CHRISTIAN SPAETH
German citizen and fully work authorized in the USA
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Project Manager and Legal Professional with 15+ years of international experience in a broad spectrum of legal functions, mediation, business and project management working in court, law offices, government and for the business sector. Experience in translation and interpreting English to German oral and written.
Key Skills
Legal: Legal analysis and research, legal terminology, organizing meetings, trials, hearings and conciliation acts, drafting, legal documents, mediation, litigation, arbitration, negotiation and international business transactions, commercial and corporate legal consulting, legal writing and submission of court documents
Project Management: Project planning and quality control, creative research and planning, concept and storyboard creation, personnel management, public relations, B2B and B2C sales, document creation, event management
Consulting: Analyzing processes, coaching, financial reasoning, interviewing, knowledge of technology trends
Graphic Design: Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop and Dreamweaver)
Computer Skills: Microsoft Office, Ableton, Traktor, Cubase, Pro Tools, MS Project and QuickBooks
Coding:
HTML 5, CSS, JavaScript, ActionScript, Java, C and Swift
Languages: Fluent in English, native in German, beginner in Arabic, Chinese, Latin, Swedish, Spanish, Czech, and Dutch
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
FREELANCE PROJECT MANAGER, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
(SINCE JANUARY 2013)
• Assist in the production process Creative project management
• Coordination of production process from brief to final product delivery, across all channels, from music production to social activations, events, video and digital
• Track daily records of all work-flows to ensure stakeholders are caught up with all major developments
• Monitor workflows and make timeline adjustments as needed
• Implement and maintain development best practices including creating processes/documents
• Assist Sr. Project Manager train team members on development processes including some that work from remote locations
• Demonstrate a proactive approach to identify risks to project success
• Develop effective action plans for resolution
• Assist in the production process of corporate videos, music videos, campaign shoots, demo reels, 3D motion graphics, animation videos, video statements, documentaries
• Managed upgrade of company website to enhance overall user experience
• Maintain project budgets and Manage project resources with daily stand up calls, project milestones and deliverables and weekly team meetings
• Provided training, mentoring and coaching to other Teammembers
• Good knowledge of end to end work requests life cycle including testing all workflows
• Identify gaps and working with development team to reach a resolution,
• Deliver presentations to key stakeholders
Clients: RTL, Kate Spade NYC, HBO, CNN, MTV, British Airways, Rolling Stone, American Express and AT&T
BUSINESS CONSULTANT AND PROJECT MANAGER, OLATE, NUREMBERG, GERMANY
(MAI 2005 UNTIL DECEMBER 2016)
Self employed. Olate provides consulting services for small and medium sized businesses in fields of marketing, event management, promotion, quality assurance, employee health and fitness.
• Provided 15+ legal, business and tax consultations for individuals and small sized businesses a week
• Supported small sized businesses in the negotiation of all kinds of cooperate contracts
• Consulted company’s in matters of new digital and especially viral marketing concepts
• Coordinated the production process of marketing campaigns (videos, music, campaign shoots, 3D motion graphics and documentaries) from inception to final product delivery; created and established 25+ webpages and social media appearances for German companies; managed websites to enhance overall user experience
• Recruited 10+ and supervised a team of 5 employees, tracked daily records, made timeline adjustments, maintained project budgets, managed project resources, lead weekly team meetings
• Provided on- and offside full-service event and festival planning and supported with professional Know-How in experiential bartending, DJ-ing and music composition
• Established event's (3 events per year / up to 800 guests), bar's (up to 100 guests a week) and club's (up to 500 guests a week)
• Provided training, mentoring and coaching with the specialization in endurance sports including the creation of personalized trainings plans for 5K, 10K, half and marathon races
LEGAL PROFESSIONAL, PROVINCIAL COURT, NUREMBERG, GERMANY
(MAI 2015 UNTIL AUGUST 2016)
Court of 1st and 2nd instance in matters of civil law.
