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Dr. Margarete Gräfin von Galen
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Dr. Margarete Gräfin von Galen

Margarete von Galen qualified as a lawyer in 1983 and is practicing as a specialist lawyer for criminal law since 1998. PhD in 2004 at the Humbold University Berlin.

She is defending and advising individuals and enterprises in the field of criminal law and doing internal investigations. She represents individuals in extradition cases, as well as in European arrest warrant surrender procedures and other requests for mutual legal assistance.
 
She is advising and doing internal investigations in cases of sexual harassment regarding infringements of the German Criminal Code and the General Act on Equal Treatment.
 
Providing the internal reporting office as defined in Section 12 Hinweisgeberschutzgesetz (Law on the Protection of Whistleblowers) for several enterprises, e.g. Deutsche Bahn AG and KPMG.

Member of the Expert Group of the European Commission on European Criminal Policy from 2012 to 2021.

Member and European representative of the Criminal Law Committee of the German Law Association (DAV) from 2008 to 2020,
 
Takes part as an expert in hearings of the German Parliament and the European Commission.
 
Since 2024, chair of the European Law Committee of the German Federal Bar.
 
Has written many statements about planned statutes in the field of criminal law and criminal procedural law as well as European legal policy. 
 
Member of the Supervisory Board of European Lawyers in Lesvos gGmbH, which provides free legal aid for refugees and asylum seekers in Greece and Poland.
 
Constitutional Court Judge, State of Berlin (Richterin am Verfassungsgerichtshof des Landes Berlin) from 2014 to 2023..

Vice-President of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) from 2018 to 2020. President of the CCBE in 2021. 
 
On the executive committee of the Berlin Bar Association from 1999 to 2011, president from 2004 to 2009.

Manager of the organization bureau of the Associations of Defence Lawyers from 2000 to 2004.

Representative of the Berlin legal profession at the judicial selection committee of the State of Berlin from 2012 to 2016.

Co-editor of New Journal of Criminal Law (NStZ); on the advisory board of the Journal of Economic Criminal Law and Liability in the company (ZWH). Co -author of the commentaries "On Judicial Assistance in Criminal Matters" (2020 Nomos), editing i.e. the Regulation on the Establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, and “Commercial Criminal Law and Criminal Tax Law” (2022 Nomos), editing §§ 30 ff, 130 OWiG (Act on Regulatory Offences)

In addition, has published essays and decision notes in the field of criminal substantial and procedural law and law governing the deontology for lawyers.

Lecturing activities cover criminal issues, for example "Problems with Criminal Proceedings in Economic Criminal Procedures" at the annual conference of the Neue Zeitschrift für Strafrecht, as well as other legal themes, such as "Judicial Independence and the Professional Code of Ethics as seen by the Legal Profession" at the Brandenburg Academy for Justice or "Confidentiality of lawyer-client communications: Is there a need for greater protection?" at the European Parliament 2023.

Memberships:
Association of Berlin Criminal Defence Lawyers, German Bar Association (DAV), Republican Lawyers Association (RAV), European Criminal Bar Association (ECBA).
Awards:
Values Award 2022 given by Women in the Legal World, Madrid
Maria-Otto-Award 2022 given by the German Bar Association (DAV), Berlin
Honorary Bencher of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, London since 2022

Contact:

Dr. Margarete Gräfin von Galen
Specialist Lawyer for Criminal Law
 
Galen Rechtsanwälte
Mommsenstraße 45
D-10629 Berlin
Tel+49 (30) 31 01 82 - 0
Fax+49 (30) 31 01 82 - 20
galen@galen.de
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Galen Rechtsanwälte|Mommsenstr. 45
D-10629 Berlin|Tel +49 (30) 31 01 82 - 0
Galen Rechtsanwälte
Mommsenstraße 45
D-10629 Berlin
Tel+49 (30) 31 01 82 - 0
Fax+49 (30) 31 01 82 - 20
info@galen.de