The IHK on Voluntary Judges
In the latest issue of IHK Plus, volunteer judges share their exciting responsibilities. Among them is Professor Richard Geibel, head of the E-Commerce Institute and professor at the IU International University of Applied Sciences.
“As a researcher, I am naturally curious, so this opportunity interested me when it was brought to my attention,” says Richard Geibel. In addition to his role as head of the institute and professor at the IU International University of Applied Sciences, he serves as a commercial judge at the Regional Court of Cologne. The unique aspect: commercial judges are volunteers and, by training, not typically judges. “They bring commercial expertise,” explains Roland Ketterle, President of the Regional Court of Cologne.
It’s always about emotions too
Often, says Geibel, court cases are not just about money – emotions are always involved in the background. Sebastian Wolfram also describes: “Many issues ultimately do not revolve around dry, substantial legal questions but either poorly documented agreements or stubbornness over principles.” The case of Deutsche Bank against Sal. Oppenheim was particularly spectacular for him. “Not only did three or four prominent Cologne personalities sit on the defendant’s side, each with a large army of lawyers. But the dispute value was also in the hundreds of millions, which is extraordinary.”
Even beyond the major cases, both commercial judges describe gaining valuable insights. “Whether two parties move towards or away from each other depends crucially on the chairman’s moderation skills. In this respect, you learn a lot in this volunteer position. And that helps immensely in your own professional everyday life,” says Richard Geibel.
Additionally, Richard Geibel clearly emphasizes the importance of volunteer work in our society. According to him, it requires “the intensive commitment of volunteers for many tasks and areas of activity. Six years ago, I was appointed as a judge at the Regional Court of Cologne in the Chamber for Commercial Matters. I am delighted about this anniversary and have never regretted my commitment.”
The importance of taking the chance
He also encourages taking on this important role alongside a full-time job. “With one day of work per month, this activity can be well combined with my professorship at the IU International University of Applied Sciences. The two activities complement each other perfectly, as each requires a balanced assessment and decision. Be it student papers and theses or evaluations of conference submissions. Just as well as witness statements and prosecution or defense briefs.
My experiences and my conclusion are that you learn a lot as a judge. It never gets boring, as digitalization in particular poses great challenges. The Cologne Chamber of Industry and Commerce has dedicated extensive articles in its magazine to the topic of ‘Volunteering with Passion.'”
You can find the full article on the IHK Cologne website.