Michael Magotsch

*Attorney is a member of separate entity, Rimon Falkenfort, and not Rimon P.C.

Michael Magotsch has over 30 years of experience advising global companies in all aspects of German labor and employment law. His practice focuses on labor and employment issues in relation to national and cross-border restructurings, acquisitions, redundancies, and outsourcing measures. Mr. Magotsch advises C-level executives in transition or exit scenarios as well as supervisory boards in sensitive disputes with C-level executives.

Mr. Magotsch has been recognized by Chambers Global, Legal 500 and Best Lawyers in Germany in Labor & Employment law for over a decade. Prior to joining Rimon, Mr. Magotsch was Head of the EU Employment Practice and Country Managing Partner for Coudert Brothers. He founded DLA Piper’s Frankfurt office and was office Managing Partner until 2009.

Mr. Magotsch currently lectures business and social law at SRH University Heidelberg Germany.

SELECTED EXPERIENCE

Mr. Magotsch’s experience includes advising on employment law related issues in relation to the following:

• Representation of food packaging solutions company, Viskase Companies Inc., on employment-related issues arising from complex restructuring measures, including mass dismissals and collective bargaining negotiations with IBGCE.
• Representation of European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Health, in relation to the set up of new management structures in the EU and Germany.
• Representation of MAS Malaysian on the complete shutdown of all its German and most of its European Union hubs.
• Representation of manufacturer Benteler Group in complex disputes with individual work council representatives and metalworkers union, IG Metall.
• Providing ongoing Labor & Employment advice to the German headquarters of tech company, SEG Samsung.
• Representation of telecommunications provider, AT&T, on its restructuring negotiations in Germany, and in relation to its high-level pension litigation in Germany.
• Representation of automotive technology company, LEAR Corporation, on all individual and collective Labor & Employment issues. Also advised LEAR Corporation on employment issues arising from its acquisition of RECARO Seats.
• Representation of aerospace company, Honeywell Aerospace on its collective employment and restructuring matters.
• Representation of fashion retailer, Arcadia Group, on establishing its business in Germany and then subsequently, assisting the group with closing its operations, which involved closing 62 outlet stores.
• Representation of Treuhand. Germany privatization agency, on the privatization of the GDR chemical industry, including the sale of LEUNA/MINOL to French oil company, Elf Acquitane.

PUBLICATIONS

SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES:

• FINANCE-TV, TV channel of FINANCE, one of the leading magazines on the financial markets: interview on relaxation of employment termination rules in large banks in Germany (Brexit-SteuerbegleitG), March 2019
• Personalwirtschaft: Annual FRA-Airport Roundtable on Employment Law, 2005 until 2016 Panel member
• DLA/ Herzog, Fox & Neeman Breakfast Seminar on EU Employment Laws, Tel Aviv September 2015
• Various Annual IBA Conferences 2001 – 2016 Panel Member

BOOKS:

• Key Aspects of German Employment and Labour Law, 2nd edition 2018, Springer Verlag, with Jens Kirchner / Pascal Kremp
• Employment, Trends and Developments in Germany, Chambers Global Practice Guides 2018, Chambers and Partners, with Martin Lüderitz / Jens Peters
• Employment & Labour Law, International Series, 6th edition 2015, Thomson Reuters, German Chapter with Sascha Morgenroth
• Employment & Labour Law, European Lawyer Reference, 5th edition 2014, Thomson Reuters, German Chapter, with Sascha Morgenroth
• Employment & Labour Law, European Lawyer Reference, 4th edition 2012, Thomson Reuters, German Chapter with Sascha Morgenroth
• Employment & Labour Law, European Lawyer Reference, 3rd edition 2010, Thomson Reuters, German Chapter
• Key Aspects of German Employment and Labour Law, 2010, Springer Verlag, with Jens Kirchner / Pascal Kremp

JOURNAL ARTICLES:

