Denis Chemla
Denis is Head of France Disputes. He is one of France’s leading lawyers in the field of investigations and white-collar crime.

Denis has extensive experience representing numerous French and international financial institutions and corporates in criminal and regulatory investigations. With over 30 years of experience, he has appeared before criminal and civil courts in both France and French-speaking Africa.
 
His practice encompasses a wide range of areas, from industrial criminal law to financial, tax and economic criminal law, in particular cases against prosecutors from the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (Parquet National Financier). He handles complex, high-stakes international matters for his clients.
 
Denis is one of the first French lawyers to conclude settlement agreements with prosecuting authorities (a public interest judicial agreement – CJIP, a French-style DPA) and has a solid track record in this field.
 
Denis also represents clients in high-stakes civil and commercial litigation, particularly in the financial and energy sectors, as well as in ESG litigation, including one of the first "duty of vigilance" class action in France. He also has substantial experience in product liability litigation, with a strong focus on aviation.
 
A former member of the Paris Bar Council, Conseil de l'Ordre des Avocats, the governing body of the Paris Bar and professor at law universities and leading business schools, he was awarded the Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur, the highest order of merit in France, by the French President in 2017.
 
Denis is recognized by leading legal directories for his exceptional expertise. Chambers & Partners has ranked him in Band-1 for White Collar Crime in France, and the Legal 500 has included him in its "Hall of Fame" for White Collar Crime in France. He is also listed as one of the leading lawyers in Litigation: Elite by Chambers & Partners for France.

Expertise

Industries

Experience

Pro bono

  • Denis is the Spokesperson of Droits d'Urgence, a non-governmental organization providing free legal aid to disadvantaged groups.
  • Denis also served in the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo in 1999 as a legal advisor to the Head of Mission.
  • Denis has served as legal expert to the Council of Europe in numerous legal assistance field missions in Eastern and Central Europe, Russia, Armenia, Ukraine and Georgia.
  • Denis won in October 2013 the prestigious PILnet pro bono award at the 7th annual European Pro Bono Forum. 

Published Work

  • Pro Bono : de l'action individuelle à l'action politique, Lettre des Juristes d'Affaires, December 2013
  • Trois questions à Denis Chemla, Erwan Poisson, Michael Young, Option Droit & Affaires, May 2013
  • The validity of one-way jurisdiction clauses put at risk by the French Supreme Court, PLC Dispute Resolution, November 2012 (co-written with Erwan Poisson, Camille Fléchet)
  • La procédure accusatoire garantit-elle les droits de la défense ?, Lettre des Juristes d'Affaires, December 2011
  • Conseil constitutionnel et mariage gay : service minimum ; Note sous Conseil constitutionnel, QPC, 28 January 2011, Corine C et a. numéro 2010-92 QPC », La Gazette du Palais, April 2011
  • Réforme de la garde à vue : de qui se moque-t-on ?, La Gazette du Palais, January 2011
  • Pro bono : les exclus ont toujours plus besoin de nous, La Gazette du Palais, November 2010 (co-written with Jean-Luc Bédos)
  • Carte judiciaire : du courage !, Les Echos, 12 October 2007
  • LVMH/Morgan Stanley : un arrêt "remarquable", Option Finance, September 2006 (co-written with Frédéric Grillier)
  • Référé probatoire et secret bancaire : un secret bien gardé, Revue de Droit Bancaire et Financier, May 2004 (co-written with Emmanuelle Bouretz)
  • Prospectus liability in Europe and the US: Understanding the issues, Global Counsel, September 2003 (co-written with Julian Copeman and Alex Bafi)
  • Denis Chemla was Chief editor of the Code des droits contre l'exclusion, Dalloz, 2011.

Speaking Engagements

  • The 16th edition of the “Rencontres Économiques d'Aix-en-Provence” an economic forum organized by Le Cercle des économistes since 2001 which brings together business leaders, academics, international organizations, NGOs, politicians and students scoping to vitalize economic debate at the French, European and international levels, July 2016
  • “Money laundering of tax evasion proceedings under” French law in Switzerland, at the request of the Geneva Bar, November 2016

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

  • Member of the Paris Bar Council (Conseil de l'Ordre des Avocats), the governing body of the Paris Bar since January 2014
  • Chair, EC jurisdiction and judgment Subcommittee, Litigation Committee, International Bar Association
  • Former Member, French National Human Rights Commission
  • Member, International Association of Defense Counsel
  • Member, Pro Bono Council of the Public Interest Law Institute (PILnet)
  • Member, Paris Bar Council 

Recognition

He keeps us abreast of what is going on in litigation. He explains clearly the French litigation process and is knowledgeable of the law. He is also timely, organized and thinks outside the box on difficult issues.
Chambers Global 2024 - (Litigation Elite)
Denis Chemla is a very good litigator and is well respected.
Chambers Europe 2023 - France (White-collar crime)

Awards

  • Band 3, Chambers Global 2024 - (Litigation Elite)
  • Denis is a recognized practitioner by « Best Lawyers » since 2010 in Arbitration and Meditation, Aviation Law, Criminal Defense and Litigation.
  • Recognized in the Top 40 Lawyers of the CAC 40 - Paris, Forbes Magazine - 21 June 2023
  • Band 1, Chambers Europe 2023 - France (White-collar crime)
  • Band 3, Chambers Global/ Europe 2023 - France (Litigation)
  • Leading individual, Legal 500 EMEA 2023 - France (White-collar crime)

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted to the Bar, New York, 1990

Admitted to the Bar, Paris, 1987

Academic

LL.M., General Legal Studies, New York University School of Law, 1990

Post Graduate, International Law, University of Paris II, Panthéon Assas, 1986

Msc, Private Law, University of Paris II, Panthéon Assas, 1985 

Languages

English, French
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.