Studied German law at the law faculties of Bonn and Freiburg, conflict and comparative law in Lausanne; graduated in Germany and post-graduated with a French Master of Advanced Studies in the Law of the European Community (Paris-Assas); admitted to Berlin bar in 1994; started career as German lawyer in a Parisian law firm specialised in international (Franco-German) relationships; former lecturer and research assistant at the Institute of Comparative Law in Paris; publications in the field of family law dealing maintenance obligations, appeals in family proceedings, European and international sources of law and comparative family law (French law).