Michael Mayer, a certified compliance expert, focuses his practice on a range of compliance matters, including internal investigations, anticorruption due diligence, implementation and assessment of compliance programs, and civil litigation related to compliance violations.
Michael has significant experience in complex, multijurisdictional compliance investigations involving the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the World Bank. He was a member of a large cross-border investigation in connection with proceedings initiated by U.S. and German regulatory and law enforcement authorities. He has conducted more than 450 interviews in German, English, and Russian and regularly manages the use of legal technology to increase the effectiveness of e-discovery and extensive document review processes in investigation matters.
Michael has assisted multinational companies in preventing and managing regulatory, reputational, and compliance risks in the automotive, health care, pharmaceutical, retail, and software industries. Among other matters, he was recently involved in a multijurisdictional post-merger Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) compliance audit of a major technology company under monitorship and a forensic investigation of a data security breach regarding a possible cyberattack.
Before joining Jones Day, Michael practiced at two international law firms in Moscow and gained significant practical experience in numerous compliance matters involving Eastern European countries. Michael is regularly involved in matters that are conducted entirely in Russian.
Michael is a member of the German-Russian Lawyers Association. He was chairman of the compliance working group at the German-Russian Chamber of Commerce Moscow and editor-in-chief of Investment Guide Russia 2011. Michael lectures on Russian compliance law at the University Passau.
担当案件
The following represents experience prior to joining Jones Day:
Advised a German exhibition corporation on the purchase of shares of a closely held Russian stock company, structuring of the joint venture, and drafting of the shareholder agreement regarding liability avoidance due to compliance issues (secret accounts).
Led the criminal and labour law analysis of the concern directive regarding presents, hospitality, and other allocations in Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, and Kazakhstan for a leading international automotive company.
Advised a leading international water and environmental service company regarding the implementation of compliance in the Belorussian, Ukrainian, and Russian daughter companies; training of employees; and revising and adjusting the code of conduct.
Represented one of the leading suppliers of quality domestic and system technology on the breakup of a fraudulent pool-selling through the executive director.
Represented one of the major German foundations on fraudulent actions of employees in Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia.
Represented a German producer of machine tools in a case against a former CEO on fraud, illegal trademark use, and dispute with customs authorities regarding illegal imports by former CEO.
Compliance due diligence checks of the Russian distributors for the leading Russian telecommunications provider; advising the client on risks associated with red flags uncovered during document review and personal interviews.
Organized and moderated several compliance round tables with representatives of WBD, Thyssenkrupp Elevator, SAP, Allianz, Evonik, Media-Saturn Russia, GE Rus, REWE, GROUP Russia, The Walt Disney Company Russia & CIS, MTS, VW Finance, and others.
- February 20, 2020
Internal Investigations: legal trends and the use of innovative technology at the Accuracy Forensic, Litigation and Arbitration Event - February 19, 2020
Internal Investigations under close scrutiny - The "material contribution" standardunder the Corporate Sanctions Act - April 2019
EQS-Compliance-Talk: Internal Investigation, Cross-border Investigations - strategische Entscheidungen in den ersten 10 Tagen - September 2018
IHK Stuttgart: Compliance im Unternehmen - In- und Auslandsgeschäfte sicher steuern - June 25, 2012
Russian competition law with respect to distribution- and dealership agreements, Chamber of Commerce - June 20, 2012
Russian competition law with respect to distribution- and dealership agreements, Chamber of Commerce - June 19, 2012
Check of Distributors, Due Diligence, Risk Analysis - distributor selection from a legal point of view, Chamber of Commerce - June 18, 2012
CFO - Chief Fraud Officer?, CFO conference - May 10, 2012
Contract law regarding imports from Russia and supply agreements between Russian companies, Chamber of Commerce - May 7, 2012
Compliance in russia - implementation by medium-sized companie, Chamber of Commerce - April 27, 2012
Compliance - Challenge in Russia for small and medium entities, Chamber of Commerce - November 25-27, 2011
The return of Autoritarism from the point of view of rule of law and corruption, Young eastern-european experts conference - July 5, 2011
Compliance - necessary tool for Manufacturers in Russia, Business in Russia today, German Engineering Federation - May 19, 2011
Compliance - legislative process and need for governmental action in Russia and Germany, 1. German-Russian law symposium by the St. Peterburg Dialog under the patronage of the Ministery of Justice and the Ministery for Foreign Affairs - May 12, 2011
Compliance - a needed measure to safeguard success in Russia, Chances and Risks - Activity of small and middle-sized entities in Russia, Go East Generations e.V - April 5, 2011
Compliance in Russia - necessary or waste?, Expectations and reality - Traps and possibilities for business in Russia, Chamber of Industry and Commerce Stuttgart - November 17-24, 2010
The stimulation of SME from the point of view of corporate law, Moscow State University for International Relations, Special course: Stimulation of small and middle sized entities - October 5, 2010
Stock and share purchase - Acquisition of a Russian company, Law in Russia, Wegweiser GmbH - July 6-12, 2010
Development potential of Volgograd as an economic or industrial location, Young leader Seminar by the German-Russian Forum
- Steinbeis-Hochschule Berlin (Certified Compliance Expert, 2018); ANO Pericles University, Moscow (LL.M. in American Business Law 2011); Second State Examination (Higher Court of Munich, State of Bavaria, 2008); University of Munich (First State Examination 2006)
- Federal Republic of Germany
- Legal 500 (2020): recommended for internal investigations in Germany
- English, German, Russian