By day, I'm a U.S. attorney specializing in financial derivatives and their regulation at a top 5 global investment bank. I am especially committed to innovation and transformation in legal services to serve societal needs in the modern age better. To this end, I'm active within and beyond my employer, including as N. American ambassador of the leading related think tank, the Liquid Legal Exchange.

Outside work, I'm husband to Carolynn Köster and father to Andrew (32) and Katharina (25). I balance time, as life permits, between New York, Germany (2nd home near Hamburg) and St. Barthélemy, FWI (Villa O, our happy place; see website).

I enjoy sailing my 1965 Pearson Ensign (22 ft) , Tempus Fugit. I'm keenly interested in photography since age 13. I also market and manage Villa O rentals for life-changing vacations to rave 5/5 Trip Advisor reviews.

I'm active in my community as a Director of the Emerge 125 dance company in NYC. I just served six years as a Council member, Stewardship Chair, and Finance Committee member of our local Lutheran Church. I'm a former officer of another local sailing club and, for 13 years, was an officer of the company that held a French bistro, café, and gourmet cheese shop, of which Carolynn was co-owner and driving force until Covid.

I'm fortunate to have lived in France and Germany, speak French and German fluently, and have deep, lasting relationships in both countries. I'm at home on both sides of the Atlantic and Rhine. While I can't extend the years of my life, by having a foot in three countries and languages, I have three lives and realities.

I am open and modern. I toggle between convergent and divergent thinking. I'm often an early adopter of new technologies. I had one of the first home fax machines and laptop computers, built my computers, and configured complex networks and video security systems. When working in Frankfurt (1993-4), I cobbled together Internet access as a hobbyist with local geeks well before its commercialization and even the web.

That said, I have some decidedly traditional preferences: fountain pens, stick-shift cars, harpsichord (vs. piano), radio (vs. T.V.; radio's pictures are better), sailboats (vs. motor), manual cameras, B&W photos (the colors are better), and analog watches, to cite a few.

My relationships prime all else. But my prized possessions include my collection of every recorded work of J.S. Bach (my "BachPod"), passport, favorite language dictionaries, camera gear, and Tempus Fugit.