Dr. Axel Spies, a German attorney, advises domestic and international clients on various international issues, including licensing, competition, corporate issues and new technologies such as Voice over IP (VoIP) in the European markets. He advises on international data protection, international data transfers, data privacy, technology licensing and equity purchases. He is a member of the Sedona Conference on Electronic Discovery with a focus on German and international data protection. He is frequently quoted in the media for his telecommunications knowledge. Axel serves as the Washington correspondent and co-editor of the European Telecoms Journal MultiMedia und Recht (MMR). His work is regularly featured in the 2009/2010 yearbook of VATM, the German Association of Competitive Carriers and Service Providers, as their “Washington desk.”
In addition to his telecommunications and international litigation work, Axel provides assistance to manufacturing companies and industry associations on matters before U.S. federal agencies and on emissions trading in Europe.
Prior to joining the firm, Axel worked in telecommunications in Germany, Russia and France for a German utility. He has also practiced law in Russia and was an attorney for the German Embassy in India. He has participated in various international transactions, including projects in Germany, France, Russia, the Netherlands and Poland.
He is a native speaker of German and also speaks English, French, Russian and Italian.
- “USA: FCC kassiert Niederlage bei der Regelung der Breitbandanbieter - (Comcast) (USA: FCC Suffers a Defeat Regulating Broadband Providers (Comcast)),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (May 2010)
- Co-author, “U.S. District Court Utah: Deutsches Datenschutzrecht blockiert nicht die US-Beweiserhebung (E-Discovery),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (April 2010)
- “Germany's Data Retention Law, Null and Void: What Next?,” AICGS Advisor (March 2010)
- “EU/USA: Aktualisierte Standardvertragsklauseln für den internationalen Datentransfer (EU/US Revised Contractual Clauses for the International Data Transfer),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (February 2010)
- “Netzneutralität: Stichwort oder Unwort des Jahres? (Net Neutrality - buzzword or taboo the year? ,” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (January 2010)
- “USA: FCC-Verfahren über Freiheit des Internet (Netzneutralität) verlässt den Bahnhof (USA: the FCC-Proceeding on Net Neutrality Leaves the Station),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (December 2009)
- “USA: Netzneutralität - FCC hat neue Pläne (USA: Net Neutrality - FCC Has New Plans),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (November 2009)
- “USA: Breitband-Planung für mehr Wettbewerb (USA: Broadband Planning for more Competition),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (October 2009)
- “USA: "Buy American" - Handelsbeschränkungen für ausländische Unternehmen - Gruppenfreistellung (USA: "Buy American" - Commercial Restrictions for Foreign Companies - Group Waivers),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (September 2009)
- “USA: Neues zum Thema personalisierte Onlinewerbung und Datenschutz (USA: News on Personalized Advertisement and Data Protection?),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (August 2009)
- “Eins, zwei drei, das Internet ist weg -- oder doch nicht? (One, two three, the Internet is gone - or not?),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (July 2009)
- “USA: Buy American — Handelsbeschränkungen für ausländische Unternehmen (Buy American - Commercial Restrictions for Foreign Companies),” MMR Aktuell (June 2009)
- “USA: Cloud Computing — Schwarze Löcher im Datenschutzrecht (USA: Cloud Computing — Black Holes in Data Protection Law),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (May 2009)
- “États-Unis Cloud Computing ou Informatique nébuleuse: des trous noirs dans la législation sur la protection des données (USA: Cloud Computing — Black Holes in Data Protection Law),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (May 2009)
- “USA: Kein allgemeines Kartellrecht bei DSL-"Preisschere" (USA: No General Anti-Competition Law Against DSL "Price Squeezing"),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (April 2009)
- “USA: Neuigkeiten zum Erwerb von und zur Beteiligung an US - Unternehem - CFIUS (USA: News concerning the acquisition of participation in a US enterprise - CFIUS),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (February 2009)
- “USA: Falscher Griff in die Tasche — Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (False Grip into the Pocket — Foreign Corrupt Practices Act),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (January 2009)
- “US-Wahlen: "Superman" im Breitbandnetz (US-Elections: "Superman" in the Broadband Network),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (December 2008)
- “USA: Personalisierte Werbung und gläserne Websurfer - Deep Packet Inspection (USA Personalized Advertisement and Web Surfer Made Out of Glass),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (November 2008)
- “USA: Comcast schränkt Bandbreitennutzung für Privatkunden ein - Netzneutralität (USA: ComCast restricts the use of broadband for private user - Net Neutrality),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (October 2008)
- “USA: Neues zur regionalen Deregulierung - Forbearance (USA: News on Regional Deregulation - Forbearance),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (September 2008)
- “USA: Neues zum Gesetz uber den Notruf uber IP-gestutzte Dienste (VoIP u.a.) (USA: News Concerning the Law on Emergency Calls via IP-based Services (VoIP, etc.)),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (August 2008)
- “USA: Zugang zu Kostenunterlagen durch FCC eingeschränkt (USA: Access to Cost Data restricted by FCC),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (June 2008)
