• About us
  • People
  • Expertise
    • Sectors
        • Technology, media & communications Technology, media & communications
        • Private Wealth Private wealth
        • Real estate, infrastructure & energy
        • Life sciences & healthcare icon Life sciences & healthcare
        • Aerospace & defence
        • Automotive & mobility
        • Business & professional services
        • Chemicals
        • Consumer & retail
        • Financial institutions & insurance
        • Hotels, hospitality & leisure
        • Logistics & transport
        • Manufacturing & industrials
        • Public services & education
    • Legal services
        • Artificial intelligence
        • Banking & finance
        • Brands & advertising
        • Commercial & consumer contracts
        • Competition, EU & trade
        • Copyright & media law
        • Corporate crime & compliance
        • Corporate/M&A & capital markets
        • Data & cyber
        • Disputes & investigations
        • Employment, pensions & mobility
        • Environmental, planning & regulatory
        • Environmental, social & governance (ESG)
        • Information technology
        • Multi-service
        • Patents & innovation
        • Private client
        • Private equity
        • Projects, energy & infrastructure
        • Real estate & construction
        • Regulation
        • Restructuring & insolvency
        • Tax
        • Venture capital
  • Locations
    • Europe
        • Locations
        • Austria
        • Belgium
        • Czech Republic
        • France
        • Germany
        • Hungary
        • Italy
        • Netherlands
        • Poland
        • Portugal
        • Ireland
        • Slovakia
        • Spain
        • United Kingdom
        • Ukraine
          Groups & regions
        • CEE Turkish Desk
        • French German group
        • Our offices
    • Middle East & Africa
        • Locations
        • Middle East
        • UAE
          Groups
        • Africa group
        • Israel group
        • Our offices
    • Americas
        • Locations
        • Latin America
        • USA
          Groups
        • Brazil group
        • Our offices
    • Asia
        • Locations
        • Asia
        • China
        • South Korea
          Groups
        • India group
        • Japan group
        • Our offices
  • Insights
    • Insights
        • Featured Topics
        • Artificial intelligence
        • Data Centre Expertise
        • The EU Whistleblower Directive
        • German Supply Chain Act
        • Unified Patent Court
          Content hub
        • Global Data Hub
        • Interface: tech, IP and media law
        • Podcasts
        • Synapse
        • Browse All Insights
    • Events
        • In person
        • Online
        • Browse All Events
    • News
        • Media centre
        • Work highlights
        • Firm news
        • Browse all news
  • Careers
  • EN
    • English
    • 中文(简体)
    • Français
    • Deutsch
  • Home
  • People
  • 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
vCard
Email me Call me
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
Click here to find out more
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

Click here to find out more
View Michael's insights

Related news & insights

People walking on modern spiral staircase
Employment, pensions & mobility

Work/Life - international employment news update

6 November 2025
Quick read

by multiple authors

Click here to find out more
View from below of forest trees
Environmental, social & governance (ESG)

From small island to big impact: what Vanuatu's ICJ climate win means for business

4 November 2025

by multiple authors

Click here to find out more
Open vault door revealing computer servers
Technology, media & communications

The Cyber Resilience Act – EU-Wide Requirements for the Cybersecurity of Products

3 November 2025
In-depth analysis

by Mareike Christine Gehrmann and Carla Nelles, LL.M. (Amsterdam)

Click here to find out more
Low angle view of futuristic skyscrapers
Pensions

Pensions Bulletin - October 2025

31 October 2025
Quick read

by Mark Smith

Click here to find out more
Tunnel with vanishing point and neon lights
Disputes & investigations

When intelligent systems fail: a case study in AI liability and the future of commercial disputes

31 October 2025
In-depth analysis

by Katie Chandler and Esha Marwaha

Click here to find out more
Working on tablet
Technology, media & communications

Advising Careology on its strategic alliance with Boots and Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

