Maxwell is a seasoned transactional attorney with over a decade of experience. He is a creative problem solver with a passion for delivering exceptional solutions to clients across various industries. He achieves this through the implementation of an interdisciplinary approach.
While Maxwell’s practice is concentrated primarily in four areas – entertainment and media law; corporate and business law; mergers and acquisitions; and commercial real estate – he has developed a diverse skill set and a track record of success in multiple practice areas. With a comprehensive understanding of business dynamics and a keen eye for detail, Maxwell facilitates smooth and successful transactions.
Within his entertainment and media law practice, Maxwell counsels and assists marketing and branding agencies, freelancers, new media and social media influencers, production companies, fashion designers, artists, entertainers, technology companies, the hospitality industry, and other creative-industry professionals with all aspects of their art form and their business – from advising on general business and intellectual property matters, to assisting with ancillary business and legal needs.
He often represents privately held businesses in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and other major transactions. In addition, he has a broad corporate and business practice where he provides legal and business counselling for clients who want to start, manage, transfer, or exit a business or who may need LLCs, corporations, partnerships and related contracts and agreements to help them do so. This frequently includes contract drafting and interpretation; corporate governance, regulation, and compliance; review, negotiation, and documentation of financing arrangements; drafting opinion letters; and various nonprofit organization matters. Maxwell also has experience in commercial real estate transactions where he represents clients with real estate acquisitions, sales, leasing, and licensing. From startups to established enterprises, Maxwell provides strategic counsel to support business growth and mitigate risk.
Driven by a commitment to excellence and client satisfaction, Maxwell prioritizes building strong, collaborative relationships with clients. He takes the time to understand each client’s unique goals, challenges, and concerns, crafting tailored legal solutions that align with their objectives and deliver tangible results.
Maxwell was voted for inclusion in the inaugural 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, and again for the 2022, 2023 and 2024 editions. An honor based on rigorous peer review and achieved by less than 1% of all practicing attorneys nationwide.
He serves as one of the firm’s Meritas lawyer contacts and is a member of the firm’s Diversity Committee and Technology Committee.
Maxwell routinely speaks and writes on matters related to his practice areas.
In addition to his own practice areas, through his colleagues, he can offer to his clients the full array of services provided by the firm.
- Counsel businesses of all sizes, as well as individuals with major transactions, corporate governance matters, a variety of contract drafting and interpretation matters, and day-to-day legal and business affairs.
- Assist clients with the selection, structure, and formation of business entities, including operational matters and ongoing entity counseling (Limited Liability Companies, Corporations for profit and nonprofit, Limited Partnerships, etc.) as well as the pursuit of certifications with respect to business diversity (i.e., disadvantaged and minority, women, veteran, or LGBTQ -owned business enterprises) and IRS tax-exempt status with respect to non-profit corporations.
- Represent clients with both stock and asset purchase and sale transactions.
- Draft, negotiate, and review entertainment and media industry agreements, including but not limited to, filming location agreements, advertising industry agreements, writer engagement agreements, film financing arrangements, licensing agreements, and multiple rights deals.
- Represent and advise borrowers and financial institutions in commercial lending transactions, ranging in dollar value from tens of thousands to hundreds of millions, including drafting, negotiating, and reviewing loan agreements, and ancillary loan documents.
- Represent and advise individuals, businesses, developers, and investors in all facets of real estate acquisition, investment, and development, including drafting, negotiating, and reviewing purchase and sale agreements, and ancillary acquisition agreements.
- Draft, negotiate, and review office, retail, and industrial leases and ancillary occupancy license and access agreements on behalf of landlords and tenants.
- Draft and review master service agreements, terms and conditions, terms of service, and statements of work, as well as software licensing agreements.
- Conduct due diligence examinations in connection with business acquisitions and title and survey examinations in connection with real property acquisitions.
- Included in Best Lawyers of America® 2025 Ones to Watch list for Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law, and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Included in Best Lawyers of America® 2024 Ones to Watch list for Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law, and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Included in Best Lawyers of America® 2023 Ones to Watch list for Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law, and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Included in Best Lawyers of America® 2022 Ones to Watch list for Corporate Law and Mergers & Acquisitions Law
- Included in Best Lawyers of America® 2021 Ones to Watch list for Mergers & Acquisitions Law
- 2019 inductee into the Allegheny County Bar Foundation, Young Lawyer Fellows Program
- CALI Excellence for the Future Award (highest grade) in Advertising Law Practice, Southwestern Law School
- Edward Sell Distinguished Service Award, Washington & Jefferson College
- Diversity Committee, Meyer Unkovic & Scott LLP
- Technology Committee, Meyer Unkovic & Scott LLP
- Cardozo Society, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh
- Innovating Commerce Serving Communities, formerly known as International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
- Allegheny County Bar Association
- Corporate, Banking & Business Law Section, Member
- Chair, 2020-2022
- Vice-Chair, 2019-2020
- Secretary & Treasurer, 2018 – 2019
- Young Lawyers Division, 2012-2023
- Membership Outreach Committee Co-Chair, 2019-2023
- Real Property Section
- Corporate, Banking & Business Law Section, Member
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section
- PBA E-Mentor Program, Mentor
- New York State Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Business Law Section
- Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries
- Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International
- The Washington & Jefferson Alumni Pre-Law Advisory Committee
- SteelTree Fund, Board Member
- Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Jack Heinz Advisory Board Member
- Children’s Trust Member of the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation
- Various Host Committees for the Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and the Allegheny County Parks Foundation
- Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia, Volunteer
- Pennsylvania
- California
- District of Columbia
- New York
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- J.D., Southwestern Law School, 2011
- Copy Editor & Senior Staff Writer, The Commentator
- B.A., Washington & Jefferson College, 2008
- Co-Presenter, “Business Practices & Considerations for a Healthy Business,” Institute for Entrepreneurial class presentation, September 18, 2024.
