Prof.Dr.jur.HertaDäubler-Gmelin

Prof. Dr. jur. Herta Däubler-Gmelin, former German Minister of Justice, is a legal scholar and practitioner renowned for her expertise in Constitutional Law, EU Law, International Law, Labour Law, and Data/IT law. Her professional career spans many fields, such as academia, law, and policymaking.

During her tenure as German Minister of Justice from 1998 to 2002, Prof. Däubler-Gmelin spearheaded significant legal reforms, including amendments to the Civil Code, advancements in Family Law, and the enactment of legislation that provided crucial protection to crime victims. She also chaired the Sino-German Government’s Dialogue on Constitutionality and the Rule of Law (Deutsch–Chinesischer Rechtsstaatdialog).

During her career in the Deutsche Bundestag from 1972 to 2009, Prof. Däubler-Gmelin chaired several parliamentary committees, served as in-house counsel, and held the position of Vice President within the Social Democratic Party (SPD).

Beyond her ministerial role, she has a long history in parliament and international committees, advocating for human rights and gender equality. She has been a visiting scholar at renowned Universities worldwide, such as Freie Universität Berlin, Peking University, Tongji University in Shanghai, Yale University, and many more.

Prof. Däubler-Gmelin continues to practice law, offering her expertise in mediation, arbitration, labour dispute counselling, compliance, and data/IT issues at Schwegler Rechtsanwälte. Her recent endeavours include chairing expert groups on data protection, media freedom, and housing governance.