Michael E. Maxwell

Mike practices in the areas of high-exposure personal injury litigation and business litigation. He has been lead trial and appellate counsel on behalf of corporations and insurance companies in major injury and wrongful death cases involving claims of negligence, product liability, and labor law violations. He has extensive experience in state and Federal courts throughout the country. He has handled numerous lawsuits arising out of product recalls and provides advice to businesses on mitigating recall risk. He also counsels corporations on a variety of product liability issues, including adequacy of warnings and labels.

Mike has broad experience in business litigation matters, including contract actions, shareholder disputes, and business tort cases. He was previously the Litigation Practice Area Leader.

Much of Mike’s work in both business litigation and personal injury involves cross-border issues. He has been called as an expert witness in Ontario arbitration regarding New York State/Ontario conflicts of law.

Mike also serves as the firm's Chief Talent Officer.  As CTO, Mike works closely with the Board, Practice Area Leaders and others to recruit talented attorneys to help strengthen and grow the firm’s client service capabilities.  Among other responsibilities, Mike works with committees charged with professional development, well-being, diversity, evaluations, and other programs intended to make Hodgson Russ an exceptional place to work.

Mike exclusively practices U.S. law and is admitted to practice in New York. 

• Listed, Best Lawyers in America "Lawyer of the Year" (Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants) 2023
• Listed, Best Lawyers in America (Commercial Litigation; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants) 2013 - 2023
• Listed, Upstate New York Super Lawyers (Business Litigation) 2010 - 2022
• Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, 2017 - 2018
• Business First/Buffalo Law Journal Who's Who in Law, 2008

• Defense Research Institute
• Western New York Trial Lawyers’ Association board of directors

• Bar Association of Erie County

• Ontario Bar Association

• Chair, Health Management Group, Ltd. board of directors
• Member and former chair, Horizon Health Services, Inc. board of directors
• Member and former chair, Horizon Village, Inc. board of directors
• Member, Buffalo Seminary board of trustees
• Former chair, Suicide Prevention and Crisis Service, Inc. board of directors