Our Firm has diverse, extensive experience with criminal proceedings in general and white collar crime in particular. We represent suspects and defendants in all types of white collar litigation, such as antitrust, securities, fraud, money laundering, environmental, labor and zoning and building. Our lawyers provide uncompromising professional service, with an open line of communication and full availability to our clients. In this sensitive situation, we are there to get the best possible result for our clients.
Over the years, our team has handled some of the largest and most complex criminal cases and represented leading companies, senior executives and employees. Our experience covers all stages of the criminal process: we are at our clients’ disposal from the moment they are called in for questioning or from the dawn raid, we consult them throughout the investigation and represent them in detention hearings, arraignments and the various court stages, including appeals. We also provide representation before parole boards and in presidential pardon requests.
Alongside our specific white collar expertise, the Firm also has a robust practice in each of the relevant legal fields (capital markets, competition law, tax, labor, environmental protection, etc.), offering optimal synergy and the best service to our clients.
The investigation is a critical stage in the criminal process. In this stage, the investigative authority collects evidence and testimonies. This is also when the suspect’s version is first collected – the version to which, as a rule, the court gives the greatest weight. The investigation stage directly impacts the outcome of the criminal trial, and if handled properly, it can, in some cases, eliminate the need for a trial altogether. Hence the critical importance of top professional consultation in this stage.
Our lawyers are there for our clients throughout the investigation stages, starting with the dawn raid or when they are called in for questioning, and through the various interrogations. Our team educates our clients about their rights and how to make sure they are upheld, walks them through the entire investigative process and provides tailored consultation, legal analysis, and, of course – longstanding experience and a comprehensive perspective of the case. Aware of how difficult and stressful this situation is for the client, our lawyers handle all the client’s needs, including personal matters and public visibility, with the utmost sensitivity and discretion.
After the investigation has been completed, the materials are transferred to the State Attorney’s Office (or the legal department of the investigative authority) to decide whether to indict. Generally, once a decision has been made to indict for white collar crime, the suspect is given the opportunity to convince the court not to indict. We believe this is an important right that should be exercised, because even if a trial ends in acquittal, the process is arduous. The hearing must be conducted wisely; it is important to carefully select the arguments, and even more important to choose which arguments to forego, because at this stage the authorities are still free to continue the investigation and complete information gaps. Our lawyers have vast experience representing suspects at the hearing stage, and have helped many clients avoid an indictment or reduce the number or severity of the charges.
In some cases, the investigative authority asks the court to issue an arrest warrant. This is usually a short process without any warning and without disclosure of sufficient details about the suspicions. Representation by an experienced lawyer who knows how to present relevant information to the court which could prevent an arrest or shorten it to the absolute minimum, is therefore critical. Our lawyers have extensive experience representing suspects in detention processes, who walk the client and his family through this challenging period of time.
The heart of the criminal process is the trial, in which the charges against the suspect are weighed. The main stages in a criminal trial are the arraignment hearing, preliminary hearing, plea, evidence, summations, judgment, sentencing hearing, sentencing and appeal. Our lawyers provide uncompromising representation in all of these stages, fighting for best results for our clients. Our team members also have broad experience in criminal mediation, a process in which the parties work toward a fair plea bargain. We have proven experience in complex, large-scale criminal cases that ended with complete or partial acquittal or very lenient penalties as compared to those initially sought by the prosecution.
The criminal proceeding does not end in court. Our lawyers are also experienced in post-judgment representation, including incarceration conditions, parole boards and presidential pardons.
The Firm creates dawn raid plans and comprehensive compliance programs for companies, and assists in implementation of these programs. These programs help prevent violations, and provide a good defense for executives if a violation occurs despite a well planned and implemented program. Our programs are forward-looking; we assist with implementation, refresher training and adjustments to regulatory changes as necessary.
