Please introduce yourself in two or three sentences.
I’m an IT lawyer with my own law office on Berlin’s Friedrichstrasse. During my education I took full advantage of opportunities to gain experience abroad: in Poland, France and Belgium. I’ve been specialized in data protection for over ten years now. I advise companies, private individuals and organizations, and accompany scholarly projects at universities, for example. In addition, I’m also active as a certified external data protection officer, and I am a lecturer.
What career experience do you have in your field of consultation?
After studying law in Germany, Poland and France, I completed my legal traineeship. In 2018 I opened my own law firm. I primarily advise on data protection, IT law and copyright law.
I advise in detail on contract law, data protection and copyright law. A selection of my clients can be found on my websites: www.kanzlei-filusch.de and www.datenschutzbeauftragte-berlin.eu.
I particularly enjoy my work for the charitable non-profit DaSou project, in which I help consumers retain control of their data in an informative podcast.
That brings me to the comic, Urheberrecht – oder: On the Shoulders of Giants (available at www.docjsnyder.net), by Dr. Julia Schneider, Eric Eitel, Nele Konopka and myself. With its lively manner, the comic provides an initial key to understanding the complex domain of copyright law.
What are typical questions that participants might ask you in a consultation session?
Is my publishing contract fair?
Am I allowed to write about a real person?
Am I allowed to employ other people’s work in my own work? What is the copyright situation in such a case?
How can I design my website and social media channels in a way that’s considerate of data privacy?
What data-privacy matters do I need to consider when hosting an event?
What are some of your professional achievements?
I’m an IT lawyer (IT law covers data protection and copyright, among other things) and I’m certified as an external data protection officer.
What languages do you offer consultation sessions in?
I advise in German, English and Polish.
Where can you be found in the internet/on social media?
My law firm’s website: https://kanzlei-filusch.de.
Website for my services as an external data protection officer: www.datenschutzbeauftragte-berlin.eu.
My blog and podcast on the theme of data protection law: https://dasou.law.
X/Twitter: @karina_filusch
Mastodon: @karina_filusch@legal.social
Bluesky: @karinafilusch.bsky.social
Instagram: @karina.filusch
LinkedIn: https://de.linkedin.com/in/karina-filusch-ll-m-35061096
XING: https://www.xing.com/profile/Karina_Filusch
What piece of advice would you offer anyone interested in working in your professional field?
The relevance of social skills is not to be underestimated in the field of law, especially considering that advising clients is an important part of my everyday professional life. Listening and demonstrating understanding can be every bit as import as having a certain technical or specialized knowledge.
Anyone interested in a career as an IT lawyer specialized in data protection should also bring along a certain interest in technical issues. This area of law is complex and constantly evolving, for which reason legislative changes are not uncommon. It’s important to regularly inform yourself in order to remain up-to-date. The upside is that there’s a suitable niche in IT law for everyone who is interested in it, since the digital transformation is now in full swing.
What were your greatest challenges in the early years of your career?
Among the greatest challenges I faced in my early years as an IT lawyer was undoubtedly making the decision to become self-employed, and then opening my own firm. I appreciate it all the more now, since, having taken this step, I am ‘my own boss’ and I can determine my working hours.