• Managed 5+ civil mediation hearings with opposing
individuals on a weekly basis; settled more than 25% of the cases filed and negotiated contracts amounting to $150K
• Provided legal consultation 5+ times a week and performed legal research to find better case solutions
• Participated in 3+ court proceedings a week helping parties to understand settlements
• Prepared cases on the law of tenancy, lease, bankruptcy, road traffic, monetary fines for the court
• Consulted judges and lawyers in questions of international contract law, civil proceedings and law enforcement
LEGAL ADVISOR, FEDERAL OFFICE OF JUSTICE, BONN, GERMANY
(JANUARY 2015 UNTIL MAI 2016)
The central service authority of the federal German judiciary and the port of call for international legal transactions. It is part of the subordinate area of the Federal Ministry of Justice.
• Organized research projects for the office in criminology and criminal prevention amounting to $150K
• Prepared 25+ cases of international legal and judicial assistance and supported German citizens with legal advice and expertise in interstate rendition and with the international law enforcement
ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY, LAW OFFICE HERZOG & PARTNER, NUREMBERG, GERMANY
(APRIL 2014 UNTIL DECEMBER 2014)
A leading corporate law firm in Nuremberg supporting national and international clients, with 10+ lawyers and 50+ employees.
• Represented to 10-15 clients against civil, employment, corporate and contract claims
• Wrote legal notices and replied to legal notices on corporate and personnel issues
LEGAL ADVISOR, DISTRICT OFFICE, LAUF A. P., GERMANY
(JANUARY 2014 UNTIL MAI 2014)
Local government with approximately 500+ employees.
• Drafted and prepared contracts for 30+ local businesses with the local government
• Assisted lawyers, and representatives in their legal preparation with legal research and expertises
• Created legal notices in building and environmental law
LEGAL ASSISTANT, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC PROSECUTION, NUREMBERG, GERMANY
(SEPTEMBER 2013 UNTIL DECEMBER 2013)
Unit for sexual offences and general criminal cases against adult offenders, with 10+ prosecutors and 500+ employees.
• Appeared as a prosecutor 5 times a week in criminal hearings, trials, and performed in cross examinations
• Provided a high level of legal assistance and organized the correspondence with the local police
LEGAL ASSISTANT, PROVINCIAL COURT, NUREMBERG, GERMANY
(APRIL 2013 UNTIL AUGUST 2013)
• Prepared cases of proprietary, bankruptcy, travel, transportation, delivery and general private law, legal correspondence, databases, verdicts, compromises and court settlements
• Appeared as a lead counsel 5 times a week in civil hearings, trials, and performed in 25+ cross examinations
PROCESS TECHNICAN, SCHWAN STABILO, WEISSENBURG I. BAY., GERMANY
(SEPTEMBER 2001 UNTIL AUGUST 2004)
German maker of pens for writing, coloring and cosmetics as well as markers and highlighters for office use with 2000+ employers in Germany
• Coordinated production of components and maintained injection molding machines
• Organized quality management in consideration of the specific requirements for the cosmetic industry
• Trained and monitored work of 20 to 25 machine operators
ADDITIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE
Legal Internships
Deutscher Bundestag, Berlin, Germany (08/2008 – 09/2008)
District Court, Nuremberg (09/2007 – 03/2008)
Schwan STABILO GmbH, Heroldsberg (08/2006 – 09/2006)
• Interpreted English to German in 5+ trials and hearings
• Monitored public and non-public hearings and court proceedings; supported judge and representative in hearings and trials
• Drafted legal documents such as judgments, expertise for representatives, in matters of labor and social affairs and prepared labor, patent and copyright agreements
EDUCATION
Diploma Degree and First State Examination, Law (Germany)
Friedrich Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany (01/2013)Equivalent to U.S. Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in the field from an accredited institution according to World Education Services (NY), 2016.
Secondary Degree,
Upper Vocational School, Nuremberg, Germany (06/2006)
Process technician Degree,
Vocational School, Dinkelsbuehl, Germany (07/2004)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Certified Business Mediator, Higher Regional Court, Nuremberg, Germany (03/2014)
Certified Process Technician, Camber of Industry and Commerce, Nuremberg, Germany (07/2004)