After graduating with honours in 1974, he was selected as Victorian Rhodes Scholar for 1975, completing a Bachelor of Philosophy at Oxford University.
[2] In 1981, he became principal private secretary to ALP Senator Gareth Evans who was appointed as federal Attorney-General in 1983.
[2][5] He appeared with Julian Burnside QC in the Tampa refugee case, and was then famously but unsuccessfully countersued (as a board member of Liberty Victoria) by the Commonwealth of Australia for costs.
[6] In 2019, Maxwell heard the high profile County Court appeal of Cardinal George Pell against his conviction for the commission of sexual offences.
[7][8] During an appeal into a drug importation conviction by Tony Mokbel due to the actions of Nicola Gobbo in providing information to Victoria Police, Maxwell called the actions of Gobbo and others involved in her informing "disgraceful" and a "matter of profound importance".