Spotlight On… My Career

After successfully completing my German law studies and practical training with the 2nd German Judicial State Exam, I went on to obtain a LL.M degree in Corporation Law at NYU Law School in New York, which ultimately landed me my first position as an Associate at the renowed US-law firm Skadden Arps. In their Frankfurt office I experienced the exciting phase of the evolving Neuer Markt and was involved in many IPO transactions of start-up and tech companies. Moving back to New York in 2001 I took the New York Bar exam and worked in Skadden’s head quarter with the aim to gain M&A experience. 9/11 lead to a drop of M&A transactions, so instead I got to work on a major shareholder litigation where I gained extensive insights into US procedural law. Later I moved back to Skadden’s Frankfurt and worked as a Senior Associate in the Corporate and then in the Banking Department until, after 12 years with Skadden, I decided to move inhouse. Working for an international bank seemed the natural next step for me but… here I am now, 13 years later working inhouse for one of the global industry leaders in insurance: AIG.

After four years as Legal Counsel in the AIG DACH Legal team of extremely dedicated, highly experienced, talented and very cooperative colleagues, I was promoted to Head of Legal DACH and am very proud of my team which is a constant in a fast-changing world and industry. The main objective of Inhouse Counsel’s work at an insurance company is mitigating legal and regulatory risks, especially given the international footprint of AIG and its cross-border activities in a highly regulated environment. My role allows me to bring my international and broad legal experience to the table, test and improve my communication and other soft skills when interacting with internal and external stakeholders around the globe, advise senior management on all aspects of law that affect the operation of our DACH entities and build strong relationships across all lines of business and organisational levels when navigating the complexities of global legal frameworks and regulatory landscapes.

My team and I see us as business enablers that look beyond the pure legal framework. The most interesting part of our work is supporting our business colleagues when they come up with new products and innovative service solutions that push boundaries. Here we are challenged to find legally compliant ways to implement such innovations, also across borders, which is oftentimes the most difficult part and requires creative, compliant solutions, since, even among EU countries, laws differ and its sometimes just a nuance in a law that is decisive in whether a new idea can be implemented on an international level.

My career has been defined by high motivation, the goal to work in an international environment, a high level of integrity and loyalty, a strong work ethic and a cooperative work approach, and the belief that everybody in an organization has something valuable to contribute to a company’s success.