Business criminal law.

Criminal law concerns situations in which conduct may constitute an offence for which a criminal penalty is incurred. This may be, for example, imprisonment, a fine, confiscation or a ban on managing a company or working in certain fields of activity. The stakes can therefore be particularly high.

This is particularly true in the business world and corporate life, owing to the proliferation of rules carrying criminal sanctions: criminal liability of directors, criminal employment law, criminal tax law, environmental criminal law, etc. In this capacity, the firm acts for institutional clients, company and association executives, public figures, local authorities and elected officials.

More broadly, the Criminal law department assists individuals and legal entities before all national criminal courts, whether they are being prosecuted or are victims of an offence.

Areas of expertise.

Breaches of probity

Breaches of probity encompass a set of criminal offences designed to protect the integrity of the functioning of public or private institutions and to ensure the integrity of economic actors (misuse of corporate assets, breach of trust, fraud) and political actors (corruption, influence peddling, extortion by public officials, unlawful taking of interest). They penalise the conduct of persons who, by reason of their office, profession or mission, abuse the authority or influence at their disposal to enrich themselves personally or to procure an unfair advantage for others.

Breaches of probity can have serious consequences for businesses and for the economy as a whole, and they can trigger major political crises when committed by elected officials.

The firm assists public and private actors who are alleged perpetrators or victims of breaches of probity.

Economic offences

Economic offences encompass a set of criminal offences designed to protect the economic public order and to ensure the proper functioning of markets. They penalise the conduct of economic actors who, through illegal practices, harm the financial interests of the State, businesses or consumers.

The firm particularly assists alleged perpetrators or victims of financial or competition offences.

Financial criminal law is a branch of business criminal law that punishes offences undermining the security and transparency of financial markets. It aims to protect investors and to ensure the stability of the financial system (insider dealing; price manipulation; market abuse; money laundering).

Criminal competition law is a branch of business criminal law that punishes anti-competitive practices implemented by companies to restrict competition and to acquire or maintain a dominant position in a market.

Economic offences are punishable by prison sentences and heavy fines. Convicted persons may also be deprived of their civil, civic and political rights.

Criminal tax law

Criminal tax law is a branch of criminal law that punishes fraudulent conduct intended to evade tax. It is a crucial area for ensuring tax fairness and protecting public resources.

There are several types of criminal tax offences, including: tax fraud; laundering the proceeds of tax fraud; false declarations; and breaches of accounting obligations.

If you are suspected of or prosecuted for a criminal tax offence, it is essential to be assisted by a criminal tax lawyer from the outset of the proceedings. The firm brings together its Tax and Business criminal law departments to devise the most effective defence.

Criminal employment law

Criminal employment law is a branch of criminal law that punishes infringements of employees' rights and ensures their protection within the employment relationship.

Criminal employment offences undermine fundamental principles of employment law, such as respect for the human person, freedom to work, the right to decent working conditions and the exercise of workers' individual and collective rights.

Several offences may be invoked against companies and their directors: undeclared work; discrimination; obstruction of the freedom to work or of staff representative bodies; harassment and endangering the lives of others.

The firm brings together its Employment law and Business criminal law departments to support companies and their directors in securing the best possible defence.