Your Criminal Defence Attorney in Berlin:
I passed my bar examination as part of the best 15% of my class and started my career in 2010 as an attorney in a renowned Munich based law firm. There I was counselling clients mainly on the area of criminal compliance issues and the prevention of problems in that field. Then I went on with my own office in Berlin, from the beginning I specialized in criminal defence law.
The German Code of Criminal Procedure (StPO) does not make a difference between solicitors and barristers. So I have experience as well in counseling people as in representing them at court.
As time passed by I counseled people from different countries on different areas of criminal justice. Through that I learned to see the special issues that non-German clients have to be aware of in criminal procedures.
Criminal Defence Attorney in Berlin: Foreigners often misunderstand drug laws in Berlin
A quite common issue that people have to face in a city like Berlin is an accusation that is in one way or another related to drugs. There is a vivid and very liberal nightlife scene in Berlin where alcohol is not the only drug that is used. So people use Berlin as a place to try out things. And also a lot of people from other countries consider also the legal situation in Berlin concerning drugs as very liberal. Unfortunately that’s only half true. The Code of Drugs, or „Betäubungsmittelgesetz“ (BtMG) in German, is a federal law and therefore applies for whole Germany. It basically forbids any handling of drugs.
On the other hand there are a couple of ways to find a solution that works by applying certain rules concerning the criminal procedure on those cases, especially when they are cases with drugs like Cannabis or Marijuana (weed) and Ecstasy (MDMA). As people from foreing countries usually are not familiar with those rules I highly recommend that you get advice from a lawyer if you have to face that situation.
Your Criminal Defence Attorney in Berlin speaks English
I’m fluent in (Legal-)English, so don’t hesitate to contact me.
I also take part in the recent developments in crime law as a member of:
- Vereinigung Berliner Strafverteidiger e.V. (Berlin Criminal Bar Association)
- Juristische Gesellschaft zu Berlin e.V. (Berlin Law Society)
- Deutscher Juristentag e.V. (German Law Society)
Clemens Hof is your experienced criminal defence Attorney in Berlin – since 2010.