August Debouzy assists an impressive client base, comprising many of France’s top companies, as well as many large international groups, from various industries including technology, energy, public infrastructure, hospitality and manufacturing. The team is frequently instructed to assist with risk mapping work and implementation of compliance programmes, spanning anti-corruption, duty of vigilance and ESG requirements. It has a strong know-how in the field of Sapin II anti-corruption compliance and corresponding AFA (French Anticorruption Agency)-led audits. The practice is also a popular choice to advise on international sanctions. The strong team is co-headed by France’s former Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, Astrid Mignon Colombet and Benjamin van Gaver. Olivier Attias and Valérie Munoz-Pons, who were promoted to the partnership in 2023, are other key names.

Clifford Chance is routinely engaged by many leading French and international companies, spanning various industries (defence, retail, manufacturing), as well as some financial institutions. It assists with the setting up of compliance programmes and risk mapping in relation to French anti-corruption, anti-bribery, ethics and anti-money laundering legal requirements. The team also assists clients facing audits from the French Anti-corruption Agency. Recently, the practice has also been sought out to advise on US, UK and EU sanctions and has been retained to act as a monitor by an international institution. The practice is co-headed by Thomas Baudesson and the excellent Charles-Henri Boeringer. The team also includes counsel Sophie Levy and Dominique Laymand, who joined as counsel in early 2022 from a previous role at Ipsen as chief ethics and social responsibility officer.

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP's Paris team assists a prominent client base of French and international groups, and can rely on complementary state-of-the-art US capabilities. The practice advises on the setting up of compliance programmes (anti-corruption, money laundering, sanctions, human rights) and also has experience assisting clients with compliance follow-up work requested after the signing of judicial settlements with US authorities, such as conducting global risk assessments of convicted companies. The practice also regularly conducts internal investigations. Additionally, the team also a strong domestic practice, assisting companies with the setting up of French compliance programmes and AFA-led audits. The team is led by Bryan Sillaman and includes the highly regarded Michael Huneke, Anne Gaustad, Nicolas Tollet; and counsels Marie-Agnès Nicolas and new arrival Edouard Gergondet, who joined from Mayer Brown in July 2022.

Norton Rose Fulbright’s range of expertise spans anti-corruption, human rights, ESG and international sanctions issues. The firm assists a prominent client base, including many of France’s leading companies as well as international multinationals, specialising in various areas such as retail, energy, car manufacturing and food. The team provides assistance with the implementation of compliance programmes and assists with various regulators’ (notably AFA) compliance audits. It also helps to conduct internal investigations following the emergence of suspicions of corruption, fraud, moral harassment and other sensitive issues, often concerning clients’ activities abroad. Recently, the team has been entrusted to provide guidance on Russia-related risk sanctions. The highly regarded Christian Dargham is the practice head.

White & Case LLP’s highly experienced team is able to guide clients through a large of array of compliance issues, such as international sanctions, anti-money laundering requirements and compliance monitoring. The firm has a strong presence among leading financial institutions, which it advises on high-profile work including assisting them before the French banking regulator and the French Anti-corruption Agency. The team also assists leading corporations with compliance issues as well as during AFA compliance investigations. The practice also has strong experience assisting clients with conducting internal investigations pertaining to a range of accusations. Jean-Pierre Picca and Jean-Lou Salha are the practice heads. Ludovic Malgrain left the firm at the end of 2022.

Litigation boutique Bougartchev Moyne Associés has strong compliance expertise, encompassing anti-corruption, anti-money laundering and banking regulations. The firm assists a highly prominent client base, featuring many of France’s leading names, notably in the areas of defence and transport. The group assists with the implementation of compliance programmes as well as dealing with compliance audits led by the AFA and other financial regulators. The practice is also called upon to conduct compliance audits during M&A transactions, as well as internal investigations following risks or allegations of corruption or bribery acts committed in France or abroad. Kiril Bougartchev, Emmanuel Moyne and Geoffroy Goubin are the practice heads.

