Christof Pollak

Austrian

27+ years of experience

Language:

English, German

German (mother tongue).
English and Italian (working language).

Present Function:

Accredited Mediator pursuant to the Austrian Civil Mediation Act (ZivMedG)

Independent Mediator and Advisor

Judge at the Regional Court Klagenfurt
– General civil and commercial cases
– Specialized jurisdiction: competition law, copyright law, and intellectual property law

General Expertise:

Technical Expertise:

Physics

Certifications and/or licenses

Accredited Mediator pursuant to the Austrian Civil Mediation Act (ZivMedG).
Business License for Management & Organizational Consulting & Advisory Austrian Chamber of commerce Vienna.
Specialization in Business-Coaching and Business-Mediation. Certificate International mediation accreditation (IMI Certified Mediator).
Austrian Bar Examination, Graz Higher Regional Court — passed with distinction.

Professional legal or litigation experience related to the scope of competence of the PMAC

Served for nearly two decades as a Judge for the Republic of Austria, and for more than ten years specifically at the Klagenfurt Regional Court where presided over cases pertaining to competition law, copyright law, and intellectual property law. This position has provided him with significant legal stature, as well as deep specialization in the very fields central to the UPC's jurisdiction. His professional foundation, however, was established in the private sector.

For nearly ten years, maintained a successful side practice as a certified mediator and advisor, ensuring to retain a broad, practical perspective on conflict resolution beyond the bench.

2016 – present Independent Mediator and Advisor.

December 2015 - present Judge at the Klagenfurt Regional Court General Civil and Commercial Cases Competition Law and Intellectual Property Law, major cases.

December 2014 - November 2015 Judge at the Graz Higher Regional CourtCriminal Cases Senate.

June 2011 - December 2014 Judge at the Klagenfurt Regional Court General Civil and Commercial Cases Competition Law and Intellectual Property Law, major cases.

October 2007 - May 2011 Public Prosecutor at the Klagenfurt Public Prosecutor's OfficeGeneral Criminal Cases and Economic Crimes Major cases including „AvW-fraud-case“.

April 2001 - January 2004 Commaro mobile trading systems GmbH, Klagenfurt Head of Legal, Marketing, and Sales DepartmentsEstablishment of international distribution for software products.

January 2000 - March 2001 max.mobil (now T-Mobile Austria GmbH), Vienna Head of the New Media Management Department Development of business strategies for new services.

January 1998 - December 1999 tele.ring Telekom Service GmbH, Vienna Business Lawyer, Senior ExecutiveEstablishment of the Legal and Regulatory Affairs Department.

August 1997 - December 1997 Studio Legale De Capoa e Associati, Bologna (Italy) Legal Intern Exposure to the Italian legal system.

Professional technical experience related to the scope of competence of the PMAC

As a judge, a lawyer, and also a mediator, gained a solid understanding of technical issues (constantly dealing with technical processes, particularly expert reports from technical fields, assessing their quality, logic, comprehensibility, and coherence). Before working as a judge, he was employed in technology companies, where he also managed and supervised technical processes as a project lead, giving him a fundamental understanding of them.

Memberships and/or accreditations

IMI (International Mediation Institute)

List of Austrian Civil-Mediators

Verein Co-Mediation Austria

Austrian Federal Economic Chamber

Practical experience of conducting mediation or conciliation or judicial settlement conferences or out-of-court dispute settlements in disputes related to the scope of competence of the PMAC

Independent Mediator and Advisor
General Civil and Commercial Cases

Since 2006 maintained a successful practice as a certified mediator and advisor, ensuring to retain a broad, practical perspective on conflict resolution beyond the bench.

Nearly a decade of experience as a mediator and business advisor, conducted hundreds of mediations in fields including commercial, employment law, family businesses, and divorce. A key aspect of his quality assurance is working predominantly in co-mediation with team of fellow mediators.