Earlier this fall, the DAJV Annual Conference brought the transatlantic legal community together in Frankfurt am Main
On September 19-20, 2024, the DAJV Annual Conference took place at the House of Finance in Frankfurt am Main, drawing over 100 engaged participants. The event was organized in partnership with The American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). Underscoring the importance of transatlantic legal collaboration, the joint conference was titled “Building Bridges Across the Atlantic: Sharing Skills from the German Legal System and American Civil Jury Trials.”
Key discussions featured U.S. judges, German and American trial lawyers, and in-house counsel, covering essential German and U.S. law topics. While ABOTA President Andrea La’Verne Edney was unable to attend due to professional commitments, she was expertly represented by Jennifer H. Doan, ABOTA’s President-Elect for 2025 and William D. Shapiro, President-Elect for 2026. Panel discussions, interactive workshops, and a vibrant cultural program offered participants deep insights and lively dialogue, while the joint dinner provided a relaxed setting for networking and personal exchange.
The panels focused on topics such as “Framing the Case – Litigating Civil Cases in German Courts” on the one hand and “American Case Framing – Prosecution and Defense of Civil Cases” on the other as well as “Hot Topics in German Litigation and Arbitration”. Finally, a short mock session on the “Presentation of Experts in American Litigation and Arbitration” was presented by ABOTA. On DAJV’s side, Dr. Alena McCorkle, Florian Diekmann, Dr. Alexandra Diehl, Christian Schmidt-Justen, Patrick Schroeder, Dr. Florian Wagner, Kristina Maria Weiler (née Henke), and Dr. Stephan Wilske served as panelists or speakers.
DAJV President Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. Thomas Pfeiffer expressed appreciation for the partnership, noting, “We were pleased to welcome so many engaged participants and look forward to future projects with our friends from ABOTA.” Alongside some speakers, Professor Pfeiffer and Vice-Chairwoman Dr. Alexandra Diehl received a special distinction as honorary international members of ABOTA – a recognition of their outstanding contributions to transatlantic legal exchange.
The conference concluded with the DAJV General Assembly, allowing members to reflect on the successful year and discuss upcoming goals for the association.
The Executive Directors of ABOTA and DAJV, Brian Tyson and André P. Pantel, praised the excellent collaboration between the organizational teams of both associations and extended their gratitude to all participants for contributing to this truly memorable event. Both emphasized their anticipation of future collaborations and continued transatlantic exchange.
The conference program can be found here.
DAJV Annual Conference 2024 | Impressions