Dechert LLP is able to provide all-round support in relation to anti-corruption, ESG, anti-bribery, anti-money laundering, whistleblowing and data privacy issues. The Paris team combines French and UK expertise and assists clients facing regulatory investigations in the respective countries. The team also offers preventive support in the form of compliance programmes and training. It regularly assists clients with the conduct of internal investigations. The client base includes French and international corporations, as well as executives. The practice is co-headed by the highly experienced Karen Coppens, litigator Jacques Sivignon and employment law expert Philippe Thomas, who also advises on data privacy issues.

Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I. is particularly experienced in assisting companies with the conduct of internal investigations in relation to corruption, money laundering, breach of international sanctions and duty of vigilance obligations. The firm has recently assisted a wide range of French and international companies, predominantly in the energy sector, in a range of matters, notably linked to the activities of clients’ subsidiaries in China, Africa and the Middle East. The team also advises on the setting up of compliance programmes and assists clients during compliance audits led by AFA or other financial services regulators. The group also provides support to the M&A practice in the conduct of due diligence compliance work on potential M&A targets. The compliance team also features strong complementary white-collar crime and data privacy expertise. Sophie Scemla and Bruno Quentin jointly head the team with Jean-Philippe Pons-Henry, whose main focus lies in the financial industry. The firm is one of the few in France to have an in-house financial forensics expert in Stéphanie Philippe who joined in January 2022; she previously worked as a controller for the Public Interest Entities division of the French High Council of Statutory Auditors.

Jones Day's Paris practice assists many leading French and international companies, including blue-chip names in the telecoms, IT and energy sectors. The team provides strong guidance on risk mapping and compliance in the field of anti-corruption and is also entrusted to assist with the conduct of internal investigations following the emergence of suspicions or allegations of bribery, corruption, fraud and other criminal offences committed in France or abroad. The practice, which can also rely on a strong global network, also handles more domestic issues, including assisting clients during AFA compliance audits. White-collar criminal law expert Bénédicte Graulle heads the practice, with counsel Vincent Ohannessian and associate Jérémy Attali providing key support. Compliance expertise in the fields of competition, employment and product safety are also offered by the wider French team.

Bredin Prat advises on anti-corruption and duty of vigilance compliance work. The team assists with the setting up of compliance programmes and conducts compliance due diligence audits during M&A transactions. Other work includes acting for clients facing AFA-led investigations, including assisting a French company before the AFA enforcement committee. White-collar criminal law specialists Eric Dezeuze and Guillaume Pellegrin are the practice heads.

De Gaulle Fleurance & Associés has a strong roster of corporate and financial services clients. The firm notably assists with the establishment and review of Sapin II anti-corruption and whistleblowing procedures. The practice has also been in demand recently for advice on EU and US sanctions in relation to Russia, as well as advising several clients on Russian sanctions imposed on EU companies. The practice also assists clients with the conduct of internal investigations and also has strong data privacy compliance expertise. The team recently strengthened its expertise in the financial regulatory and anti-money laundering compliance fields through the partner promotion of Albane Lancrenon and the hirings in 2022 of Anne Maréchal, who joined from the AMF, and banking expert Cyril Tour from Baker McKenzie. Matthieu Dary, Pierrick Le Goff , Thierry Titone and François Zochetto co-head the compliance practice. Aurélien Chardeau also contributes, notably on the anti-money laundering side.

Latham & Watkins‘ practice head Fabrice Fages has extensive experience advising companies on dealing with various corruption and bribery accusations, including conducting internal investigations. The team also advises on the setting up of anti-corruption, code of ethics and whistleblowing programmes and policies. The firm also houses complementary compliance expertise in the fields of antitrust and employment law.

UGGC Avocats' public law department is also well known among leading private and public-sector operators for its strong know-how in the field of French anti-corruption (Sapin II) compliance. The team also advises clients on other compliance issues linked to public procurement contracts. Practice head Thierry Dal Farra and Franck Lepron are the key names in the practice. The firm also has complementary data, competition and employment law compliance capabilities.