31 October 2025

by Graham Hann and Kelly Burke

Click here to find out more
Escalator
Consumer & retail

Consumer and Retail in the News

31 October 2025
Quick read

by multiple authors

Click here to find out more
Environmental, social & governance (ESG)

EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) – Proposed amendments to reduce bureaucratic burden

30 October 2025
Quick read

by multiple authors

Click here to find out more
Environmental, social & governance (ESG)

Draft Bill on the Implementation of the EU Environmental Criminal Law Directive

30 October 2025
Briefing

by multiple authors

Click here to find out more
Close-Up Of Weight Scale
Commercial & consumer contracts

EU Parliament rejects trilogue negotiations on the Omnibus Package

30 October 2025
Quick read

by multiple authors

Click here to find out more
View all insights

Related people

Germany
Global
Dr. Michael Kieffer

Dr. Michael Kieffer

Partner

Munich
+49 89 21038 0
Email me
View profile
Christian Frank

Dr. Christian Frank, Licencié en droit (Paris II / Panthéon-Assas)

Partner

Munich
+49 89 21038 0
Email me
View profile
Corvin Gutzeit

Corvin Gutzeit

Associate

Hamburg
+49 40 36803 0
Email me
View profile

Dr. Christian Maron

Partner

Munich
+49 89 21038 0
Email me
View profile

Felipe Villena

Salary Partner

Frankfurt
+49 69 97130 0
Email me
View profile

Dr. Nicolai Wiegand, LL.M. (NYU)

Partner

Munich
San Francisco
+49 89 21038 0
Email me
View profile
Dr. Kilian Friemel

Dr. Kilian Friemel

Partner

Munich
+49 89 21038 196
Email me
View profile
Person Placeholder Image

Dr. Theresa Sauerwein

Salary Partner

Frankfurt
+49 69 97130 0
Email me
View profile
Martin Knaup

Dr. Martin Knaup, LL.B.

Partner

Hamburg
+49 40 36803 0
Email me
View profile

Dr. Gisbert Hohagen, Lic. en droit (Paris II/ Assas)

Partner

Munich
+49 89 21038 261
Email me
View profile
Full team
Alessa Steigertahl, Lawyer for Transport and Logistics | Taylor Wessing

Alessa Steigertahl

Salary Partner

Hamburg
+49 40 36803 0
Email me
View profile
Sally Robertson

Sally Robertson

Senior Associate

London
+44 20 7300 7000
Email me
View profile
Wim Maas

Dr. Wim Maas

Partner

Eindhoven
Amsterdam
+31 6 3175 2962
Email me
View profile
Dr. Kilian Friemel

Dr. Kilian Friemel

Partner

Munich
+49 89 21038 196
Email me
View profile
Helen Farr

Helen Farr

Partner

London
+44 20 7300 7150
Email me
View profile

Ann Casey

Partner

London
+44 20 7300 4750
Email me
View profile
Johannes Simon

Johannes Simon, LL.M. (Durham)

Partner

Duesseldorf
+49 211 8387 0
Email me
View profile
Anna McAffrey

Anna McCaffrey

Senior Counsel

London
+44 20 7300 7000
Email me
View profile
Elliot Michaelson-Taylor

Elliot Michaelson Taylor

Senior Associate

London
+44 20 7300 7000
Email me
View profile
Toon Rummens

Toon Rummens

Partner

Brussels
+ 32 485 965 663
Email me
View profile
Full team

Meet me at

There are no upcoming events

See all events
Subscribe to our latest insights
  • About us
  • Campaigns and online tools
  • News
  • People
  • Expertise
  • Locations
  • Insights
  • Events
  • Media centre
  • Contact
  • Careers
  • Alumni
  • Data protection & privacy policy
  • Cookie policy
  • Legal and regulatory information
  • Regulatory information on costs
  • Complaints procedure for clients
  • Terms of use
  • Anti-slavery statement
  • Environmental
  • Scam emails

© Taylor Wessing