Karsten Harms

Vice-President of the Higher Administrative Court (VGH) (retired), Counsel

Mr Karsten Harms is now a practising lawyer after working for many years in administrative jurisdiction for the state of Baden-Württemberg – most recently as Vice-President of the Higher Administrative Court (VGH) of Baden-Württemberg and chair of a building and sectoral planning senate. He advises developers, neighbours, communities and approval authorities on all aspects of construction planning law and building regulations law. He supports the establishment of development plans, inspects building applications and drafts building-law related rulings.
 

 

  • Environmental law and planning law
  • Project support in real estate utilisation plans and building permit proceedings
  • Consulting for and acting on behalf of communities in planning and approval processes
  • 1974 - 1980 Law studies in Freiburg and Zurich
  • 1980 - 1983 Legal clerkship at Freiburg District Court
  • 1983 - 1987 Probationary judge at Karlsruhe Administrative Court
  • 1985 - 1987 Secondment to the District Administrator’s Office Karlsruhe, including serving as
    Director of the Road Traffic Licensing Department
  • 1987 - 1994 Judge at Karlsruhe Administrative Court
  • 1994 - 2002 Judge at Baden-Württemberg Higher Administrative Court (VGH)
  • 2002 - 2005 Presiding Judge at Karlsruhe Administrative Court
  • 2005 - 2016 Presiding Judge at Baden-Württemberg Higher Administrative Court (VGH), from 2009 in a senate for construction law and law on regional development
  • 2016 - 2019 Vice-President of Baden-Württemberg Higher Administrative Court (VGH) and chairman of a senate for construction law, law on regional development and sectoral planning law
  • 2019 Admitted to the German bar
  • Lectures/seminars on construction planning and building regulations law, on municipal law and on the drafting of official orders
  • Examiner for the First Law Examination and Second State Law Examination
  • „Das Gesetz für das schnellere Bauen“, VBlBW 9/2025, S. 353 (mit Fischer)
  • „Gesetze zur Digitalisierung baurechtlicher Verfahren“, VBlBW 2024, 133 (mit Fischer)
  • Europarecht im deutschen Verwaltungsprozess: Ausländerrecht, VBlBW 2001, 121
  • Gesellschaftliche Entwicklungen im Spiegel der Rechtsprechung des Verwaltungsgerichtshofs Baden-Württemberg, VBlBW 2008, 402

About me

My greatest passions are playing tennis, speed chess on the Internet and looking after my two twin grandchildren once a week on "Grandad Day".