After Law studies in Cologne, Geneva, London (1978-1984) Karsten Otte obtained a Master of Comparative Jurisprudence, University of Texas (Austin), School of Law (1985), worked in a legal clerkship in Cologne (1986-1989), where he obtained in 1989 a Doctor’s degree in Law.

From 1990-1996 he worked as research Assistant at the University of Cologne (Institute of Private International and Foreign Law) mostly on conflicts and comparative law and finished there in 1996 his Habilitation (post-doctoral thesis), getting the teaching licence in civil law, (international) civil procedure, conflicts and business law. Hence, from 1996-2001, Otte taught as visiting Professor in Leipzig, Heidelberg, Munich, Frankfurt/Main and Mannheim.

From 2001-2006, he was appointed Professor at University of Mannheim on the endowed Chair of European Transport and Traffic Law, Civil Law, Private International and Procedural Law and Director of the Institute for Inland Navigation. In August 2006 Otte also was awarded a Honorary professorship at the National Marine University in Odessa (Ukraine).

Since October 2006 – today, he is Director at the Federal Network Regulatory Agency, working as Head of the Railway Regulation Department. Simultaneously, he still is Associate professor at the University of Mannheim, affiliated to the Institute of Transport and Traffic Law.

From September 2016 – April 2019, Otte provisionally held the Chair of Ruling Chamber 10 (Railways) in the Federal Network Agency (in addition to being Head of the Railway Regulation Department). Besides, since 1990 he is author of various publications on civil law, procedural law and rail regulation law.