Fredrik von Bothmer
Director (Legal)
As a German lawyer who has spent considerable time in the U.S., Fred feels that he well understands the ties between the two nations and their complimentary strengths, and that he has benefitted from them in his own life and work. Today’s global challenges can only be solved when economically strong countries with a huge overlap in core values, such as the U.S. and Germany, combine their forces. Thus, the Council is the perfect place to foster the dialogue started at the German American Conference at Harvard.
Based on his studies and personal conviction, Fred believes that the law is instrumental in shaping our future. His passion for international law has led him from Munich to The Hague, Stellenbosch, Geneva, St. Gallen, Berlin, New York City, and Cambridge. He is especially fascinated by the interdisciplinary approach to international law that he learned as visiting doctoral researcher at NYU School of Law, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (LL.M.), Harvard Law School, and Harvard Kennedy School.
Fred believes that to strengthen the international legal order, we need to build bridges – both geographically and intellectually. Thus, his doctoral thesis has a strong transatlantic focus to the advent of a robotic revolution. While establishing an international regulatory regime, his dissertation differentiates between lawful civilian applications, such as autonomous cars, and unlawful fully autonomous killer robots.
Fred is eager for the opportunity to being actively engaged in a cross-border dialogue on the most pressing challenges of global relevance within a diverse and highly motivated community of current and future transatlantic leaders. As a passionate sailor, Fred has crossed the Atlantic Ocean twice on a sailing yacht.