White-collar defence and corporate crime
Credibility and authority when you need it most: the world's leading companies and financial institutions turn to Freshfields to help them manage corporate crime risk and respond to allegations, investigations and criminal prosecution.
Our international team represents multinational companies and financial institutions during multijurisdictional investigations relating to allegations of price fixing, securities and commodities fraud, insider trading, bribery, sanctions violations, money laundering, accounting fraud and market manipulation, cyber hacks, tax evasion and terrorist financing. We have been involved in some of the largest and most high-profile financial conduct and anti-bribery and corruption investigations in the world.
We also manage simultaneous internal investigations in several countries. We co-ordinate global logistics, develop defence strategy across jurisdictions, assess tactics with relevant government regulators and prosecutors, and lead fact-finding and discovery efforts across international borders.
Our team includes former senior prosecutors in the US, UK, Continental Europe and Asia who work with our experienced white-collar and criminal defence lawyers to give a sophisticated view of the risks our clients face and the options for addressing them.
Client successes
Representing one of the world’s largest banks in investigations by the US Department of Justice and Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the UK Financial Conduct Authority, the European Commission, and other state and national enforcement authorities into an alleged scheme to manipulate the setting of the Libor, Euribor and other benchmark rates.
Defending a major global bank in connection with parallel investigations by the US DOJ and SEC and UK FCA in connection with allegations of corruption, money laundering and fraud arising out of $2bn in failed infrastructure loans to Mozambique.
Obtaining an acquittal in a federal jury trial for Raoul Weil, former CEO of UBS Private Banking, for allegedly conspiring to assist US taxpayers evade billions of US taxes on assets secretly held in Switzerland.
Serving as trial counsel for the former CEO of a biopharmaceutical company charged with securities fraud and conspiracy in the Southern District of New York.
Representing a Hong Kong asset manager in a Securities and Futures Commission investigation into trading in various securities in Asia.
Awards & Recognitions
Ranked Band 1 Globally for Crisis Management – Chambers and Partners
Recognised for Corporate Investigations & White-Collar Criminal Defence by Legal 500
Ranked in the Top 15 firms for Global Investigations – Global Investigations Review
Ranked Band 1 for Corporate Crime & Investigations (Europe, UK, US) Chambers and Partners
Related capabilities
"[Freshfields] has an international capability to address complex issues in multiple jurisdictions."
"The firm has an extremely sophisticated, detail-oriented and strategic white-collar practice."
"Freshfields is at its best when the stakes are highest and pressure is greatest, because its lawyers are creative and aggressive, but always commercial."
“The corporate and white-collar investigations team is very strong, from the partners through the associates. They have terrific international capability for investigations nearly anywhere in the world.”