Webinar Presenter, “Freelancers, Solopreneurs, Entrepreneurs, and Consultants: How to Tackle Legal Issues and What to Look Out For” May 2, 2024.
Introduced Jeffrey B. Cohen, Esq., Attorney, Author and Retired Child Actor (most notably for his role as ‘Chunk’ in the cult Richard Donner/Steven Spielberg film The Goonies), in connection with his presentation “Chunk, Esq., From Belly Shaker to Deal Maker”, The Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence, University of Pittsburgh, April 25, 2024.
Webinar Presenter, Chatham University Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship, “Corporate Transparency Act – What You Need to Know” March 21, 2024.
Moderator, ICSC OKIMP Retail Development & Law Symposium, Columbus, Ohio, “Corporate Transparency Act – What it is and What to Expect” March 1, 2024.
- “Filming location agreements, an overview and approach,” Lawyers Journal, The Journal of the Allegheny County Bar Association, (25)20, October 6, 2023.
- “Name, Image, and Likeness in Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletics,” MUS Client Alert, August 14, 2023.
- Panelist, Founder Institute Pittsburgh, April 4, 2023.
- Podcast Guest, Smell Ya Later Podcast, “How do you trademark a scent?” March 28, 2023.
- “Breaking Down the Updates to Pennsylvania’s Associations Code” The Legal Intelligencer. March 9, 2023.
- Roundtable Leader, ICSC+U.S. Law, Orlando, Florida, on the topic, “Technology in Real Estate: Current Landscape & Emerging Trends,” October 28, 2022.
- “Operating Agreements: Why They Matter and What to Include” The Legal Intelligencer. October 13, 2022.
- Author of Filming Location Agreements: An Overview and Approach, published October 2022.
- CLE Presenter, PBI Day of Real Estate West 2022 on the topic “Filming Location Agreements – an Overview,” July 19, 2022.
- “The Growing Importance of ESG for Corporate Clients” The Legal Intelligencer. June 1, 2022.
- CLE Co-Presenter, Pittsburgh Paralegal Association on the topic, “Ethical Considerations of Sitting on a Non-Profit Board,” May 18, 2022.
- Panelist, 2022 Meritas Annual Meeting, London, England, “Moving Forward: Advancing DE&I in Our Firms & Profession,” May 6, 2022.
- “Important Considerations When Advising New Small Business Owners” The Legal Intelligencer. April 1, 2022.
- Roundtable Leader, ICSC OKIMP Retail Development & Law Symposium, Columbus, Ohio, on the topic, “The Impact of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) Requirements on Retail Real Estate and its Impact on Tenants, Leasing Requirements, and Store Operations,” March 18, 2022.
- “Maintaining Corporate Formalities Is an Essential Piece of Proper Business Operations” The Legal Intelligencer.
February 9. 2022. - CLE Co-Presenter, Meyer Unkovic & Scott LLP CLE, on the topic “Ethical Considerations of Sitting on a Non-Profit Board,” December 8, 2021.
- “Tax Advisory: Payment App Tax Rule Changes” MUS Blog. November 17, 2021.
- “Real Estate Advisory: City of Pittsburgh Rental Registration and Inspection Schedule Gains Final Approval” MUS Blog. November 5, 2021.
- “Buy/Sell Provisions Should Not Be Ignored: What to Consider When Drafting” The Legal Intelligencer. November 12, 2021.
- CLE Co-Presenter, Celesq West Legal Ed Center, “NFTs – How Do They Fit in the Existing Legal Framework?” August 24, 2021.
- “Managing the Transition as LIBOR’s End Looms” The Legal Intelligencer. July 19, 2021.
- “A Primer on NFTs: What Do You Really Own?” The Legal Intelligencer. May 26, 2021.
- Moderator, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, Cardozo Society Panel “What They Don’t Teach You in Law School,” Wednesday, May 19, 2021.
- “Contributions of the Jewish People to American Culture” MUS Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter, May 2021, Vol. 2 Issue 5.
