Markus Gehrlein: From Legal Beginnings to the Federal Court of Justice

Markus Gehrlein is a German jurist, currently serving as an honorary professor at the University of Mannheim. He concluded his tenure as a judge at the Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof) in 2020, after serving from 2003.

Early Life and Education

Born on July 26, 1957, in Saarbrücken, Markus Gehrlein is one of four children of Gisela Gehrlein (née Jochum) and Wilhelm Gehrlein, a jurist born in 1920. He completed his legal education and began his career in the higher judicial service of Baden-Württemberg in August 1985.

Early Career and Transition to Saarland

Following five months as a probationary judge at the Heidelberg Regional Court, Gehrlein transitioned to the judicial service of Saarland on January 1, 1986. He initially served as a probationary judge at the Saarbrücken District Court and, from December 1986, at the Saarlouis District Court.

Assignments to Federal Ministries and Courts

From January 1988 to mid-July 1995, Gehrlein held assignments at the Federal Ministry of Justice and as a research assistant at the Federal Constitutional Court, working with Judge Winter. He also served as a research assistant at the Federal Court of Justice during this period. In August 1988, he was appointed a judge at the Saarbrücken Regional Court.

Ascension to Higher Courts and Academic Pursuits

Gehrlein was appointed a judge at the Saarland Higher Regional Court on July 15, 1995, where he served in the 1st Civil Senate, specializing in competition law, liability law, protection of honor, documentary proceedings, and commercial agency law. In 1996, he earned a doctorate from the University of Saarland with a dissertation on the criminal responsibility of East German spies under constitutional and international law.

Federal Court of Justice and Specialization

Since July 7, 2003, Gehrlein served as a judge at the Federal Court of Justice. He initially belonged to the II Civil Senate, which focuses on corporate law. In 2007, he moved to the IX Civil Senate, specializing in insolvency law, and remained there until his retirement. He retired on December 31, 2020.

Honorary Professorship

Since 2005, Markus Gehrlein has been an honorary professor at the University of Mannheim. His focus is on civil procedure law and medical liability law. In 2023, he was appointed as an arbitrator for private building societies.