Webcast: Running Internal Investigations Effectively

Webcasts | September 26, 2024

This 60 minute module will walk you through the key aspects that you should have in mind when preparing the work plan, structure and instruct the team for an internal investigation. Because there is no “one-size-fits-all”-approach to structuring an internal investigation, we will analyze and asses different key elements of an internal investigation that require attention, namely:

The relevant addressee of the results of the investigation
The work plan and its updates
Considerations to include witness counsel
Considerations to maximize the legal privilege in multi-jurisdictional settings
Considerations to be made before sharing findings with the Government
Preparation of witness interviews (in person and virtual)
Presentation formats for the findings of an investigation

At the end of the module you should have a good understanding of the do’s and don’ts that will enable you to preparing, running an internal investigation and presenting its results more effectively.

PANELISTS:

Benno Schwarz is the partner in charge of the Munich office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and co-chair of the firm’s Anti-Corruption & FCPA Practice Group. He focuses on white collar defense and compliance investigations in a wide array of criminal regulatory matters. For more than 30 years, he has handled sensitive cases and investigations concerning all kinds of compliance issues, especially in an international context. Benno assists his clients in the prevention and avoidance of corruption, fraud and money laundering and in navigating economic sanctions in the corporate sector. His advisory work comprises the planning and implementation of internal corporate as well as independent investigations both nationally and internationally; the structuring, implementation and assessment of compliance management systems; and the representation of companies and their executive bodies before domestic and foreign authorities during associated criminal and administrative proceedings. He also helps clients navigate the complexities of sanctions and counter-sanctions compliance, especially with respect to Russia-related sanctions and export control restrictions, leveraging his insights from his decades-long experience in advising corporate clients on transactional, compliance and trade law related matters involving Russia. Benno has practiced as an admitted German lawyer (Rechtsanwalt) since 1993.

Katharina Humphrey is a partner in Gibson Dunn’s Munich office. She advises clients in Germany and throughout Europe on a wide range of compliance and white collar crime matters. Katharina regularly represents multi-national corporations in connection with cross-border internal corporate investigations and government investigations. She has significant expertise in the areas of anti-bribery compliance – especially regarding the enforcement of German anti-corruption laws and the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) –, technical compliance, as well as sanctions and anti-money-laundering compliance. She also has many years of experience in advising clients with regard to the implementation and assessment of compliance management systems. The Legal 500 Deutschland 2024 and The Legal 500 EMEA 2024 listed her as “Next Generation Partner” in the field of Compliance and also recommended her for Internal Investigations. Katharina speaks German, English, French and Italian. She is admitted to practice in Germany (Rechtsanwalt).

Oleh Vretsona is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He currently practices in the firm’s Litigation Department, where he focuses on white collar criminal defense, internal investigations, regulatory inquiries, antitrust, and corporate compliance. Oleh has represented clients in a wide variety of matters, including matters arising under the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and antitrust matters, and he has advised clients on structure and implementation of corporate compliance programs. Oleh has significant experience in conducting internal investigations and advising clients on the effectiveness of their internal compliance controls. Oleh has participated in and managed numerous internal investigations for publicly held corporations involving operations in Russia, Eastern Europe, and various other countries and regions, and conducted extensive fieldwork in those countries, including numerous witness interviews. He is admitted to practice in New York and the District of Columbia.

MCLE CREDIT INFORMATION:

This program has been approved for credit in accordance with the requirements of the New York State Continuing Legal Education Board for a maximum of 1.0 credit hour, of which 1.0 credit hour may be applied toward the areas of professional practice requirement. This course is approved for transitional/non-transitional credit.

Attorneys seeking New York credit must obtain an Affirmation Form prior to watching the archived version of this webcast. Please contact [email protected] to request the MCLE form.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP certifies that this activity has been approved for MCLE credit by the State Bar of California in the amount of 1.0 hour in the General Category.

California attorneys may claim “self-study” credit for viewing the archived version of this webcast. No certificate of attendance is required for California “self-study” credit.

Attorney Advertising: These materials were prepared for general informational purposes only based on information available at the time of publication and are not intended as, do not constitute, and should not be relied upon as, legal advice or a legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances. Gibson Dunn (and its affiliates, attorneys, and employees) shall not have any liability in connection with any use of these materials. The sharing of these materials does not establish an attorney-client relationship with the recipient and should not be relied upon as an alternative for advice from qualified counsel. Please note that facts and circumstances may vary, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Webcast: Running Internal Investigations Effectively

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