- Roundtable Leader, ICSC OKIMP Retail Development & Law Symposium, Virtual, “What’s the Deal? Due Diligence Similarities and Differences in Real Estate Acquisitions vs. Corporate Acquisitions,” April 23, 2021.
- Panelist, Duquesne Law School Corporate Law Society Panel, April 7, 2021.
- “Continued Barriers to Racial and Gender Equity in the Legal Profession” MUS Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter, April 2021, Vol. 2 Issue 4.
- “PPP Loans in M&A Transactions: Assessing the Position and Allocating the Risk,” The Legal Intelligencer. March 25, 2021.
- “The Push for Board Diversification Will Continue – Don’t Be Left Behind,” The Legal Intelligencer. February 25, 2021.
- Co-Presenter, Allegheny County Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, “Things They Don’t Teach You in Law School, Session 2: Building Business,” February 18, 2021.
- CLE Webinar Co-Presenter, Meyer Unkovic Scott LLP, “COVID Talking Points Every Practitioner Should be Familiar With When Talking to Clients,” January 28, 2021.
- “A Year-End Legal Checklist for Corporations,” The Legal Intelligencer. November 6, 2020.
- “Visual Arts and Property Owners: Be VARA Careful,” Residential Resource. 31(10), 12, 32. Oct/Nov 2020 .
- “Client Advisory: Securities and Exchange Commission Modification to ‘Accredited Investor’ Definition,” MUS Client Advisory. September 28, 2020.
- CLE Webinar Presenter, Allegheny County Bar Association, “Force Majeure and Defenses to Contract Performance in the COVID Landscape,” July 24, 2020.
- “Sweepstakes, Contests and Lotteries: Businesses Win by Following the Rules,” The Legal Intelligencer. July 7, 2020.
- “Impossibility of performance – COVID-19 and ‘force majeure’,” Lawyers Journal, The Journal of the Allegheny County Bar Association, (22)9, April 24, 2020.
- CLE presenter, PBI Day on Real Estate Pittsburgh, on the topic, “Representing Clients in the Marijuana Business,” March 5, 2020.
- “Regulation A and Regulation Crowdfunding – What’s Best for Startups,” The Legal Intelligencer, March 2, 2020.
- Roundtable leader, ICSC OKIMP Retail Development & Law Symposium, Columbus, Ohio, on the topic, “Lights, Camera, Action! Filming Location Agreements and Shopping Centers,” February 28, 2020.
- “Filming Location Agreements: Lights, Camera…Negotiate…Action!” The Legal Intelligencer, February 7, 2020.
- “Real Estate Law Client Advisory: Thinking of Investing in Short-Term Rentals? Make Sure You Know the Local Laws,” MUS Blog. January 14, 2020.
- “Entertaining the Idea of Starting a Loan-Out Corporation,” The Legal Intelligencer. November 7, 2019.
- Roundtable leader, ICSC U.S. Law Conference, San Diego, California on the topic, “Repurposing Retail and Thinking Outside the Box: The Changing Landscape of Malls and Big Box Stores,” October 25, 2019.
- “Breaking Down Benefits and Burdens When Nonprofits Restructure,” The Legal Intelligencer. July 22, 2019.
- “What Venture Capitalists Are Looking for From a Startup,” The Legal Intelligencer. May 3, 2019.
- “Understanding Private Placement Memoranda and When to Use Them,” The Legal Intelligencer. March 12, 2019.
- “Demystifying Phantom Stock,” The Pittsburgh 100. February 26, 2019.
- “What to Remember as an Attorney Serving on a Nonprofit Board,” The Legal Intelligencer. October 17, 2018.
- CLE Co-Presenter, Alcoa/Arconic on the topic, “Ethical Considerations of Sitting on a Non-Profit Board,” August 23, 2018.
- “Business Workshop: Judge prevents Starbucks from closing 77 failing Teavana Stores,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 16, 2018.
- “Not Their Cup of Tea,” MUS Blog, January 3, 2018. “Starting a New Business in a World of Cyber Threats,” MUS Blog. September 26, 2017.
- “What’s Your Biggest Weakness?” At Issue, Pennsylvania Bar Association. Young Lawyers Division, Winter 2017.
- Hiring Character. Training Skill.” At Issue, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division. Fall 2016.
- “Dodging Disaster: Overcoming Disenchantment and Depression in the Legal Profession,” At Issue, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division. Fall 2016.
- “Exploring the Diversity of Books,” Summer’s in Session – What We’re Reading, The Pennsylvania Lawyer Magazine. 38(4), July/August 2016.
- “The Artificially Intelligent Lawyer,” At Issue, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division. Winter 2016.
- “No-Holds-Barred Exams,” At Issue, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division. Fall 2015.
- “Pros(e) and Con(versation)s,” At Issue, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division. Spring 2015.
- “A New Model for the Model Rules?” At Issue, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division. Winter 2014.
- “The Great Loan Languish,” At Issue, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division. Summer 2013.
- “Social Media and the Boss’s Orders,” At Issue, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division. Spring 2013.