristic Training) 2001, p. L 85.
- Zur Übung: Abschlusstest im Europarecht [For training – Final Exam in European Law (Review of an exam from the lecture ”European Law”)], Juristische Schulung (Juristic Training) 2002, p. 442.
- “Karibik-Bar in Lohmar-Birk” [Review of a civil law exam on State Examination level], with Judge Dr. Christian Hoppe, Juristische Ausbildung (Juristic Education), special edition „Intermediate Examination“ 2004, p. 11.
- Vereins- und Verbandsstrafen am Beispiel des Fußballsports [Sanctions of Clubs and Associations using the example of Soccer Sport], Doctoral Thesis, Frankfurt et. al. 2009.
- Gefährdungshaftung für Anhänger? – Kritik an der CAS-Entscheidung Feyenoord Rotterdam vs. UEFA [Strict Liability for Supporters? – Review of the CAS-Decision Feyenoord Rotterdam vs. UEFA], SpuRt (Journal for Sport and Law) 2009, p. 10. (full text available [German]).
- Entlastung ehrenamtlicher Vorstandsmitglieder durch § 31a BGB [Relief for voluntary board members of clubs under § 31a German Civil Code], SpuRt (Journal for Sport and Law) 2010, p. 2
- Fußball-WM in Südafrika und “Videobeweis” [Football World Cup in South Africa and “video evidence”], SpuRt (Journal for Sport and Law) 2010, 148 (full text available [German]).
- Zulässigkeit und Wirksamkeit dynamischer Verweisungen im Sportrecht [Lawfulness and validity of dynamic references in Sports Law], with Assistant Patrick Pommerening, SpuRt (Journal for Sport and Law) 2010, p. 222 (part 1), 2011, p. 10 (part 2).
- Die Rechtslage beim bundesweiten Stadionverbot [The legal position on nationwide stadium bans], with Dr. Björn Schiffbauer, Rechtswissenschaft (Journal of Law), 2011, 177, available online.
- Anmerkung zu BGH, Urt. v. 21.07.2011, Az. IX ZR 185/10 [Comment on a German Federal Court of Justice opinion], with Prof. Dr. Jens Dammann, LMK 2011, 326134.
- „Abschied ohne Not – Der CAS kippt die Osaka-Regel” [“Unnecessary Departure – The CAS strikes down the ‘Osaka-Rule’”, Review of a CAS opinion], SpuRt (Journal for Sport and Law) 2012, 93 (full text available [German]).
- “Striking down the ‘Osaka Rule’ – An unnecessary departure”, International Sports Law Journal 2012, 28 (released January 2013) (full text available).
- “Explaining the Cologne Circumcision Decision”, Journal of Criminal Law (England), ed. 77, vol. 6, p. 497 (full text available).
- “Sportrecht ist Wirtschaftsrecht” [„Sports Law is Economic Law“], KSzW (Cologne Journal for Economic Law) 2013, 211 (full text available [German]).
- “DFB-Pokal: Wie geht es weiter mit Dynamo Dresden? – Eine rechtliche Analyse – Zugleich eine Besprechung von OLG Frankfurt, Beschluss vom 13.06.2013, Az. 26 SchH 6/13 -” [“German Football Association: Where is Dynamo Dresden going after being excluded from the FA-Cup? – A legal analyses – Likewise a review of the decision of the Higher Region Court for Frankfurt of 6/13/2013, Doc. Nr. 26 SchH 6/13 –“], online publication on this blog [German language only].
- Anmerkung zur Entscheidung des Ständigen neutralen Schiedsgerichts für Vereine und Kapitalgesellschaften der Lizenzligen vom 14.05.2013 in Sachen Dynamo Dresden ./. DFB [Comment on the decision of the Standing Neutral Arbitration Court for the Clubs and Corporate Enterprises of the Licensed Leagues of 4/15/2013 in the case of Dynamo Dresden vs. German Football Association, SpuRt (Journal for Sport and Law) 2013, 186.
