Kolja de Vries studied law at the University of Bayreuth, where he was a research fellow and lecturer thereafter. From 2004 to 2010, he worked with Rittstieg Rechtsanwälte, from 2010 as a partner. In 2009, he was seconded to Sullivan & Cromwell in New York. From 2010 to 2012, he was a partner with Gleiss Lutz. At the beginning of 2013, he established Hoffmann & de Vries.