Marcus M. Schmitt

Director General, European Company Lawyers Association (ECLA) & Managing Director, dfv European Corporate Counsel Group, Lawyer/Rechtsanwalt

Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany

About

With over 15 years of experience as a lawyer and executive manager in the legal services industry, Marcus has acquired a broad commercial and business know-how, an innovative mindset, and proven managerial, political, diplomatic, and communicational skills. Marcus is passionate about creating value for my clients, partners, and stakeholders, and advancing the legal profession in Europe and beyond. Currently, he holds two executive leadership positions at the European Company Lawyers Association (ECLA) in Brussels, Belgium and dfv European Corporate Counsel Group (dfv ECCG) in Frankfurt, Germany. At ECLA, he runs the largest network of company lawyers in Europe, with 25 national member associations and more than 115,000 individual members. He facilitates the exchange of best practices, knowledge, and innovation among legal professionals, and advocates for the interests and rights of company lawyers at the European level especially with European institutions. At dfv ECCG, he is responsible for new business development and sales, as well as managing the operations and strategy of the group. He founded and developed the General Counsel Leadership Circle Europe with his network of more than 15,000 general counsel across Europe. Former management positions include the managing director role at the German Institute for Corporate Legal Departments and In-House Counsel (diruj). At diruj, he managed the first German institute dedicated to the professional development and research of corporate legal departments and in-house counsel.

Experience

  • Director General at ECLA - European Company Lawyers Association
    Dec 2017 - Present · 8 yrs 8 mos

  • Managing Director at dfv European Corporate Counsel Group
    Dec 2017 - Present · 8 yrs 8 mos

  • Ambassador - Company Lawyers at European Legal Technology Association (ELTA)
    Jan 2020 - Present · 6 yrs 7 mos

    The ELTA Ambassadors are a group of handpicked well-connected legal tech pioneers from all over Europe and beyond, who volunteer to act as “swinging doors” between their countries/regions or functions and the international level of ELTA, to strengthen the position of legal technology in the European legal market.

  • Rechtsanwalt at Rechtsanwalt Marcus M. Schmitt
    Aug 2012 - Present · 14 yrs

  • Managing Director at German Institute for Legal Departments and Corporate Lawyers (diruj)
    Feb 2021 - Apr 2025 · 4 yrs 3 mos