- The Decision of the LG München I (Munich Regional Court I) in the case of Claudia Pechstein, NJW-aktuell, Heft 22/2014, S. 14 (full text available)
- Translation and editing of the CAS Arbitration award in the doping case of Patrik Sinkewitz: CAS, award of 21.02.2014, 2012/A/2857, SpuRt (Journal for Sport and Law) 2014, 162.
- „Sperre mit Beigeschmack – Der CAS zum Doping-Fall Sinkewitz“ [„Ban with a smack – The CAS and the doping case Sinkewitz“], Spurt (Journal for Sport and Law) 2014, 134.
- „Zur Zukunft der internationalen Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit im Sport – auch in Deutschland“ [„On the future of international arbitration in Sport – even in Germany“], Spurt (Journal for Sport and Law) 2015, 230.
- „Jahrestagung der Deutschen Vereinigung für Sportrecht 2016“ (Tagungsbericht) [„Annual Convention of the German Association for Sports Law“ (Convention report)], SpuRt (Journal for Sport and Law) 2016, 135
- Editorial for number 1/2017 of the Journal for Sport and Law (SpuRt), SpuRt 2017, 1 (full text available [German])
- „Die Fußballwelt nach Wilhelmshaven – Zugleich eine Besprechung von BGH, Urt. v. 20.09.2016, Az. II ZR 25/15“ [„The world of soccer after Wilhelmshaven – Likewise case note on the Federal Civil Supreme Court decision of 20.09.2016“], SpuRt (Journal for Sport and Law) 2017, 9 (full text available [German])
- Editorial for number 5/2017 of the Journal for Sport and Law (SpuRt), SpuRt 2017, 177, „Rauft Euch zusammen, Männer! – Der neue „Dialog“ zwischen DFB und Fans“ [„Come on, guys! Get it together! The new ‚Dialogue‘ between DFB and fans“] (full text available [German])
- „Die Ängste der Sportler – Eine bewertende Rückblende auf die Podiumsdiskussion zur Strafbarkeit des Dopings“ [„The Anxieties of the athletes – A evaluating hindsight on the Panel discussion on criminal punishability of Doping“] in Kubiciel/Hoven (Hrsg.), Tagungsband zu den Kölner Kolloquien zum Wirtschaftsrecht, Korruption im Sport, 2017
- „Sportrecht überall“ [„Sports Law everywhere“] – Editorial for number 24/2018 of the „NJW“ [New Weekly Law Journal], which was published in timely coincidence to the beginning of the FIFA World Cup 2018 erscheint (full text available [German])
- Case Note on the decision of Bonn Local Court of 6. 2. 2018, file no. 105 C 100/17 (N.N. ./. NADA), SpuRt 2018, 84 (full text available [German])
- Editorial for number 5/2018 of the Journal for Sport and Law (SpuRt), SpuRt 2018, 185, „25 Jahre SpuRt – 25 Jahre Sportrecht“ [„25 years of SpuRt – 25 years of Sports Law“] (full text available [German]) full text available
- Editorial for number 6/2018 of the Journal for Sport and Law (SpuRt), SpuRt 2018, 233, „Claudia Pechstein: Im Westen wenig Neues!“ [„Claudia Pechstein: Almost All Quiet on the Western Front“] (full text available [German])
- Editorial for number 3/2019 of the Journal for Sport and Law (SpuRt), SpuRt 2019, 97, „Zeitablauf und Erkenntnis“ [„time lapse and insight“] (full text available [German])
- Case Note on the decision of Frankfurt Regional Court of 20.03.209, file no. 2-06 O 420/18 (Waldhof Mannheim ./. DFB), SpuRt 2019, 137 (full text available [German])
Editorship
- Journal of Sport and Law (Zeitschrift für Sport und Recht, SpuRt), published by C.H.BECK publishers, Munich/Germany
Sports
- Förderung junger Schiedsrichter im Fußball-Verband Mittelrein [Supporting young soccer referees in the Football Association for the “Middle Rhine”-area (subdivision of German Football Association)], conference transcript of the Referee’s Conference of the German Football Association 2000, p. 165.
