Transatlantic Legal Perspectives. Timeless Connections
Reflections from Berlin
From June 26 to 28, 2025, the Deutsch-Amerikanische Juristen-Vereinigung / German-American Lawyers Association (DAJV) celebrated its 50th anniversary in Berlin. Nearly 130 participants – aged between twelve and ninety – joined a three-day program full of substance, collegiality, and transatlantic exchange.
The festivities opened with a pre-conference session hosted at the Dentons office at Gendarmenmarkt. Special thanks go to our host Sebastian Gratz. Organized by Felix Stitz and Yves Heuser from the DAJV Student Division and Young Professionals in Berlin, the event provided an engaging platform for early-career legal minds to connect and explore transatlantic legal pathways. The session focused on “Sanctions Policy in Transatlantic Practice,” offering timely insights into an increasingly complex field.
That evening, CMS hosted the official Welcome Reception on the edge of the Tiergarten, within sight of the Reichstag. We warmly thank our hosts Dr. Ole Jani and Dr. Kai Westerwelle for their generous support. The reception set a vibrant tone for the days ahead.
Friday, June 27, began with the General Assembly at the Representation of the State of Hesse to the Federal Government. A highlight of the meeting was the conferment of honorary membership to former chair Dr. Hans-Peter Ackmann, in recognition of his long-standing commitment to the association. A new Executive Board was elected, with Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Thomas Pfeiffer, Dr. Alexandra Diehl, and Christian Krebs remaining in office and Dr. Florian Wagner succeeding Carsten Flasshoff as Treasurer.
The conference program that followed offered a range of transatlantic legal perspectives. In his keynote address, Prof. Dr. Stephan Harbarth, President of the German Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht), paid tribute to the DAJV’s five decades of steadfast commitment to close and friendly transatlantic relations between Germany and the United States. A greeting from the Federal Ministry of Justice was delivered by State Secretary Eva Schmierer on behalf of Minister Dr. Stefanie Hubig.
This was followed by a commemorative session titled „50 Years of the DAJV – Review and Outlook,“ in which Professor Pfeiffer reflected on the association’s origins, achievements, and future trajectory. He expressed particular joy at the presence of two former chairs from the association’s early years, Dr. Klaus Günther and Rudolf du Mesnil, whose attendance served as a living bridge to the founding generation. Their presence was all the more meaningful given that some of the founding members—such as Reimer von Borries, who has since passed away, and others now too frail to undertake the journey to Berlin—were unable to attend.
In a fireside chat, former President of the American Bar Association (ABA), Carolyn B. Lamm and Hesse’s Finance Minister Prof. Dr. R. Alexander Lorz discussed pressing legal and policy developments of mutual concern.
A particular highlight was the panel “Business, Security and Law – Transatlantic Perspectives,” featuring President of American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Jennifer H. Doan, Prof. Dr. mult. Dr. h.c. Ulrike Malmendier, Prof. Dr. Gerhard Wagner, and Dr. Kai Westerwelle. Moderated by ZEIT’s U.S. Correspondent Juliane Schäuble, the panel addressed the shifting dynamics of transatlantic cooperation in a globalized, digitally connected world.
Following the substantive program, the day’s moderator Professor Pfeiffer took on the joyful dutied of presenting DAJV honorary membership to Dr. Ackmann. Before the formal tribute, Dr. Christa Pfeil-Kammerer, a long-time companion of Dr. Ackmann, offered a heartfelt and personal reflection on their many shared years within the association. After this moving moment of recognition, Professor Pfeiffer conferred the title of Corresponding Fellow of the Association upon our friend Jennifer H. Doan. Concluding the session, Professor Lorz, in his role as host, shared a few spirited final remarks, highlighting the importance of the Representation of the State of Hesse and its role within Germany’s federal structure.
The evening concluded with a festive dinner in the Representation’s garden courtyard, accompanied by live music and warm summer weather. Former German Ambassador to the United States, Emily Haber, delivered the dinner speech, reflecting on current developments and the challenges facing transatlantic diplomacy. Her candid words, delivered with elegance and conviction, gave the evening a thoughtful close in a truly celebratory atmosphere.
On Saturday, participants were invited to an optional cultural program featuring a boat tour through Berlin’s government quarter and a farewell lunch at the Käfer rooftop restaurant atop the Reichstag building.
The weekend underscored what the DAJV has stood for over five decades: an engaged community, a shared transatlantic spirit, and the conviction that the rule of law connects people across borders.
The complete conference program is available for review here.
