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Dr Tim Nikolas Müller

Partner

Tim heads our German White-Collar Defense and Criminal Compliance practice.

He is highly experienced in advising companies on a broad range of criminal matters, including bribery, embezzlement, fraud, insider dealing, money laundering, and tax evasion cases. Together with his team, he has successfully defended various companies and senior executives in complex criminal and administrative offence proceedings. 
 
Tim also has very extensive experience in conducting internal investigations. He has led several high-profile compliance reviews across a wide variety of suspected misconduct, both domestically and cross-border. In addition, Tim specialises in assisting companies in the implementation and improvement of compliance management systems, such as in the areas of anti-bribery, anti-money laundering, and sanctions laws and regulations. He has a wealth of experience in conducting compliance due diligences, having advised buy-side and sell-side clients on more than 50 M&A transactions to date. 
 
Tim is widely recognized as a leading practitioner in his field. Germany's renowned legal directory JUVE features him as a "frequently recommended" lawyer for compliance investigations, Legal 500 lists him among the "names of the next generation" for internal investigations in Germany, and German business news magazine WirtschaftsWoche ranks him as a "top lawyer for compliance". 

 

Experience

Representative matters

Conducting an internal investigation for a global financial services group into cum/ex transactions against the background of criminal proceedings conducted by a German Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Advising and defending an international real-estate project development company in cross-border criminal proceedings into allegations of tax evasion conducted by a German Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Advising an international e-commerce company on the design and implementation of a comprehensive compliance management system, including in respect of a code of conduct, anti-bribery and corruption, anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing, and sanctions issues.

Conducting a cross-border internal investigation for a German life sciences company into suspicions of bribery and fraud in connection with the company’s international business activities.

Advising a German traffic and mobility company on the design and implementation of a comprehensive compliance management system, including in respect of ESG, anti-harassment, human rights and modern slavery, and whistleblowing issues.

 

 

Recognition

'A distinguished white-collar crime lawyer. The cooperation has been excellent.', client; ranked as one of the 'names of the next generation'
Legal 500 Germany (Internal Investigations), 2024
'very high level of legal know-how, pragmatic solutions', 'smart, keeps the company’s defence interests in mind', competitor; ranked as a 'frequently recommended lawyer'
JUVE Handbook 2023/2024 (Compliance Investigations), 2024

Qualifications

Admissions

Rechtsanwalt, Germany, 2013

Academic

Second State Exam, Law, Germany, 2012

Dr iur, University of Freiburg, Germany, 2010

Magister Juris, University of Oxford, UK, 2007

First State Exam, Law, Germany, 2005

Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.