Business criminal law & general criminal law

Presentation

The growing legal scrutiny of business life exposes legal entities and their executives to ever greater criminal risks. Our team leverages extensive experience in litigation and criminal defence to help clients anticipate, manage, and protect their interests effectively.

Criminal law affects all areas of economic activity and has become a major instrument in the competition between market players. Whether proceedings are initiated by French or foreign authorities, triggered by competitors, employees or activists, criminal exposure is now a key factor in every strategic decision.

Our firm brings together a multidisciplinary team able to advise and defend companies and their executives across all areas of business criminal law: corporate criminal law, financial and securities offences, tax, competition, consumer, media, employment, compliance, environmental law, and more.

Through our cross-disciplinary approach and recognised defence practice, we support our clients at every stage:

Upstream, through the prevention of criminal risk (training, audits, drafting of internal procedures, review of documents and contractual clauses);
Downstream, through defence in the context of proceedings (investigations, judicial inquiries, Negotiation of settlements with the Public Prosecutor’s Office (Judicial Public Interest Agreement – CJIP, Guilty Plea Procedure – CRPC)

Our objective: to deliver a strategic, technical and responsive defence tailored to the operational and sectoral realities of our clients.

Whether the company is under investigation or acting as a victim, we provide both advisory and litigation support:

Related distinctions 4

ADVISORY

Criminal risk prevention audits: document review, assessment of potential transfers of criminal liability, identification of criminal offences, drafting of contractual clauses, etc.
Structuring of reporting lines and delegations of authority among governing, supervisory and control bodies, executive management and operational departments.
Implementation of ethics and integrity programmes, action plans and internal policies to contain criminal risk: risk mapping, Sapin II anti-corruption programme, economic sanctions policy, gifts and hospitality policy, conflict-of-interest management procedures, etc.
Training for corporate officers and exposed personnel: simulations, preparation for searches or hearings, crisis management exercises, training on whistleblowing procedures and the conduct of internal investigations, etc.
Management of reputational aspects: coordination with crisis communication agencies, review and drafting of press releases, assistance in preparing key messaging, etc.

INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS

Assistance in managing internal investigations: defining scope, allocating resources, forming dedicated teams, conducting interviews, etc.
Collaboration with partner firms (forensic or business intelligence companies).
Determination of the outcome of the internal investigation: closure, voluntary disclosure to the authorities, liability action, disciplinary sanction, removal of executives, termination of contracts, etc.
Legal qualification of facts identified during the internal investigation.

DEFENCE

Representation and defence at all stages of criminal proceedings (preliminary investigation, judicial inquiry, criminal court proceedings).
Negotiation of settlements with the Public Prosecutor’s Office (Judicial Public Interest Agreement – CJIP, Guilty Plea Procedure – CRPC).
Civil litigation for damages.
Management of disputes arising from internal investigations (disciplinary sanctions, removal of executives, termination of contracts, etc.).
Coordination with foreign counsel in multi-jurisdictional matters and management of defence teams.
Monitoring of sentences and their enforcement.
Management of reputational aspects.

Recongnitions

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