- “USA: Neue FTC - Regeln zum CAN SPAM Act (USA: New FTC Rules on CAN SPAM Act),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (July 2008)
- “USA: Pflichtmitteilungen bei einem Bruch der Datensicherheit (USA: Notification Duties if Data Security is Breached),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (May 2008)
- “USA: European Data Protection does not Prevent Electronic Discovery,” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (March 2008)
- “USA: Beschwerden gegen Deutschland beim USTR (Complaints Against Germany at the USTR),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell), German (February 2008)
- “USA: Carrier fürchten Vorratsdatenspeicherung (Carriers Fear Data Retention Obligations),” Yearbook of Competitive Carriers Association of Germany (VATM), German (2008)
- “USA: Telecommunications Act - Rechtsexport über den Atlantik? (U.S. Telecommunications Act - Export of Law Across the Atlantic?,” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell), German (2008)
- “International Eavesdropping Authority Expanded,” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell), German (October 2007)
- “USA-FCC Auctions Valuable Spectrum (700 MHz),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell), German (September 2007)
- “FCC Rules for Access to Internet Telephony for the Disabled,” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell), German (August 2007)
- “USA: International Electronic Discovery v. Data Protection (Privacy),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell), German (July 2007)
- “US Trade Representative Keeps Germany Under Observation - German Translation,” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell) (June 2007)
- “How a New German Law Affects U.S. Content Business,” Business Communications Review (June 2007)
- “Deutscher TK-Markt in USA unter Beobachtung (German Telecom Market Under Scrutiny),” Yearbook of Competitive Carriers Association of Germany (VATM) (2006)
- “US ITC: More Proceedings Regarding Violation of Intellectual Property,” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell), German (September 2006)
- “VoIP e 911. Nuove regole in vista per gli USA (FCC and Voice Over IP - VoIP),” Monti & Ambrosini, Italian (September 2006)
- “USA: Unternehmenskauf - US-Regierung entscheidet mit (CFIUS), (USA: Purchase of Companies - U.S. Government Has a Word to Say (CFIUS),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell), German (November 2006)
- “European Data Protection: Handling Data Security Breaches,” Business Communications Review (December 2006)
- Co-author, “Disagreements Continue Between the SEC and France on Sarbanes-Oxley Whistle Blowing Procedures,” Bingham.com (April 6, 2006)
- “Disagreements Continue Between the SEC and France on Sarbanes-Oxley Whistle Blowing Procedures,” Bingham.com (April 06, 2006)
- “Study: "A Reasonable Expectation of Privacy",” Americian Institute of Contemporary German Studies, Vol. 22 (March 2006)
- “Editorial: Berlin - Brussels - Washington,” Multimedia und Recht (MMR), German (January 2006)
- “Microsoft als Initialzunder fur mehr Datenschutz in den USA? (Microsoft, Initial Spark for More Data Protection in Europe?),” Datenshutz und Datensicherheit (DuD), German (March 2006)
- “La FCC e la Sicurezza dei Dati di Traffico (The FCC and Traffic Data Security),” ICTLEX Briefs: Management, Italian (2006)
- “Transatlantischer Datenschutz: Turbulenzen und sichere Häfen (Transatlantic Data Protection: Turbulences and Safe Harbors),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell), German (2002)
- “Telecom in Europe: Disharmonies in the Regulatory Concert,” Business Communications Review (September 2005)
- “European VoIP Regulation: Who Is Leading the Way?,” VoIP Policy Report (April 2005)
- “Europe Moves Against Counterfeiting and Piracy,” BADC PTC Section News
- “Internet Telephony in Europe: No More Flying Under the Radar Screen,” Business Communications Review (March 2004)
- “USA: FCC Verfahren zur Kostenkalkulation (TELRIC), (USA: FCC Proceeding Regarding Cost Calculation TELRIC),” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell), German (December 2003)
- “USA: Competitors Pop-up Ads Do Not Infringe Trademarks or Copyrights,” Multimedia und Recht (MMR Aktuell), German (October 2003)
- “Monitoring Employee Communications In Europe,” Business Communications Review (September 2003)
- “Spectrum Leasing: Requirements for a Legal Framework,” Multimedia und Recht (MMR), German (April 2003)
- “EU-U.S. Data Flow: An Unstable Connection,” Business Communications Review (December 2001)
- Panelist, E-Discovery 2010, IQPC Conference, Potsdam, Germany (Sept. 13-15, 2010)
- Panelist, International Programme on Cross-Border eDiscovery & Data Privacy, The 2nd Annual Sedona Conference, Washington, D.C. (Sept. 15-16, 2010)
- Panelist, Across the Divide: Successfully Navigating the Safe Harbor, International Trade Administration: International EU/U.S. Conference and U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. (Nov. 17, 2009)
- Panelist, U.S. Civil Proceedings and European Practice of Law — Two Worlds?, 3rd Forum on Electronic Discovery, Gaining Electronic Evidence in the U.S. and Europe — Information Retention Policies, Legal Safeguards and Email Archiving, Cologne, Germany (Sept. 1-2, 2009)
- Interview, The Obama Administration’s Plans for Subsidizing Broadband, Beck Online, Podcast (Feb. 4, 2009)
- Panelist, New Focus on the U.S. Media, Telecommunications and Patent Law Under President Obama, German American Lawyers Association (DAJV) annual conference of Working Groups, Frankfurt, Germany (March 28, 2009)
- Who’s Who Legal: International (2010): World’s Leading Regulatory Communications Lawyers
- Admitted to practice in District of Columbia (foreign legal consultant)
- Admitted to practice in Germany (Rechtsanwalt)
- University of Bonn, German Doctor of Law, 1991
- Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris, Post-Graduate Diploma in Political Sciences, 1989
- University of Bonn, German Law Degree, 1988
- American University, Bachelor of Arts, 1986