Basil Saen
Image of Basil Saen

Basil Saen

Associate

Email

basil.saen@aoshearman.com

Phone

+32 2 780 2523

Offices

Brussels

V-CARD
Basil focuses on white-collar crime litigation and investigations.

Basil advises on criminal and regulatory risks, including in relation to fraud, bribery and corruption, money laundering, and environmental crime. He represents clients before the Belgian courts and has experience in conducting internal investigations into alleged workplace misconduct.

Basil is a member of the Brussels bar and holds certificates to practice criminal matters before the Belgian Supreme Court and to assist clients in criminal interrogations. He regularly provides pro-bono advice, including on international criminal law topics.

Expertise

Experience

Representative matters

  • Premier league football club KV Mechelen in disciplinary, civil and criminal proceedings relating to allegations of match fixing, bribery and money laundering.
  • A global wealth solutions provider as a defendant in criminal proceedings surrounding the bankruptcy of Optima, a Belgian financial planner and bank.
  • Defending a multinational construction group in a criminal trial involving claims of public bribery and forgery in the context of a multimillion dollar project in a foreign jurisdiction.
  • A wide range of financial institutions, financial service providers and multinational corporates on navigating the ever more complex EU, UK and US sanctions landscape.
  • A leading distributor and recycler of polymers in ICC arbitration proceedings regarding the termination of a chemicals trading joint venture in Singapore.

Pro bono

  • Assisting a pro-bono collaborative in Athens to support and provide legal aid for asylum seekers in Greece before their crucial first interview.
  • Volunteering at the Legal Helpdesk for Asylum Seekers in Brussels to support asylum seekers who are denied access to reception conditions in Belgium.
  • Advising an international non-governmental organisation to research and report on LGBTQI+ violence and discriminatory criminal law legislation in the eastern and central African region.
  • Advising an international foundation in the context of a transparency and accountability project into suspected trades of dual-use goods in violation of EU, US and other sanctions regimes.
  • Advising various non-governmental organisation on international criminal law topics.

Published Work

  • 2024, De “zeggenschap” over het vermogensvoordeel – Een nieuw element in de discussie over de verjaring van het derde witwasmisdrijf, RDC/TBH
  • 2023, Overzicht van het eerste activiteitenjaar van het Europees Openbaar Ministerie, RDC/TBH
  • 2022, Aperçu et premiers constats au premier anniversaire du Parquet européen, Rev. dr. pén.
  • 2020, Individual Integrity and Independence of Judges: The Case of Judge Akay, TOAEP 2019, La directive (UE) 2018/1673 visant à lutter contre le blanchiment d’argent au moyen du droit pénal : analyse et impact anticipé en droit belge, Droit pénal de l'entreprise
  • 2019, La directive (UE) 2018/1673 visant à lutter contre le blanchiment d’argent au moyen du droit pénal : un petit pas (symbolique) pour la répression ?, Rev. int. du patr.

Speaking Engagements

  • Panellist, Next Generation Investigations Forum, Allen & Overy, February 2024
  • Speaker, Strategic Litigation Against LGBTIQ+ Torture, November 2022 and February 2023
  • Speaker, Navigating the complexity of sanctions in 2022, Abilways, June 2022 Speaker, Sanctions in the EU's Relations, Academy of European Law, December 202 Speaker,
  • Conducting Investigations into Tax Fraud and Tax Evasion in the EU, Academy of European Law, October 2020
  • Speaker, Annual Conference on White-Collar Crime in the EU 2020, Academy of European Law, March 2020
  • Speaker, Not If But When: Prepare Your Business for the Next Cyber Incident, Allen & Overy, October 2019
  • Speaker, Annual Conference on White-Collar Crime in the EU 2019, Academy of European Law, June 2019
  • Poster presentation, Can We Still Afford Human Rights?, KU Leuven, December 2018
  • Speaker, Integrity in International Justice, CILRAP, December 2018

Recognition

“Basil Saen: excellent drafting skills.”
Legal 500, 2024
“Associate Basil Saen is noted for his adept navigation of various kinds of internal investigations and representation of clients before the courts.”
Legal 500, 2025

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted to the Brussels Bar, Belgium, 2018

Certified to practice criminal law matters before the Belgian Supreme Court, 2020

Academic

Master of Law, KULeuven, 2017

Bachelor of Law, KULeuven, 2015

Languages

Dutch, 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.