Investigations, Compliance & Ethics

Whether dealing with high-stakes investigations, defending against government enforcement actions or pursuing growth opportunities, success depends on calibrating risk.

With highly skilled lawyers on the ground around the world, we understand the regulatory, business and cultural landscape, wherever you are. And by connecting investigations and rapid crisis response with effective risk management solutions, our integrated approach helps you safeguard your business and protect corporate reputation.

Consistently ranked as a top investigations firm by Global Investigations Review, we take a no-borders, no-boundaries approach to ensure the best multijurisdictional team for every matter. Our services include:

• High-stakes, multijurisdictional investigations and enforcement actions
• Designing and executing comprehensive, commercially minded compliance and ethics programs
• Ongoing risk management advice in the areas of anti-bribery and corruption, sanctions and export controls, data privacy and cybersecurity, antitrust and competition, securities and financial fraud, anti-money laundering/terrorist financing, ESG/human rights, and #MeToo and other workplace issues
• Transactional compliance due diligence
• End-to-end cybersecurity and data protection advice, including multi-layered, multi-jurisdictional investigations and dispute response
• Global crisis and reputation management

Our vast cross-border experience includes the following recent representations:

• High-stakes investigations: Acted as lead counsel to Bank Hapoalim (Switzerland) Ltd. and co-counsel to Bank Hapoalim BM, the largest bank in Israel, on a highly complex cross-border investigation in response to a criminal investigation by the US Department of Justice and enquiries by other Swiss and Israeli authorities into allegations that the bank and its employees assisted clients in evading US tax obligations. We deployed a multi-jurisdictional team of lawyers and support staff from more than 15 offices globally, including project management and eDiscovery resources.
  
  
• Declinations: For a FTSE 100 industrial client, conducted a four-year investigation into allegations of bribery and defended the client before the US DOJ and UK SFO—winning declinations of prosecution from both agencies. The matter spanned jurisdictions across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia, including Brazil, Mexico, Kuwait, Qatar, Nigeria, Malaysia, Indonesia and China.
  
  
• Cybersecurity incident response: Served as lead cybersecurity advisor in investigations and crisis management to one of the largest healthcare IT firms related to a destructive malware incident.
  
  
• Transactional compliance due diligence: Advised the healthcare business unit of a Japanese multinational conglomerate on its acquisition of 75% of shares in a Turkish-based wholesale distributor of surgical and other medical equipment. This representation, which also included FCPA compliance due diligence advice, supports our client's aim to expand its global business in the healthcare sector.
  
  
• Compliance program development and monitoring: Represented a major Denmark-based pump producer in connection with the global introduction of its competition compliance program, including rollout and training. The advisory to the client is ongoing and includes follow-up investigations and implementation of compliance measures.
  
  
• Crisis and reputation management: Advised a FTSE 100 client following its receipt of a whistleblowing allegation that it had deliberately misled the market as to the cost and progress of a high-profile project. We conducted an investigation for the client to establish whether the allegations of fraud could be substantiated, assisted with a related employment tribunal claim by the whistleblower and provided ongoing counsel to minimize reputational damage given the seriousness of the allegations. 

Visit the Results section for more examples of our Investigations, Ethics & Compliance experience.

Why Baker McKenzie?

Global platform, nuanced local knowledge		Plan for tomorrow, today		Unmatched efficiency
Our global platform brings together leading lawyers — with deep experience both inside regulatory and law enforcement organizations and across the table — who understand local nuances and coordinate effectively across borders.		From ESG to cybersecurity and more, we help you look around corners to anticipate the next areas of legal, reputational and business risk — and prepare to meet the challenge.		Our in-house eDiscovery team, 30+ dedicated legal project managers and cutting-edge technology ensure your investigation and compliance matters proceed quickly and efficiently.