• Be aware: cancellation of direct insurance for pension schemes (damage claims on vested rights) DER BETRIEB, 12 March 2019 (DB 1296983)
• BAG Federal labor court ruling on so-called substitute holidays, DER BETRIEB, 12 November 2018 (DB 1285940)
• DSGVO: Am Ball bleiben (on the EU GDPR data protection), ADP Personalmanager October 2018 (with Dominik Weiss)
• Die Angst vor Bußgeldern geht um (on GDPR compliance risks in Germany) Personalwirtschaft October 2018 (with Dominik Weiss)
• BAG Federal labor court ruling on making it easier to end employment (Lies don`t travel far – or do they?), DER BETRIEB, 11 September 2018 (DB 1279669)
• BAG Federal labor court ruling on business transfers in Germany (increased risks for transferors in TUPE situations), DER BETRIEB, 17 July 2018 (DB 1275659)
• Das Recht, unerreichbar zu sein (on the right to disconnect) Personalwirtschaft October 2017 (with Martin Lüderitz)
• Der HR Manager als Compliance Officer der Zukunft (on compliance issues), Interview in Personalwirtschaft October 2016
• Deutsche Mitbestimmung im Ausland?  (German co-determination on board level) Personalwirtschaft October 2015
• Nicht gegen geltendes Recht verstoßen (on strict compliance structures), Personalwirtschaft October 2014 (with Sascha Morgenroth)

OTHER PUBLICATIONS:

• Take Action Now: Sustainability and Human Resources, Labor Law Magazine (FAZ Fachverlag), 13 June 2022
• PSSSST! Geheimnisschutz (on business secrets and non-competes) Interview with Daniel Schönwitz in IMPULSE, April 2019
• Brexit and the fate of German dismissal protection, Labor Law Magazine (FAZ Fachverlag) 25 March 2019
• Brexit-Wirbel in der Finanzmarktregulierung (on German Brexit laws with Bernd Geier), Börsenzeitung, 9 March 2019
• Whistleblower sind in Deutschland bereits gut geschützt (on protection of whistleblowers in Germany), WirtschaftsWoche, 20 November 2018
• Videoüberwachung der Mitarbeiter – wie viel Big Brother ist erlaubt? (on staff videa surveillance), WirtschaftsWoche, 12 September 2018
• Hat jeder das Recht auf Abschalten? (on the right to disconnect), WirtschaftsWoche, 18 December 2017
• German Employee Representation on Board Level – territorial restrictions apply, JD Supra and Lexology, 12 May 2017
• Step by step: Restructuring Business operations (with Kathrin Schlote), Labor Law Magazine (FAZ Fachverlag), 23 May 2016
• Vorsicht bei Massenentlassungen (be aware with mass dismissals), FAZ Recht und Steuern, 12 May 2015
• Regress für Kartellbußen (companies claim antitrust fines from their officers), FAZ Wirtschaft, 03 March 2015
• Gefährliche Dienstreisen (dangerous business trips abroad), with Jens Kirchner, FAZ Wirtschaft, 10 May 2006
• Fusionen hängen von der Integration der Mitarbeiter ab (successful M&A transactions require staff integration), Handelsblatt, 15 December 2008
• Unser Arbeitsrecht überrumpelt viele Amerikaner (US Executives underestimate German labor laws) FAZ Im Gespräch with Michael Magotsch, OMP of DLA Piper in Frankfurt, 15 March 2008
• Serving Germany, Europe and the World, The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, Interview with Michael Magotsch, CMP and Head of CB`s EU Employment practice, November 2004
• Für Unternehmen wird die Frühverrentung teurer (old age part time schemes and early retirement are becoming more difficult), with Jens Kirchner), FAZ Wirtschaft, 05 May 2004
• Nur einmal Geld bei Betriebsschließung (severance to be set off with Nachteilsausgleichen), FAZ Nachgefragt, 08 December 2001