Michael B. Hixson

Director

Languages spoken
English | German | Spanish

About Michael

Michael is a director in the Litigation Practice Group based in our Böblingen office.

He has substantial expertise in global product liability defence, e-discovery, class action defence, regulatory and recall obligations, implementing corporate document management/retention programmes and advising on cross-border legal issues involving the taking of evidence outside of the US and the interface between US discovery obligations and EU data protection and privacy laws.

Experience

  • Representation of automotive manufacturers and suppliers in product liability litigation and regulatory matters worldwide, from notice of claim to settlement or trial.
  • Management of e-discovery projects involving litigation and internal compliance investigations.
  • Review of product labelling, marketing material and consumer information from a product liability perspective.

Credentials

Education
  • St. John's University, LLM in Bankruptcy Law
  • University of Mississippi, J.D.
  • Millsaps College, B.A., cum laude
Admissions
  • Registered Foreign Attorney at Law Stuttgart, 2005
  • New York, 2004
Memberships & Affiliations
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Phi Delta Phi International Legal Society

Expertise

Services
Litigation

Publications & Speaking Engagements

  • Co-Panelist, Round Table Discussion, Unleashing the Power of AI for Your Corporate E-discovery Processes, GeneralCounsel360 (22 February 2024).
  • Moderator, Round Table Discussion, E-discovery Best Practices and Compliance, GeneralCounsel360 (26 September 2024).
  • Co-Panelist, Global Litigation & E-Discovery ConfEx, The Impact of Data Privacy Regulations on Litigation and Arbitration Proceedings, GeneralCounsel360 (23 October 2024).
  • Co-Panelist, Panel Discussion: Best Practices in E-discovery and Compliance for Regulatory Investigations, GeneralCounsel360 (19 December 2024).
  • Co-author, with Katherine Jones, “Dispute in the United States,” Market Intelligence - Dispute Resolution 2019, Getting the Deal Through, May 2019.
  • Featured presenter, “The New State of the Art: Are YOU Leveraging eDiscovery Analytics?” DKN Networks, 5th Annual Litigation Summit, Berlin, March 3, 2017.
  • Co-presenter, „E-Discovery bei Kartellrechtsangelegenheiten: Beispiele und Lösungen aus der Praxis - Besser Sie wappnen sich jetzt!”, DKN Networks 4. Kartellrecht Summit 2015 (Berlin), 23 November 2015.
  • Co-presenter, “Expert Briefing: Die fabelhafte Geschichte von Big Data vom viktorianischen Internet bis heute”, AmCham Germany/Kroll Ontrack GmbH, 16. July 2015.
  • Presenter, “Counterfeit Products and Their Effect on Product Liability Claims”, Product Liability Forum, British Institute of International and Comparative Law (London, UK), March 2013.
  • Co-author, “Duty to Warn of Fire Risk Due to Spontaneous Combustion”, International Law Office, Product Liability Germany, February 2013.
  • Co-author, “Liability With Respect to Vehicle Fire”, International Law Office, Product Liability Germany, October 2012.
  • Co-author, “Damages for “Creeping Defect” Under the German Product Liability Act?” International Law Office, Product Liability Germany, January 2012.
  • Co-author, Germany Chapter, “The International Comparative Legal Guide to Class and Group Actions (2012 Ed.)”, Global Legal Group Ltd, November 2011.
  • Co-author, “Munich Court Rules on Exploding Wine Bottle,” International Law Office, Product Liability Germany, October 2011.
  • Author, “Recent Legislation Concerning Jurisdiction Over Foreign Manufacturers”, Strictly Speaking: The Newsletter of the DRI Product Liability Committee, Vol. 7, Issue 1, March 2010.
  • Author, “Legislative Update: Protectionism on the Rise? Recent Attempts to Require Foreign Manufacturers to Post Bond, Assent to Jurisdiction in US Courts”, AmCham Commerce Germany Update, March 2009.
  • Presenter, “The Wild, Wild West: The Americanization of Class Action Lawsuits in the European Union”, DRI Product Liability Conference: Product Liability in the Global Economy (Phoenix, Arizona), 6. February 2008.
  • Author, “Recent Developments in EU Representative Action Law”, Strictly Speaking: The Newsletter of the DRI Product Liability Committee, Vol. 2, Issue 4, November 2007.
  • Interview, “Different Software in Our Brains: US Lawyers in Baden-Württemberg”, Accents Magazine, October 2006.