Expert profile

Dr. Christopher Melms

I specialize in advising on collective bargaining law and assist and negotiate on behalf of companies with unions regarding in-house collective bargaining agreements, company-specific industry-wide collective bargaining agreements, and other normative agreements or agreements governed solely by contract law. I assist and support employers’ associations in negotiations. In terms of substance, I advise on all aspects of collective bargaining law (including labor dispute law). A key focus of my practice is supporting companies with all aspects of works constitution law—from decision-making procedures and conciliation boards to negotiations on the reconciliation of interests, social plans, and voluntary programs.

training focus

Personal and Social Skills

Professional experience

Others (1998)
- Department: Other
- Industry: Consulting
- Company size: 50 to 249 employees
- Description: Attorney Specializing in Labor Law

Qualifications

Certified Attorney in Labor Law (Bar Association, 2001)

Working languages

English
German

Publications

The End of the Relative Obligation to Maintain Peace—Labor Disputes Anytime, Anywhere? - NZA 2010, 1033 (2010)
Munich Lawyers' Handbook on Labor Law (2026)
The Company-Specific Collective Bargaining Agreement—Nothing but Risks? - NZA 2017, 365 (2017)
Collective Bargaining Agreement Changes and ver.di - NZA 2002, 296 (2002)
The Modification of the Principle of Favorability - NZA 2014, 127 (2014)
Collective Bargaining at a Crossroads - DB 1999, 1803 (1999)
Churches and Labor Law: A Third Way Without Strikes? - DB 2013, 2504 (2013)