The scope and breadth of bribery and corruption laws, as well as the aggressive enforcement of those laws, pose a risk for businesses in every market.
The legal risks of bribery are significant: conviction for bribery offenses can result in huge fines and debarment. Individuals can also be imprisoned. In some jurisdictions, directors and senior executives can bear personal responsibility for employee conduct.
Our lawyers have extensive experience in advising companies like yours in response to concerns about bribery and corruption, including financial institutions, energy companies, manufacturing companies, TMT companies and engineering firms. We also have a strong track record in representing individual directors, senior officers and employees. If you have been a victim of bribery, corruption or fraud, we can help you prepare for civil and criminal actions.
This is a complex area of the law, but our experience and knowledge of the sector means we are well-placed to assist you. We understand the interaction between civil, criminal, regulatory and employment law and how issues can arise simultaneously in multiple jurisdictions. We also understand that issues of bribery and corruption often go to the heart of corporate governance and raise other legal issues for public companies under securities laws.
We can also help you to identify potential risks and provide you with strategic and proactive advice. We can help you to develop sensible, practical anti-bribery systems and controls and undertake due diligence in the context of acquisitions. We can also provide you with customized anti-corruption training, both online and in person, and with anti-bribery audits and gap analyses.
Our Anti-Bribery and Corruption capability in Ireland
Our team in Ireland consists of criminal, civil and regulatory lawyers. We conduct independent investigations into bribery and fraud concerns, gather and forensically examine evidence, interview and take statements from witnesses, attend interviews with our clients and actively advise on how to best address any given situation. We can assist you with all actions arising out of investigations, including civil recovery, obtaining emergency injunctive relief, criminal prosecutions and any HR issues in the cross-jurisdictional environment. We regularly advise companies and directors facing potential criminal prosecution abroad and can deal with extradition and related issues. Whether you are facing a bribery issue, internal or external corruption or regulatory issue, it is essential to be able to conduct a cross-jurisdictional investigation quickly and effectively.
Our lawyer are experienced in all aspects of Irish anti-bribery and corruption law. Our recent experience includes advising:
- an entrant to the Irish market on the all applicable laws in respect of lobbying and anti-corruption legislation
- on the development and drafting a fraud for a public body which disburses funds to members of the public
- numerous corporates on the due diligence stage of Mergers and Acquisitions on the bribery and corruption measures put in place by the target company