Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton is a great fit for leading French and international banks, financial institutions and corporations that turn to the firm for their high-stakes tax fraud, money laundering, and corruption cases, while also representing individuals. The team, whose areas of expertise also encompass commercial litigation and compliance, is regularly involved in prominent domestic cases as well as matters involving various parts of the world, including Brazil, Africa and the US. The practice is co-led by Jean-Yves Garaud and Delphine Michot. Guillaume de Rancourt left the firm in 2025.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Client satisfaction: NPS ®
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Jean-Yves Garraud is of the highest caliber, thanks to his profound understanding of the issues at stake in a case and he is extremely courteous.’
- ‘This team, composed of both senior and junior staff, is characterized by its great flexibility and it is highly experienced in international litigation. Its use of technology, particularly video conferencing, allows for joint working meetings under optimal conditions.’
- ‘Jean-Yves Garaud: very pragmatic and effective, is great strategist.'
- ‘The team provides strong legal acumen along with the depth to understand complex fact patterns. The partners stand out for their ability to present to senior executives and boards while the associates can be relied upon to do excellent work without the partners having to spend significant time on the day to day.’
- ‘A very good team, very technical and particularly relevant for cases involving companies in the banking sector as well as multi-jurisdictional cases (especially those involving the United States).’
Key clients
- Royal Bank of Canada
Work highlights
Advised Royal Bank of Canada Trust Company (Bahamas) Limited (“RBCTC”) on its criminal defence in the so-called Wildenstein matter, in which RBCTC is charged with complicity to engage in tax evasion in relation to trust services.
Advised the bondholders of Agripole, the holding company of William Saurin, a French food-industry group, which was placed in liquidation proceedings after the discovery of major account manipulations, on the criminal investigation regarding this fraud.
Advised three EDF consultants on investigations regarding consulting activities of the defendants.
Practice head
Jean-Yves Garaud; Delphine Michot; Aude Dupuis