Counting companies from sectors including engineering, aerospace, extractives, and pharmaceutical, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP’s ‘truly exceptional’ practice  regularly advises on  high-profile money laundering and corruption cases. The firm boasts a strong track record dealing with both domestic and international enforcement agencies, including the SFO, US DOJ, and FCA, along with showcasing significant strength in the sanctions field. Lord Peter Goldsmith KC and Karolos Seeger lead the group, with the former regularly acting for corporations in litigation and white-collar matters, while the latter is a ’wonderful lawyer’, focusing on AML and fraud matters. Jane Shvets is an expert in cross-border investigations, while international counsel Konstantin Bureiko concentrates on anti-corruption proceedings. Andrew Lee is knowledgeable on regulatory investigations involving the FCA.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Competence, innovation and strategic advice.’

  • ‘Debevoise is a truly exceptional firm. Responsive, proactive, creative and with lawyers of the highest quality. I cannot recall a time where I have had any doubts about the quality of their advice and felt that they did not understand what I was trying to achieve when I sought their support. The quality of service is fantastic whether I have worked with them on large, high value matters or on lower value, more routine queries.’

  • ‘Karolos Seeger is a wonderful lawyer with an incredible ability to articulate complex issues clearly and succinctly. He is personable and always responsive, I could ask for no more from my external counsel.

  • 'Konstantin Bureiko has a seemingly insatiable appetite for work, an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law and has constantly delivered what we needed whenever we have worked with him.’

Key clients

  • Shell plc
  • Rolls-Royce plc

Work highlights

  • Advising Shell and serving as global coordinating counsel in connection with  various bribery investigations and criminal proceedings relating to the award of the OPL 245 offshore oil block in Nigeria in 2011.

Lawyers

Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Hall of fameDebevoise & Plimpton LLP
Karolos Seeger is a partner in the firm’s White Collar & Regulatory Defense Group and International Dispute Resolution Group, based in the London office. He is also a member of the firm’s Management Committee. His practice focuses on white collar crime and internal investigations, in particular regarding compliance with corrupt practices legislation, conducting compliance assessments and creating and implementing appropriate compliance programmes and procedures. Mr. Seeger also advises clients on a wide range of specific sanctions issues and has experience in complex litigation and international arbitration matters. Mr. Seeger has deep experience in the field of internal investigations, compliance advice and white collar crime, as well as in a variety of English High Court and international arbitration matters in a wide range of sectors.
Leading associates
Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
Konstantin Bureiko is an international counsel based in the London office. He is a member of the firm’s White Collar & Regulatory Defense Group. Mr. Bureiko’s practice focuses on white collar defence and investigations, with deep experience of conducting international anti-corruption investigations and advising on compliance matters for large multinational companies. His work in this area has taken in more than forty countries, spanning North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Russia and the Middle East. His Russian language skills have also allowed him to develop particular expertise in conducting eastern European and Russian language investigations.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
Jane Shvets is a partner in the firm’s White Collar & Regulatory Defense Group focused on white collar defense and internal investigations, in particular regarding compliance with corrupt practices legislation. As a cross-border investigations lawyer, Ms. Shvets boasts a genuine international pedigree, having worked with clients on enquiries from authorities in the U.S., UK, Germany, Russia, and elsewhere, and on matters spanning jurisdictions in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Russia and the Middle East. As one of a few Russian-speaking lawyers in this field, Ms. Shvets focuses in particular on matters involving Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. In addition to her core investigations practice, Ms. Shvets also leads the firm’s sanctions practice in Europe, guiding clients through a sanctions landscape that has shifted significantly and swiftly in recent years. She is also a member of the firm’s Data Strategy and Security practice, advising clients on data protection and data transfer issues arising from EU data protection laws and other data privacy legislation.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Lord Goldsmith KC, Karolos Seeger

Other key lawyers

Jane Shvets, Konstantin Bureiko, Andrew Lee