Interviews (selection)
- „Wir haben die Dinge nicht im Griff“ [„We don’t have a handle on these things“] – regarding homophobia in amateur soccer, Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger [Local Cologne Newspaper] (16.03.2010) – try (with due care) the google translator version
- „Ein Grundrecht auf Fußball“ [Soccer as a civil right] – regarding the Lawfulness of nationwide stadium bans, with Dr. Björn Schiffbauer, 11Freunde [„11friends“ – magazine for soccer culture] (08.06.2011) – try (with due care) the google translator version
- Interview with „Kölncampus 100.0“ (campus radio of the University of Cologne) in the sport feature „Bewegungsmelder“ („motion sensor“) – regarding homophobia in professional and amateur soccer in Germany (17.09.2012, German language only)
- Interview of Campusradio Kölncampus 100.0 on the debate on endorsement of the death penalty by young Law Students in Germany in the their first semester (November 2014) – within in the interview especially referring to my personal experiences with the death penalty in Texas, my classes and clinics on the death penalty at the University of Texas in Austin, my visits on Death Row in Texas‘ maximum-security prisons and my conversations with Death Row inmates. Ultimately completely rejecting capital punishment.
- „Why a deletion from the register of registered associations would rather strike Schalke 04 or VfB Stuttgart than Bayern München“ – Interview on the problem of the lack of correct legal form for Bundesliga clubs in Germany for the VICE Sports Germany Magazine (September 2016)
Lectures (selection)
- The Circumcision Decision of the Cologne Regional Court, Public Lecture, University of Durham, Law School, 22 Jan 2013
- Vereinbarkeit der „strict liability“ mit staatlichem und Verbandsrecht [Compatibility of „strict liability“ with German Federal law and the associations‘ laws], public disputation with Prof. Dr. Martin Schimke, LL.M., 64th Annual Meeting of the German Bar Association, Düsseldorf Congress Center, 07.06.2013, 1:45 PM (Room 27)
- Zusammenarbeit des Gerichts mit den öffentlichen Medien und die Funktion der Medien bei der Kontrolle der Gerichtsbarkeit – Fachvortrag für die Carl Duisberg Centren gemeinnützige GmbH vor einer Delegation von Richtern des Obergerichts der Provinz Helongjiang, China, [Cooperation of the courts with public media and the function of the media in the control of Justice – Technical lecture for a delegation of Judges of the Highcourt of the County of Helongjiang, China] 21.06.2013, Carl Duisberg Centre, Cologne.
- ZPO in der Praxis – Praktische Lehrveranstaltung im Rahmen der Vorlesung “Zivilprozessrecht” von Prof. Dr. Hanns Prütting [Civil Proceedings in practice, practical lecture in the lecture „Civil Proceedings“ of Prof. Dr. Hanns Prütting], University of Cologne, 10.07.2013, 8 Uhr s.t., Room A2
- Criminal Moot Court with the Juridicial Academy of the Socialistic Republic of Vietnam, Hanoi/Vietnam, 13. – 15. September 2013, Presentation of the basic principles of the German Criminal Proceedings Code, IRZ Foundation (Foundation for International Legal Cooperation), Berlin.
- Seminar on Evidence in Criminal Proceedings Code, Hanoi/Vietnam, May 30th 2014, IRZ Foundation (Foundation for International Legal Cooperation), Berlin
- „Food supplements as a doping trap“, University of Cologne, 02.07.2015, Lecture for Turkish Students of Bahçeşehir University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Lecture on Sports Law at the University of Cologne with Claudia Pechstein and Dr. Thomas Summerer, 16.12.2015: Announcement on this website. Lecture of Dr. Summerer in a YouTube-Video. Me interviewing Claudia Pechstein in a YouTube-Video. Significantly cropped extract of both contributions as a Podcast of Deutschlandradio Wissen, Hörsaal.
