Economic Crime and Corporate Criminal Liability
When businesses are subject to investigations, supervisory controls or criminal proceedings, the stakes are high. In addition to legal and financial consequences, such matters may have serious implications for reputation and market position. We assist clients from the very outset whether facing adverse media coverage, unannounced searches, seizures, interviews, arrests, or notification that a criminal investigation has been initiated.
Dealing with regulatory scrutiny, investigations or prosecution requires discreet, decisive and multidisciplinary advice from advisers who understand the commercial reality, the regulatory framework and the legal processes involved.
At Arntzen Grette, we advise companies, senior executives and board members in complex matters involving supervisory authorities and prosecuting bodies. Our lawyers have backgrounds from industry, criminal defence, regulatory authorities, prosecution services and the courts. This collective experience enables us to understand how matters are pursued by the authorities and how commercial organisations are affected. This insight is crucial to safeguarding value, protecting rights, controlling information flows, and implementing and coordinating appropriate measures.
We assist with initial risk assessments and the necessary management of proceedings. This includes preparation for interviews, collection and assessment of evidence, evaluation of the legal basis for coercive measures, dialogue with the prosecuting authorities, and handling procedural steps throughout the case. Our advice combines legal expertise with commercial, strategic and procedural insight. We understand the rules of the game – how the relevant actors think, operate and prioritise.
Where charges are brought, we represent our clients before the courts through a comprehensive defence strategy based on thorough evidence analysis and specialist legal expertise.
Our lawyers have conducted some of Norway’s most high-profile economic crime cases and have experience from, among other things:
- Defence mandates in a number of Økokrim’s major investigations and court cases, including matters involving insider trading, market manipulation, money laundering, corruption, investor fraud, environmental crime and tax evasion. Clients have included executives, board members and companies across international industries such as oil services, shipping and energy; public-sector entities including municipalities and civil servants; professional advisers such as brokers and lawyers; and the financial sector, including brokerage firms, funds and private equity. Cases have been litigated before all levels of the courts.
- Ongoing risk assessments relating to contracts, counterparties, incidents, internal procedures and organisational structures, including investigations into potential misconduct and provision of risk-based advice.
- International coordination, jurisdictional advice and cooperation with advisers in other countries, including experience with evidence gathering and investigative measures carried out by Norwegian authorities abroad and by foreign authorities in Norway.
- Assistance to companies that have suffered losses as a result of misconduct or criminal acts, including the pursuit of compensation claims within or outside criminal proceedings.
- Preparation and submission of criminal complaints.
- Claims for compensation following acquittals or unjustified criminal prosecution.
