Compliance & Investigations
We excel in providing bespoke, strategic advice. Our 360-degree approach helps us focus on your interests. This enables us to guide you safely, even through complex, cross-border situations.
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interdisciplinary team with 360-degree approach to advice (health checks)Frequently recommended by leading directories such as JUVE, Chambers Europe, Legal 500
Develop IT-based solutions – tailored to meet your need
Acting as a proactive and strategic partner, we assist you in the introduction and further development of an effective compliance management system tailored to the specific needs of your company.
If you are faced with a suspected breach, we can provide you with discreet and effective support when planning and conducting internal investigations. You can draw upon our many years of experience in investigating complex national and international cases and in dealing with prosecution and supervisory authorities.
Our team of compliance specialists is always ready to assist you. We have advisors with the expertise necessary for your projects, i.e. specialist knowledge in company, competition, employment and criminal law as well as in public commercial law and the areas of foreign trade, technical compliance and product liability. Benefit from our expertise on current developments, for example in the field of digital transformation or ESG compliance.
Our services
Compliance management systems
- Designing and developing compliance management systems; drafting guidelines and work instructions
- Implementing compliance management systems across company groups and adapting them to reflect the local situation
- Improving existing compliance management systems and modifying them to keep pace with new legal requirements and technical and digital progress, particularly in the field of technical compliance
- Preparing and carrying out seminars and other training
- Conducting compliance audits
Internal investigations
- Preparing, coordinating and implementing internal investigations in Germany and abroad
- Investigating complex cases involving suspected breaches using structured and efficient fact-finding
- Preparing and conducting employee interviews
- Securing evidence admissible in court
- Communicating with committees and stakeholders
- Representing clients in dealings with prosecution and supervisory authorities in Germany and abroad
Product compliance
- Carrying out extensive investigations as part of a legal-tech risk assessment
- Providing support in the case of global product recalls, including handling communications with authorities
- Representing our clients in liability disputes in and out-of-court as well as against public authorities in administrative proceedings
Providing strategic advice to committees in connection with compliance incidents
- Advising companies, governing bodies and their members on responding to suspected or actual compliance breaches
- Advising on project and crisis management
- Providing support regarding public relations and reputation management
- Evaluating and improving compliance management systems
- Safeguarding and enforcing (compensation) claims against members of governing bodies, employees and third parties
Defending clients in white-collar crime and tax-related criminal proceedings
- Defending clients in tax-related criminal investigations and administrative fine proceedings inside and outside of Germany
- Defending clients in penalty proceedings
- Representing clients in confiscation proceedings and other measures to recover assets
- Advising and representing clients in voluntary declaration, crown witness and other leniency proceedings
- Representing clients before investigative committees
- Coordinating criminal-defence proceedings instituted against companies and individuals
- Managing investigations and parallel administrative, tax and civil proceedings
- Advising and representing clients before administrative, supervisory and regulatory authorities
Selected projects
- Commerzbank
Investigating the management board’s responsibility for penalty payments in the US; reviewing the facts and advising the supervisory board - DAX-40-Unternehmen
Representing the company in investigations carried out by the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission into allegations of corruption in the export trade in several countries, (including assisting in internal investigations and advising the management board - Deutsche Börse Group
Advising the stock exchange in a case of suspected insider dealing by a previous management board chair; assessing the facts and advising the advisory board - DAX-40-Unternehmen
Advising the company in connection with allegations of misconduct in communications by a member of the management board; investigating the facts, analysing the legal position and making recommendations for action - Deutsche Bahn
Conducting various internal investigations - DAX-40-Unternehmen
Advising the management board regarding accusations of possible gender and sexual discrimination of employees by other employees; investigating the facts and developing targeted strategies - Company in the online services industry
Advising the company in connection with allegations of sexual misconduct against a member of the management board; investigating the facts and analysing the legal position - Logistics company
Advising the management board on how to optimise the company’s corporate governance structure, including preparing an analysis of the existing structure and developing a “go-forward” strategy - Logistics company
Advising the management board on tax issues - Board member of a listed consumer goods producer
Defending the client in an investigation initiated due to suspected accounting and tax offences - Board member of an energy company
Defending the client in investigations into alleged insolvency offences related to the (partial) restructuring and collapse of a group of companies - Consumer goods retailer
Providing ongoing advice to our client to enable it to establish a compliance structure that meets the requirements of the German Act on Corporate Due Diligence Obligations in Supply Chains; revising the client’s general terms and conditions of purchase and preparing a suppliers’ code of conduct for it - Listed industrial company
Advising the company in connection with the use of outside personnel; investigating the facts as well as assessing the criminal and tax implications; dealing with the competent authorities - International industrial company
Providing wide-ranging advice on an internal trade compliance system, e.g. on risk management, the issue of outsourcing important processes to third countries and the classification of software for applications in the field of autonomous driving as well as handling communication with authorities on sanctions issues - Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH
Defending the client in investigations in Germany and Austria into suspected corruption and fraud in connection with arms dealing - Internet trader
Providing criminal law advice to an internet trader in a dispute relating to click remuneration with service providers and internet brokerage platforms - MDAX group
Representing the group in internal investigations into suspected corruption and managing voluntary declaration and leniency proceedings in Germany, Austria, France and Brazil - Textile company
Representing a textile company that fell victim to alleged industrial espionage by investigating the facts and asserting the company’s interests in criminal and civil proceedings both in Germany and abroad - Boxine GmbH
Advising the company on product compliance in Europe and advising it on product liability law for its launch in the US market - Sto SE Co KGaA
Providing legal-tech advice to the company to ensure that construction products that it distributes comply with regulatory requirements in Germany and abroad - Global manufacturer of kitchen and household appliances as well as home textiles
Providing guidance in connection with a global recall of a consumer product in the home textiles sector, including handling the official notification procedures within and outside of Europe. - GEMU Gebrueder Mueller Apparatebau GmbH und Co KG
Providing legal advice in relation to an international safety campaign for an industrial component with high safety-relevance; implementing and coordinating the necessary official notification procedures in Germany and abroad - Technology company
Advising the company on criminal and administrative fine proceedings due to Brexit-related violations of export controls; assisting it in the continued improvement of its internal compliance programme - Well-known aircraft manufacturer
Defending the company and managing the defence of employees accused of wrongdoing during investigations into a plane crash; defending the company in a damages lawsuit arising from the plane crash
Share
“Very good understanding of what makes the client different; focused, quick to understand, able to handle complex matters, well-structured and absolutely trustworthy.”
Legal 500 Deutschland, 2021Insights
“Strong team covering a breadth of compliance issues, with a particular focus on internal and external investigations as well as compliance management systems.”
Chambers Europe, 2021 Well
informed
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