The Lawyer Recognizes Dechert’s White Collar Team for Airbus Investigation

Dechert LLP’s white collar, compliance and investigations practice has been named “Conduct, Enforcement or Business Crime Team of the Year” in The Lawyer Awards 2020 for its role in European aerospace leader Airbus SE’s ground-breaking settlement of a global corruption investigation.

Airbus responded to the unprecedented, multi-jurisdictional investigation by creating a Virtual Law Firm (VLF), consisting of white collar lawyers, export control practitioners, eDiscovery consultants, and forensic accountants.

Dechert played a leading role advising Airbus on the investigation and global strategy throughout the four-year investigation, taking special responsibility for interactions and negotiations with the UK’s Serious Fraud Office. Alongside Airbus, the firm’s white collar team also developed and deployed the innovative global disclosure strategy that underpinned the company’s collaboration efforts with enforcement agencies.

Airbus reached a US$4 billion, same-day settlement in January 2020, believed to be the first settlement agreement with the UK’s Serious Fraud Office, France’s Parquet National Financier, and the U.S. Departments of Justice and State.

The groundbreaking settlement was recently named “Most Important Development of the Year” by Global Investigations Review.

Dechert was also commended by The Lawyer in the “Pro Bono Initiative of the Year” category. An international pro bono team led by London partner Paul Kavanagh and Paris-based national partner Marie Fillon helped win the release of Mohammed Ould Mkhaitir, a Mauritanian blogger condemned to death for apostasy. The representation formed part of Dechert’s wider partnership with Freedom Now, a Washington, D.C.-based human rights organization chaired by Dechert partner Jeremy Zucker that seeks the release of prisoners of conscience around the world.

Winners in The Lawyers Awards 2020 were announced in a virtual ceremony on November 3.

About Dechert 

Dechert is a leading global law firm with 26 offices around the world. We advise on matters and transactions of the greatest complexity, bringing energy, creativity and efficient management of legal issues to deliver commercial and practical advice for clients.