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  • Michael Johannes Pil…
Prof. Dr. Michael Johannes Pils
Prof. Dr. Michael Johannes Pils

Prof. Dr. Michael Johannes Pils

Partner

  • Duesseldorf Germany
Contact Me Today
+49 211 8387 0
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Featured award

The Best Lawyersâ„¢ in Germany 2025

Best lawyers: Employment Law

Scroll to featured award

Michael advises on the employment law issues of company purchases as well as post-merger integration. He specialises in tailor-made advice for the structure of remuneration systems, questions of employment protection, data protection and health protection as well as company pensions. Michael has considerable experience with the employment law advice of Japanese, Chinese and US American companies. In addition, he advises on all questions of individual and collective employment law.

Since 2019 Michael is member of the executive board of the German-Japanese Society for Labour Law (Deutsch-Japanische Gesellschaft für Arbeitsrecht).

Expertise

Services and Groups

Employment, pensions & mobility
Multi-service
Environmental, social & governance (ESG)
Employment
Pensions
Trade secrets
Japan group

Sectors

Chemicals
Technology, media & communications

CV

Since 2020 Partner, Taylor Wessing
2010 - 2020 Salary Partner, Taylor Wessing
2012 Lecturer, University of Konstanz
2010 Associate, Arqis Rechtsanwälte
2007 – 2009 Legal clerkship, Düsseldorf with postings at Speyer, Oxford, HengelerMüller
2001 – 2007 Research Assistant, Universities of Augsburg and Bonn
2010 Established as a lawyer, Düsseldorf
2009 Second state examination, Düsseldorf
2009 Scholarship for the Post-Doc Programme DAAD, Oxford
2008 Doctoral degree, University of Augsburg
2007 Legal clerkship
2003 – 2007 Scholarship and doctorate scholarship, Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes
2004 First state examination, Augsburg
2000 Degree studies in law, University of Augsburg

Career

Since 2020 Partner, Taylor Wessing
2010 - 2020 Salary Partner, Taylor Wessing
2012 Lecturer, University of Konstanz
2010 Associate, Arqis Rechtsanwälte
2007 – 2009 Legal clerkship, Düsseldorf with postings at Speyer, Oxford, HengelerMüller
2001 – 2007 Research Assistant, Universities of Augsburg and Bonn

Education

2010 Established as a lawyer, Düsseldorf
2009 Second state examination, Düsseldorf
2009 Scholarship for the Post-Doc Programme DAAD, Oxford
2008 Doctoral degree, University of Augsburg
2007 Legal clerkship
2003 – 2007 Scholarship and doctorate scholarship, Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes
2004 First state examination, Augsburg
2000 Degree studies in law, University of Augsburg

Publications

Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz, in: comply, 10/2021, gemeinsam mit Sebastian Rünz und Katja Schiffelholz Semedo

EU and Japan – A New Era of Free Trade, PlugIn – Wir denken das Recht der digitalen Zukunft, Ausgabe #12, August/2018

„Mitbestimmung im digitalen Betrieb“, in: „Digitalisierung der Arbeitswelt in Deutschland und Japan: Herausforderungen für das Arbeitsrecht“ (2018), herausgegeben von Franz J. Düwell, Karsten Haase, Martin Wolmerath. Delgany Publishing

Additional languages

English Japanese

Awards

The Best Lawyersâ„¢ in Germany 2025

Featured

Best lawyers: Employment Law

Legal 500 2025

Recommended lawyer for Employment law

The Best Lawyersâ„¢ in Germany 2024

Leading individual: Labor and Employment Law

Legal 500 Germany 2024

Recommended lawyer for employment

'Michael Johannes Pils' expertise in the field of employment law is unique.'

Ranked as leading lawyer for Employment law in Germany

Leading individual: Labor and Employment Law

Leading individual: Labor and Employment Law

Experience

Formycon

Under the leadership of the Frankfurt-based Taylor-Wessing partners Lars-Gerrit Lüßmann and Michael Sinhart, Formycon AG and ATHOS KG are merging their development activities in the field of so-called biosimilars, the follow-up products of biological medicines (biologics), in a long-term strategic partnership. The centrepiece of this agreement is Formycon AG’s participation in the rights of two biosimilars. The volume of the legally complex transaction (aggregate counter-performance) adds up to approximately 650 million euros.

Press release
Dr. Sebastian Beyer, LL.M. (Auckland)
Tobias Kraut
Felipe Villena
Clemens Niedner
Prof. Dr. Michael Johannes Pils
Marcus Hartmann

Michael's news & insights

View Michael's insights
Leadership Concepts - birds flying in formation
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Environmental, social & governance (ESG)

Time to implement equal pay as a core component of ESG

3 March 2025

by Prof. Dr. Michael Johannes Pils

Glass.Mapper.Sc.Fields.Image?.Alt
Employment, pensions & mobility

Business in Germany - legal briefing 2025

14 February 2025
In-depth analysis

by Dr. Axel Frhr. von dem Bussche, LL.M. (L.S.E.), CIPP/E and Prof. Dr. Michael Johannes Pils

Click here to find out more
Glass.Mapper.Sc.Fields.Image?.Alt
Venture capital

DERTOUR Deutschland acquires I.D. Riva Tours with Taylor Wessing

28 January 2025

by multiple authors

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View Michael's insights

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China: Compliance Required for Layoff due to AI Replacement

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Consumer and Retail in the News

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EU Inc.: Founders and companies with expansion plans must now think strategically

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Ofcom's guidance on online safety for women and girls and UK government strategy

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AI-assisted suite of employment law services

22 January 2026

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Data & cyber

The Data Act – Important obligations for cloud and edge services

22 January 2026
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Ofcom investigates X's Grok as scrutiny of deepfakes and nudification tools increases

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Telecommunications: Law and Regulation 2026 – Overview and Classification

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Japan Germany flags

Asa no Kai Transformation Through Insight

Location Düsseldorf
10 February, 09:00 - 11:00 CET
Speakers Dr. Axel Frhr. von dem Bussche, LL.M. (L.S.E.), CIPP/E & Prof. Dr. Michael Johannes Pils
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