Review of the 2025 Summit

In 2025, the Rechtskommunikationsgipfel took place in Berlin.

At the Commerzbank premises, attorneys, corporate spokespersons, and journalists exchanged views on industry trends and discussed current issues across a wide range of legal fields: media law and litigation PR, criminal law and criminal procedure, constitutional law, as well as corporate and commercial law.

Speakers included Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig and Steffen Hebestreit, former government spokesperson for former Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Dr. Stefanie Hubig, Federal Minister of Justice, during her keynote speech at the RKG on the topic of "Between judgement and public opinion: How accelerated proceedings are intended to strengthen democracy"

Martin Wohlrabe, Managing Director of CONSILIUM, and Dr. Thilo Schweizer, Managing Director of Commerzbank, welcomed Federal Minister of Justice Dr. Stefanie Hubig

Our managing director Martin Wohlrabe opened the Legal Communication Summit

Dr. Thilo Schweizer, Managing Director of Commerzbank, on the background and history of the event location

Ambassador H.E. Ahmed Alattar and Embassy Counselor Ahmed Harthi from the United Arab Emirates in conversation with Martin Wohlrabe and Dr. Jens-Bodo Koch

Our managing director Martin Wohlrabe welcomes Federal Minister of Justice Dr. Stefanie Hubig to the get-together

We are pleased about the lively exchange at our get-together

Our consultant Alina Ludwig talking with our guests

Steffen Hebestreit reported on his challenges as government spokesman for chancelor Olaf Scholz

There was always a good atmosphere during the breaks between presentations

Our guest Ahmad Mansour spoke about discourse in democracy and challenges in the digital age

Our guests listened intently to the presentations

In a stage discussion with our consultant Maximilian Herke, Georg Mascolo provided exciting insights into his special time at SPIEGEL and answered questions from the audience

Maximilian Herke and Georg Mascolo on stage

The stage discussion between Martin Wohlrabe and Dr. Jens-Bodo Koch in a cheerful atmosphere

In his exciting stage dialogue with Martin Wohlrabe, Dr. Jens-Bodo Koch provided insights into his view of communication in the arms industry in the context of the “Zeitenwende"

Live from Washington, D.C. - Elaine Charlson Bredehoft on Depp v. Heard

Between the presentations, there was always an opportunity to chat over coffee and pastries

Maximilian Herke in conversation on stage

Josephine Ballon in a stage discussion on criminal prosecution in the digital space

We were also delighted to welcome many returning guests, such as Dr. Felix W. Zimmermann

Plenty of room for good discussions at our Legal Communication Summit

DAV President Stefan von Raumer in a stage discussion about the challenges facing the rule of law in digital media

Kathrin Köhler, Chief Sustainability Officer at ARAG, in a stage discussion on the topic of “The rule of law as a communication topic – an opportunity and strategic imperative for companies"

The stage discussion Dr. Kirsten Saßmann, Head of Group Legal Corporate Finance at Commerzbank Kathrin Köhler, Chief Sustainability Officer at ARAG, with our consultant Marlen Fasold

CONSILIUM consultant Marlen Fasold on stage during the RKG 2025 panel discussion

The stage discussion with Stefan Gelbhaar and Fabian Bauer, LL.M., on the “Gelbhaar case” and the presumption of innocence in the media was moderated by our consultant Daria Gladkov

CONSILIUM consultant Maximilian Herke as this years moderator

Stefan Gelbhaar reported on his perceptions as someone affected by inaccurate reporting and his view of the presumption of innocence in the media

Our consultant Maximilian Herke moderated this year's stage discussion with Georg Mascolo

A great atmosphere during the get-together

Martin Wohlrabe welcomed our guests to the get-together

This year, our traditional get-together took place once again at Commerzbank headquarters.

Organizer

Event contact

Hosts

Excerpt of our Speakers 2025

Christian Lindner former Federal Minister of Finance

Dr. Jens Bodo Koch CEO Heckler & Koch

©Bundesregierung/Steins

Dr. Stefanie Hubig Federal Minister of Justice

Bundesregierung/Kugler

Steffen Hebestreit former government spokesman

Elaine Charlson Bredehoft long-time attorney for Amber Heard

©Julia Bornkessel

Stefan Gelbhaar Bündnis 90/Die Grünen

©HateAid

Josephine Ballon CEO HateAid

Stefan von Raumer DAV-President

Dr. Kirsten Saßmann Commerzbank

©Jana Edisonga

Georg Mascolo Bestselling author and journalist

Kathrin Köhler Chief Sustainability Officer ARAG

Fabian Bauer SKW Schwarz

All Speakers in Detail

Program 2025

Venue for the Get-Together and the Summit Day:
Commerzbank Building, Pariser Platz 1, 10117 Berlin

Wednesday, November 12, 2025

7:00 p.m.

Get-together
with drinks and finger food

incl. RKG evening impulse:
"Between judgement and public opinion: How accelerated proceedings are intended to strengthen democracy"
Dr. Stefanie Hubig, Federal Minister of Justice

This year's moderators are Daria Gladkov and Maximilian Herke (CONSILIUM)

Thursday, November 13, 2025

8:15 a.m.

Registration with coffee reception

9:00 a.m.

Welcome speech
Martin Wohlrabe, Managing Director of CONSILIUM
Dr. Kirsten Saßmann, Head of Group Legal Corporate Finance at Commerzbank

9:15 a.m.

Opening remarks:
"Between expectation and explanation: Media turning point in chancellor communications"
Steffen Hebestreit, government spokesman for former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz

9:45 a.m.

Keynote:
"Message, momentum, and no misunderstandings – communication observations from top-level politics"
Christian Lindner, former Federal Minister of Finance and former Federal Chairman of the FDP

10:30 a.m.

Coffee break

11:00 a.m.

“Investigative journalism, the rule of law, and freedom: Between disclosure, independence, and democratic responsibility”
Georg Mascolo, bestselling author, long-time editor-in-chief of DER SPIEGEL
in an interview with Maximilian Herke, CONSILIUM

11:45 a.m.

"Germany after the turning point – Media challenges and opportunities on the path to tomorrow's security architecture"
Dr. Jens Bodo Koch, CEO Heckler & Koch
in an interview with Martin Wohlrabe, CONSILIUM

12:15 p.m.

Lunch break

1:15 p.m.

"Amber Heard's attorney on litigation tactics and media realities in a transatlantic comparison of Depp vs Heard"
Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, former attorney for Amber Heard and partner at Charlson Bredehoft Cohen Brown & Nadelhaft

2:00 p.m.

"Democracy, human rights and the public sphere: Challenges in upholding the law in digital spaces"
Stefan von Raumer, President German Bar Association
Josephine Ballon, CEO of HateAid
in a panel discussion with Maximilian Herke, CONSILIUM

2:45 p.m.

Coffee break

3:15 p.m.

"The rule of law as a communication topic – an opportunity and strategic imperative for companies"
Dr. Kirsten Saßmann, Head of Group Legal Corporate Finance at Commerzbank
Kathrin Köhler, Chief Sustainability Officer ARAG
in a panel discussion with Marlen Fasold, CONSILIUM

3:45 p.m.

"Public condemnation despite the presumption of innocence – media responsibility and legal review in the Gelbhaar case"
Stefan Gelbhaar, former Member of the German Bundestag Bündnis 90/Die Grünen
Fabian Bauer, LL. M., Counsel SKW Schwarz
in a panel discussion with Daria Gladkov, CONSILIUM

4:45 p.m.

End