Matthias Götz

Focus Areas

Implementing GDPR and EU Data Act requirements

Drafting, reviewing and negotiating data protection, data sharing, and data use related contracts

Providing guidance on strategies for transferring personal data internationally

Advising on data protection aspects of corporate transactions

Advising on automotive specific data protection and data law matters

Advising on sports sector related data protection and data law matters

Offering services as data protection officer

Matthias Goetz, LL.M. (Cambridge)

Admitted to practise law in Germany (Rechtsanwalt) and England & Wales (Solicitor), Matthias Goetz advises national and international companies on German, English and European data (protection) law. He is a Certified Information Privacy Professional/Europe (CIPP/E).

Before co-founding the law firm Nikol & Goetz, Matthias worked for several years in a leading international law firm in London providing strategic and practical advice on data protection law to his clients. His practice includes, inter alia, negotiating complex data protection, data sharing and data use related agreements under German or English law and advising on the cross-border transfer of data.

In addition to German clients, Matthias also advises numerous multinational and international companies and organisations from various jurisdictions around the world, including from the European Union, United Kingdom, USA, India and the United Arab Emirates. These companies and organisations include, inter alia, multinational automobile manufacturers, organisations from the professional sports sector, leading tech companies, and various innovative start-ups.

In July 2022, Matthias was selected by Paris Place de Droit as one of 20 “Rising Stars in the International Legal Profession.” In addition, he was recognised by the F.A.Z. Institute as one of Germany’s leading lawyers in IT and data protection law (TOP Lawyer 2026).

Matthias regularly speaks at events and gives lectures on data (protection) law and publishes articles in leading data protection and data law journals.

Bars and Courts

  • Rechtsanwalt (Germany)
  • Solicitor (England & Wales)

Work Experience and Education

  • Co-founder of and Partner at Nikol & Goetz
  • Worked for several years as Rechtsanwalt and Solicitor (England & Wales) in the London office of White & Case LLP, a leading international law firm
  • LL.M., University of Cambridge (UK)
  • Certified Information Privacy Professional/Europe (CIPP/E)
  • During his legal clerkship, worked at the Higher Regional Court of Karlsruhe and in the Munich and London offices of Noerr LLP, a leading German law firm
  • Legal studies at the University of Freiburg (Germany) and at National Law School of India University (Bangalore, India).
  • During his studies, worked numerous years as a research assistant at the Chair of Intellectual Property Law at the University of Freiburg (Prof. Dr. M. Haedicke, LL.M).

Speaking Engagements and Events

  • „The Data Act and its Application in the Automotive Industry“, R&W Fachkonferenzen, Frankfurt a. M., Germany (July 3, 2025)
  • “Digitalisation in Sport Organisations: Current Developments in the Field of Data Law“, Sports Law Summit, Frankfurt a. M., Germany (September 26, 2024)
  • „Data Utilisation and Data Protection: The Relationship between GDPR, Data Act and Data Governance Act“, Stiftung Datenschutz – Datenschutz am Mittag, Germany (December 14, 2023)
  • Referenced in the newspaper journal „Digitalwende” of the Süddeutsche Zeitung on the topic of “Data Act: Seeking Legal Clarity”, Munich, Germany (December 14, 2023)
  • „Data Act: Relationship with the GDPR and Opportunities and Risks for the Bundesliga”, Meeting of the data protection officers of the football clubs of the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga, Hamburg, Germany (November 28, 2023)
  • „Data Contracts and the Conflict between the Data Act and the GDPR”, Annual Conference of the DGRI 2023, Hamburg, Germany (November 24, 2023)
  • Guest in episode #25 of Stefan Graf’s podcast Dreisheiten (September 3, 2023)
  • „Meeting of the data protection officers of the football clubs of the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga”, Moderator and Organiser, Freiburg, Germany (March 28 & 29, 2023)
  • „Data Protection and Antitrust“, 8th National Conference on Economics of Competition Law, Competition Commission of India, Delhi, India (March 3, 2023)
  • Selected as one of 20 Rising Stars from the legal profession across various jurisdictions by Paris Place de Droit and participation in the Paris Place de Droit Summer Camp 2022, Paris, France (July 2022)
  • Lecturer at the Verwaltungs- und Wirtschafts-Akademie (VWA) Freiburg for the course “Betriebliche*r Datenschutzbeauftragte*r“ (transl. Company Data Protection Officer)
  • „From PDP Bill, 2019 to Data Protection Bill, 2021 and Beyond – A Roundtable Discussion”, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, Delhi, India (January 19, 2022)
  • „Why should US businesses care about EU data protection law?” Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA, USA (February 6, 2018)
  • „Data Protection from a Transatlantic Perspective: How Private are EU Citizens’ Data?”, Harvard Center for European Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA (February 6, 2018)
  • „Ensuring GDPR compliance, Computing’s Cybersecurity Strategy Briefing (for the financial sector), London, UK (October 19, 2017)
  • „Introduction to IP law for science students”, Blackett Society, Magdalene College, University of Cambridge, UK (November 27, 2015)

Representative Publications

Memberships

Contact Details

  • Phone: +49 (0) 761 / 22604
  • Email: matthias.goetz@nikolgoetz.com
  • For encryption of electronic communication, you can find our public key (PGP) in the Legal Information section.
Dr. Dominik Nikol