Michael H. Donath

Author Biography

Michael H. Donath is a German attorney-at-law, certified mediator, and specialist lawyer in criminal law and family law. For decades, he has accompanied individuals through complex and often emotionally challenging conflicts – in court proceedings, separation and family disputes, criminal cases, and out-of-court resolutions.

Born in 1962 in Wiesloch near Heidelberg, he studied law in Heidelberg, where he also completed most of his legal training. After working in Heidelberg and Mannheim, he founded his own law firm in Schwäbisch Hall in 1992. Since 2017, he has also worked as a certified mediator, focusing on constructive, out-of-court conflict resolution.

Through his professional work, he has observed how deeply thoughts, assumptions, and unspoken narratives shape human interaction. What we think influences how we speak. And how we speak determines whether conflicts escalate — or transform.

This practical experience led to his first book,

**“Gib Konflikten (k)eine Chance! – Das kann Mediation”** (“Give Conflicts a (No) Chance! – What Mediation Can Do”), which explains the principles of mediation and advocates for respectful, solution-oriented communication.

With

**“Deine Gedanken wollen nur spielen”** (“Your Thoughts Just Want to Play”),

he turns the focus inward. The book is not a legal manual but a reflective exploration of thinking itself. It examines whether we are governed by our thoughts — or whether we can consciously guide our attention and choose which thoughts deserve our energy.

His writing combines everyday observations with psychological insight and a calm, thoughtful tone. At the center of his work lies a simple but powerful idea: conflicts — whether between people or within ourselves — are rarely resolved by force, but often by awareness.

In addition to his legal and mediation practice, Michael H. Donath regularly publishes reflections on communication and modern conflict culture on his blog “Konfliktbaustelle.”

He lives and works in Schwäbisch Hall, Germany.