Sometimes, what looks like a career strategy is really just an opportunity waiting to be taken.
By the end of 2012, I was preparing to move to Munich to become a partner leading the German arbitration practice of a large international law firm. I had put together my book of business, started conversations with potential clients — and then one of them said:
👉 “𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀? 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂r 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻. 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗲, 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀.”
🌀 That comment changed my trajectory.
Long story short: instead of Munich, I stayed in Berlin and started WAGNER Arbitration. On July 1, 2013. With business cards, and a website after all. Remember the photo?
At the time, my twins were not even two years old and my wife was on unpaid parental leave. When we spoke on the phone, a leading directory asked me:
🤔 “𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝟯𝟳, 𝙞𝙣 𝘽𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙣, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙤 𝙖𝙧𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣? 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙚.”
Looking back, it was a leap into the unknown. But with the trust of clients, the support of arbitral institutions, partners, colleagues, and friends — and above all, my family — the leap turned into a foundation.
🏛️ WAGNER Arbitration was the first arbitration boutique in Berlin, and only the second in Germany at the time. Today, many others have followed — a testament to how the arbitration landscape here has evolved.
🙏 My deepest thanks go to everyone who believed in this adventure from day one and who continues to make it thrive. In particular, next to my partner who had my back at all times and who deserves the biggest credit, I want to thank some good forces around day one without whose help and support nothing today would be like it is:
🍀 Simon Gabriel for courageously leading the way with GABRIEL Arbitration on how it’s done and for being the kindest and most helpful sparrings partner,
🍀 Henryk Berlet for creating a brand and a corporate design that sticks out to this day (and Nina Reicke for recommending him),
🍀 David Bernhard for transforming this magnificent design into a website, and
🍀 WEGNERPARTNER and especially Adrian Müller-Helle, Thilo Ullrich and Michael Kummermehr for providing me with the warmest shelter, the most professional set-up and the kindest hospitality at Georgenstraße 24 I could have hoped for as a sub-tenant from day one.
🔜 Next stop: Reflection #11 – The Lesson My Back Taught Me.
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