- „Sports Law for civil law Judges“, together with Dr. Björn Schiffbauer of University of Cologne, Judicial Training, 3. – 8.4.2016 in Wustrau
- Moderator of the panel discussion „Major events in Sports – Prestige versus Human Rights?“ – Panel discussion regarding contempt of human rights at Olympic Games, FIFA and Co. (Title and sub-title of the event organiser) within the „H(you)MAN RIGHT§ CONFERENCE“ of EL§A Rheinland, 26. – 29.05.2016, Cologne (et al.)
- Excursion to the Bundesgerichtshof in Karlsruhe on 05.07.2016 together with 30 law students of the University of Cologne, visiting the court and attending the hearing of the SV Wilhelmshaven case
- Criminal Law Moot Court on evidence and the revised Criminal Procedure Code of Vietnam, Hanoi/Vietnam, 26. – 28. September 2016, IRZ Foundation (Foundation for International Legal Cooperation), Berlin.
- „The Case of Claudia Pechstein“, lecture in the University Bielefeld, 25.10.2016, following an invitation of the Juristic Society of Ostwestfalen-Lippe e.V., on the sporting and legal story of the speed skating athlete Claudia Pechstein
- Key Note Speaker in the Sports Law Conference „The Wilhelmshaven case: Challenging FIFA and the CAS“ of the T.M.C. Asser Institute, Netherlands, in cooperation with the „Federatie van Betaald voetbal Organisaties (FBO)“, 28.10.2016
- Lectures (in english) on the topics „Legal education in Germany – using the example of North Rhine-Westphalia – and further judicial training“ and „Professional standards of a German judge with focus on his independence“ for the participants of the course for international Judges „Trainee programme for English-speaking judges for civil and commercial cases“ onducted by the IRZ Foundation (Foundation for International Legal Cooperation), Bonn, 09.11.2016
- „The referee in Sports Law“ – Special on referees with my lecture „Sports Law“ at the University of Cologne, 16.11.2016, Aula 1, together with the well-known referee podcast „Collinas Erben“. The complete lecture has been recorded and is available as a video on YouTube.
- Juror and expert for a Moot Court on Criminal Law at the State University of Eriwan/Armenia, 8. – 10. December 2016, conducted by the IRZ Foundation (Foundation for International Legal Cooperation), Bonn.
- Moderator of the panel discussion with short lectures and conference input on „Criminal Responsibility for Doping offences“ with in the „Cologne Colloquies on Corporate Crime“ with the general topic „Corruption in Sports“, 10./11. February 2017, Wahn Castle near Cologne
Volunteer work in organized sports
- Since 9/2015, Arbitrator in the Arbitration Court of the German Hockey League [Deutsche Eishockey Liga, DEL]
- Since 2010 Judge (Arbitrator), Deutscher Fußball-Bund [German Football (i.e. Soccer) Association], Body of Appeals
- 1988 to 2012 volunteer work with Fußball-Verband Mittelrhein [Football Association for the “Middle Rhine” area, subdivision of German Football Association]
- 2000 to 2007 Member of the Commission for Prevention of Violence of the German Football Association
- 2001 to 2012 Member of the Executive Board, Fußball-Verband Mittelrhein [see above], last position: Chief Officer for Media, Communication and Marketing
- 2005 to 2006 Participation in the selection and supervision of the volunteers for the Confederations Cup (2005) and for the FIFA World Cup 2006 at the venue Cologne
- 2008 Participation as a group leader in a delegation journey of young representatives of German organized sports to China following an invitation of the Chinese Prime MInister under the direction of the Federal Ministry for Youth, organized by the German Sport Youth [Deutsche Sportjugend]
- 2010 – 2013 member of the Committee for Prevention of sexualized Violence in Sports of the German Sport Youth [Deutsche Sportjugend]