Maximilian specializes in white collar crime and compliance.

He advises and represents companies, executives and board members in all areas of white-collar criminal law, administrative offenses and corporate governance and compliance. He also conducts internal investigations and advises on the implementation and improvement of compliance management systems.

In addition to investigating and defending allegations of fraud, embezzlement and corruption, he has been extensively involved in asset recovery, money laundering prevention, management liability in connection with allegations of criminal conduct, as well as international financial sanctions (OFAC) and insolvency criminal law.

Advising companies, investors and entities in regulated industries on public law and regulatory issues is another focus of his practice. 

Career

  • Admitted to bar 2015
  • Law Firm in New York, 2020
  • Universities of Bonn and Münster
  • Université de Lausanne

Rankings and Awards

Handelsblatt Best Lawyers 2023 und 2024 – Deutschlands Beste Anwälte – Empfohlen für Corporate Governance and Compliance und Öffentliches Wirtschaftsrecht.

Publications

  • Business Crime 2025, International Comparative Legal Guides (ICLG), 2024, 95-106, Chapter 10: Germany (zusammen mit Dr. Mathias Priewer, Friedrich Steinert und Dr. Julia Vorländer)
  • Kommentierung zu §§ 32-35 PUAG, in: Juliane Hilf / Simone Kämpfer / Max Schwerdtfeger (Hrsg.), PUAG – Parlamentarisches Untersuchungsausschussgesetz, Baden-Baden: Nomos, 2024, S. 345-389 (mit Dr. Dirk Uwer)
  • Neues EuGH-Vorabentscheidungsverfahren zur Zulässigkeit der Beschäftigtendatenverarbeitung auf Grundlage einer Kollektivvereinbarung und zum DSGVO-Schadensersatz, Zeitschrift für das Recht der digitalen Wirtschaft – ZdiW 2022, 424 ff. (mit Dr. Susanne Walzer)
  • Der Regierungsentwurf des Hinweisgeberschutzgesetzes, Corporate Compliance Zeitschrift (CCZ) 2022, 303 ff. (mit Dr. Fabian Quast)
  • Strafrechtliche Risiken bei der Entschlüsselung passwortgeschützter Dateien im Rahmen einer internen Untersuchung, Corporate Compliance Zeitschrift (CCZ) 2022, 253 ff. (mit Johanna Gottwald)
  • Business Crime 2022, International Comparative Legal Guides (ICLG), 2021, 106-115, Chapter 13: Germany (zusammen mit Dr. Constantin Lauterwein, Dr. med. Mathias Priewer und Friedrich Steinert)
  • Die Relevanz von Legal Tech in internen Untersuchungen, ZdiW 2021, S. 232 ff. (mit Dr. Pierre Zickert)
  • Der Rechtsschutz bei überlangen Gerichtsverfahren, Dissertation, 2014

Recent Work

  • Hengeler Mueller refutes the allegations against Deutsche ReGas regarding money laundering and intransparency
  • Hengeler Mueller advises Schneider Electric on the sale of VinZero
  • Large international bank:  internal investigation in relation to alleged tax evasion (cum/ex)
  • International FMCG company:  defense in EU proceedings on parallel trade restrictions
  • Steel company:  individual defense in connection with fatal occupational accident
  • Unzer:  cross-border internal investigation and advice in connection with a special audit by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin)
  • Leading consulting firm:  criminal law advice and internal investigation in connection with possible corruption and fraud matters
  • Large insurance company:  defense against BaFin fine proceedings for alleged violations of the Insurance Supervision Act
  • Large service provider:  internal investigation and counselling due to allegations of breaches of confidentiality et al.
  • Delivery service:  defense against threatened prohibition orders due to alleged violations of occupational safety
  • Large financial company:  internal investigation and counselling on suspicion of embezzlement
  • Tüv Süd AG:  comprehensive advice regarding cross-border investigation of the Brazilian mining dam disaster including criminal and civil litigation defense and large scale eDiscovery
  • Large service provider:  internal investigation and advice on alleged data protection breaches
  • Robert Bosch GmbH:  worldwide internal and external investigations and cross-border proceedings regarding alleged manipulation of exhaust gas emissions of diesel vehicles
  • Large European bank:  corporate defense and internal investigation regarding alleged violations of U.S. sanctions and foreign trade laws