Main sessions

Martin Franke – Introduction to conference-theme: “The meek will inherit the earth”

Martin Franke has been a solicitor for 35 years and is a senior partner at a Frankfurt law firm. In 1997, he co-founded the ‘Christ und Jurist’ network, and remains an active member of its board to this day. He has mentored many lawyers and, together with his wife, set up a summer school for students. He also gives talks and encourages Christians to live out their faith in their daily working lives. Martin and Carola have three adult children and live in the Rhine-Main area, Germany.

Jasmin Avdagic – Bible messages: “Rooted in Jesus Christ” and “Planted in Europe”

Jasmin Avdagić is the founding partner of Avdagić & Partners Law Firm in Šibenik, Croatia. His areas of specialism are corporate law and dispute resolution. Jasmin has been involved in Christian ministry for 30 years, both nationally and internationally – serving as a preacher, church planter, leading student ministries and scout camps. He is passionate about the unity of the Body of Christ and seeing all come to know the joy of salvation. He is happily married with three daughters and enjoys sports, travelling and watching movies.

Mark Bainbridge – “Transformed thinking, transformed lives” and Deepening – a morning wrap up before God

Born in the English border city of Carlisle, whose official motto is “Be Just and Fear Not”, Mark’s passion for the law was kindled by his childhood reading of “To Kill a Mockingbird”, which led to a career specialising in Employment and Discrimination law. Mark is a partner with Edward Connor solicitors – a law firm and charity with a gospel focus – which he balances with his role as Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship.

Jeff Fountain – “A spiritual view of Europe”

Jeff Fountain comes from New Zealand but has lived in the Netherlands since 1975. He became European director of Youth With A Mission from 1990 to 2009, helped start a collaborative network, Hope for Europe, and established the Schuman Centre for European Studies to promote biblical perspectives on Europe’s past, present and future. Jeff writes a weekly blog, and conducts monthly Schuman Talks on issues facing Europeans today. He has written several books including Living as people of hope and Deeply Rooted. He and his wife Romkje de Graaf have three sons and nine grandchildren.

Robert Weber – Optional evening mass on Saturday

Robert Weber was born in 1977 in Bregenz, Austria. He studied law in Vienna (1996–2001). After a court internship he worked at the University of Graz in European law. In 2006 he moved to Rome, was ordained a Catholic priest in 2011, and earned a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. After time in Madrid he returned to Vienna as a priest of Opus Dei.

Christian Hofreiter – Sunday service

The Revd. Dr. Christian Hofreiter is an Anglican priest serving in Vienna, Austria. Having previously worked as a lobbyist in Washington, DC and a research fellow and chaplain in Oxford, England, he is passionate about building bridges between people of different faiths or none, and to show the relevance of the Christian message to all areas of life. He is the author of Making Sense of Old Testament Genocide (OUP).

Friday workshops

Peter Gegenwart – Judges

Dr. Peter Gegenwart is doing employment law as a judge for 35 years. Since 2010 he is a presiding judge at court of appeal (Hessisches Landesarbeitsgericht) in Frankfurt, Germany. For 25 years he has been part of the network Christ und Jurist which aims to unite christian lawyers and judges in Germany, where he is overseeing the international relations. He is happily married to his wife Bärbel, a specialist lawyer for employment law with a daughter and a son, both lawyers.

Wim Borst – Public lawyers

Wim Borst, LL.D., was a staff member to the Dutch “State Committee Staffing Armed Forces” (1977-1978), assistant professor in Criminal Law at Leyden University (1978-1985), law clerk to the Dutch Supreme Court, Criminal Law Section (1986-1989), and policymaker to the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security in the field(s) of criminal policy, law enforcement, chain management, digitalization and data protection (1990-2023).

 

Florije Manaj Zogaj – Sole practitioners / Small Firm / Entrepreneur/ Self-employed (firm)

Florije Manaj Zogaj is a lawyer from Kosova. She holds a University Degree from University of Prishtina Law Faculty and a Master degree on International and European Law from Riga Graduate School of Law in Latvia. Starting her legal career with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), for many years she has worked with different international organisations on Rule of Law reform projects in Kosovo, supported by USAID and the EU. Specialized in Intellectual Property, she is the founder and attorney of legal office Manaj Associates, holding a license as IP Agent from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, API and as of 2020 is member of Kosovo Bar Association.

 

Alexander Zhang – Newly qualified lawyers (0-3 years)

Carola Franke is not a lawyer herself, but as the wife of Martin Franke, she has been involved in setting up their own law firm in Frankfurt am Main from the very beginning. She also shares her husband’s commitment to the ‘Christ und Jurist’ network. As a mother of three, she understands the pressures that come with a spouse’s demanding and time-consuming career which is often difficult to reconcile with family commitments.

Saturday workshops

Felix Böllmann – Freedom of religion and belief

Janys Scott KC is an advocate practising in Scotland. She works mainly in family law, presenting cases at all levels. She also sits as a part-time judge. Janys is a former chair of the UK Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship trustees and helps to co-ordinate the Scottish Regional Hub. She has three adult children and four grandchildren and she worships with a new free church community in the Scottish Borders.