Dr Christopher Melms
Lawyer, Licensed Specialist for Labour Law
Partner
- T +49 89 35065-1143
- F +49 89 35065-2110
- Munich
Competences
Labour Law Health Media, Music, Entertainment, Culture, Publishing Restructuring, Recapitalisation & InsolvencyLanguages
German EnglishExpert
Dr Christopher Melms
Career
Dr Christopher Melms is Partner at BEITEN BURKHARDT‘s Munich office and member of the Labour & Employment Law practice group. He is focusing on the food and semi-luxuries industry, the health sector as well as on media/entertainment/publishing companies. He is advising and representing German and foreign companies, in particular, with regard to collective bargaining and labour-management relations law. His activities are concentrated on the advising of companies within the scope of processes of change under collective bargaining agreements (e.g. change in pay scale, company collective agreements) and negotiations with trade unions and works councils. Apart therefrom, Dr Christopher Melms supports and accompanies restructuring and reorganisation measures from the strategic conception to their final realisation. His special fields also include the negotiation and conclusion of agreements concerning the reconciliation of interests and social plans as well as the warding-off of strike measures threatening.
Dr Christopher Melms studied law at the Universities of Regensburg and Aberdeen and was admitted to the German bar in 1998. Since then he has been working with BEITEN BURKHARDT and became Partner in 2005.
"Dr Christopher Melms offers excellent support in disputes with tariff partners".
(Legal 500 Germany 2020)
The industry journal JUVE lists Dr Christopher Melms as frequently recommended lawyer in the field of Labour & Employment Law and as a leading senior labour law counselor.
"is continuously specialising in collective bargaining law and is developing into a leading character in labour law", Competitor
(JUVE Handbook of Commercial Law Firms 2019/2020)
The industry journal JUVE lists Dr Christopher Melms as frequently recommended lawyer in the field of Labour & Employment Law and as leading Partner in Labour & Employment Law (41-50 years).
(JUVE Handbook Commercial Law Firms 2018/2019)
Dr Christopher Melms is recommended.
(The Legal 500 EMEA 2017)
Dr Christopher Melms is a ‘very good negotiator’.
(The Legal 500 Germany 2016)
Awards
Memberships
- Labour Law Working Group of DeutschenAnwaltVerein (DAV)
- European Employment Lawyers Association (EELA)
- Specialized lawyer-labour law forum (ffa)
- Expert Committe on Labour Law II of the Munich Bar Association
Publications / Lectures
Books:
Munich lawyers’ labour law handbook
Dr Christopher Melms
ed. Wilhelm Moll, Verlag C.H. Beck, 4nd volume 2017
Essays/Articles:
Creative Solutions for Demanding Clients
Dr Christopher Melms (Interview)
Personalmagazin spezial, 4/2017, p. 17 et seq.
The Company-Related Industry-Wide Collective Agreement - Nothing but Risks?
Dr Christopher Melms
in: Neue Zeitschrift für Arbeitsrecht (NZA), 06/2017, p. 365 et seq.
Creative Solutions for Demanding Clients
Dr Christopher Melms (Interview)
Personalmagazin spezial, 4/2016, p. 27
Creative solutions for quality-oriented clients
Dr Christopher Melms (interview)
Personalmagazin spezial, 4/2015, p. 25
The Modification of the Principle of Most Favourable Stipulation (Günstigkeitsprinzip)
Dr Christopher Melms and Dr. Kathrin Kentner
Neue Zeitschrift für Arbeitsrecht, 3/2014, 127 et seq.
Strikes in Ecclesiastical Institutions May Be Permissible, but Only if Churches Do Nothing
Dr Christopher Melms and Dr. Christian Wiegelmann
Der Betrieb, 50/2013, M1
The Churches and Labour Law: The So-Called Third Way without Strikes?
Dr Christopher Melms and Dr. Christian Wiegelmann
Der Betrieb, 44/2013, 2504
HR Strategies 2013
Dr Christopher Melms
Interview in Neue Juristische Wochenschrift, issue 3/2013 (job section)
The End of the Relative Duty to Maintain Industrial Peace – Industrial Action, Always and Everywhere?
Dr Christopher Melms and Dr. Sarah Achilles
Neue Zeitschrift für Arbeitsrecht, 1033 et seq.
Not everything is lost - When is the Employer's Christmas bonus still voluntary
Dr Christopher Melms
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 10.09.2008
The Pension Missed after Early-Retirement Part-Time Arrangement
Dr Christopher Melms and Susanne Schwarz LL.M.
Der Betrieb, 09.2006, No. 37
Overview on Case Law on the German Law on Notification of Conditions Governing an Employment Relationship [Nachweisgesetz]
Dr Christopher Melms
Recht der Arbeit 3/2006
The Collective Agreement for the Public Service incurs more costs
Dr Christopher Melms
Personalmagazin, 2/2006
Cutting union wages by establishing companies under the temporary employment act as an alternative?
Dr Christopher Melms
Betriebsberater 2004
Stock options offered by third parties, e.g. parent companies: Remuneration by third parties
Dr Christopher Melms
Betriebsberater 2003
Must employers pay double?
Dr Christopher Melms
Fachanwalt Arbeitsrecht 2003
Change of pay scale and ver.di
Dr Christopher Melms
Neue Zeitschrift für Arbeitsrecht 2002
A not-so-collective approach
Dr Christopher Melms
Employment Law Journal March 2002
Works council's entitlement to injunctive relief (2002)
Dr Christopher Melms
Tax Optimisation of Severance Payments
Dr Christopher Melms
Fachanwalt Arbeitsrecht 8/2001
Forfeiture clauses in stock-option schemes
Dr. Christopher Melms
Der Betrieb, 11.08.2000, 32/2000
Collective pay scales at the crossroads
Dr Christopher Melms
Der Betrieb, 03.09.1999, 35/1999
Protection against unfair dismissal and social selection
Dr Christopher Melms
Juristische Arbeitsblätter, 4/1999
Short News
Press releases
NEWS
German Labour Law Conference – All Major Players in One Place |
German Labour Law Conference - All Major Players in One Place.pdf |
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German Labour Law Conference – All Players of the Scene at one Place |
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German Labour Law Conference 2017: Fair Play in Munich’s Football Stadium |
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BEITEN BURKHARDT expands Employment Law Practice |
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BEITEN BURKHARDT wins the "BEST OF HR 2016 – Labour and Employment Lawyers" Award |
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