Max has been a corporate/M&A partner since 1991. His practice focuses on board advice (including shareholder activism), cross-border M&A, public takeovers and private equity.

Major public M&A transactions include Bayer/Schering, Blackstone/Celanese, Bosch/Buderus, Daimler/Chrysler, Deutsche Telekom/Voicestream, Deutsche Wohnen/GSW, e.on/Endesa, Linde/The BOC Group, McKesson/Celesio, PPR/Puma, Vodafone/Kabel Deutschland and Vonovia/Deutsche Wohnen.

In private M&A for strategics, Max advised Siemens e.g. on the sale of VDO, e.on on the sale of VEBA Electronics, Henkel on the sale of Cognis, Tchibo on the sale of Reemtsma, Vodafone on the acquisition of Unity Media and Elanco on the acquisition of Bayer Animal Health. His work for financial sponsors includes advising Advent (Takko), Blackstone (Gerresheimer Glas, Sulo), EQT (Kabel Baden-Württemberg, Springer Science, Symrise, Tognum), Silver Lake (Software) and KKR (Airbus Defence Electronics, Bosch Telecom, Encavis, Tenovis, Versatel, Wincor, GfK, WMF).

In addition to his M&A practice, Max has been the long-time advisor to the board of major German companies. In connection with his corporate practice, he advised on equity capital markets transactions such as the IPOs and listings of Agfa-Gevaert, Deutsche Post, Deutsche Telekom, Celanese, Merck, Hannover Re, Hoechst, Stinnes, United Internet and Talanx.

Max teaches corporate law at Düsseldorf Law School and is the author of books and law review articles on mergers & acquisitions and corporate law.

After decades of being ranked as a "Star Individual", Max is listed as "Senior Statesman" in  the chapters "Corporate/M&A: High-end Capability" and "Private Equity" in the Cambers Global Guide.

Career

  • Admitted to bar 1986
  • University of Munich (S.J.D. in corporate law 1985)
  • Harvard Law School (LL.M. 1986)
  • New York Law firm, 1987-1988
  • McKinsey, 1985

Publications

  • Co-author: Meyer-Sparenberg/Jäckle, M&A-Handbook
  • Hommelhoff/Hopt/Leyens, Corporate Goverance Handbook

Memberships

  • Chairman Committee "Corporate and M&A", International Bar Association, 1998-2002
  • Founder and Co-Chair New York M&A Conference, 2002-2017
  • Chairman Capital Markets Forum, 2002-2004