W h i te - c o l l a r c r i m e – F i n a n c i a l l i t i g a t i o n
The firm
The law firm « Visconti & Grundler » was founded in 2011 by Julien Visconti and Benjamin Grundler.
“Visconti & Grundler” is a dedicated structure highly specialized in white-collar crime and securities litigation, areas in which it acquired a recognized expertise.
A former investment banker, Julien Visconti has gained an intimate knowledge of financial markets in high-profile banks and hedge funds (Goldman Sachs, Boussard & Gavaudan) before joining in 2006, along with Benjamin Grundler, the prestigious law firm METZNER & ASSOCIES. In 2009, he created his own boutique firm specialized in securities litigation and criminal financial law.
Benjamin GRUNDLER has worked for five years at the law firm METZNER & ASSOCIES, where he was involved in French and international landmark white-collar crime cases. For seven years, he taught a course about international bribery and money laundering at the Institute of Political Sciences in Paris (Sciences Po).
« Visconti & Grundler » provides its French and foreign clients with its expertise in high stakes cases. The clients include individuals and corporations, as well as French and international law firms faced with complex cases.
The firm is involved in many of the highest-profile cases of white-collar crime such as The Vivendi case, the Lafarge case, Dassault, Alstom, Petrobras case or ill-gotten wealth case.
Its competence is regularly acknowledged (Chambers and Partners, Legal 500, Décideurs Magazine, Leader League, Option finance et Option Droit & affaires, Who’s Who Legal…)
Visconti & Grundler received the Special Jury award in white-collar crime category at ″Les Trophées du droit” 2021.
THE LAWYERS
Benjamin Grundler, partner
Benjamin Grundler is a well-known defence specialist in white-collar crime. He assists and advises French and International clients in criminal proceedings which are sensitive and/or have received media attention.
He graduated from the London School of Economics “L.S.E” (Master in law) and the Pantheon-Assas University (Master in European business law).
Benjamin Grundler has gained a solid education in business law prior to joining Metzner Associés criminal law firm in January 2006, where he practiced and specialized in white-collar crime. In 2011, he co-founded the law firm “Visconti & Grundler” with Julien Visconti, a structure dedicated exclusively to white-collar crime and securities litigation.
Benjamin Grundler has represented clients or still intervenes in major cases such as Lafarge, Dassault, Balkany the case of ill-gotten property or Oberthur/EADS case. He also assists major legal entities or individuals involved in criminal procedures notably in criminal law related to public sector or criminal labor law.
Lastly, Benjamin Grundler is regularly involved in cross-border cases, especially related to international bribery (Alstom, Technip, Société Générale/Libya cases…). He taught international corruption topic at Paris Institute of Political Sciences (Sciences Po) for 7 years.
Benjamin “is savvy, knowledgeable and creative, and regularly handles insider trading, money laundering and international corruption cases”. (Chambers and Partners Edition 2021)
“Benjamin Grundler applies an encyclopaedic understanding of criminal law to complex cross-border white-collar disputes”. (Who’s Who Legal 2021)
He was selected by peers for inclusion in the 2020 and 2021 Editions of The Best Lawyers in France in Criminal Defence and Litigation.
Member of the International Bar Association
Member of the European Fraud and Compliance Lawyers.
Julien Visconti, partner
Julien Visconti specializes in securities litigation, stock market frauds and white-collar crime. He assists and advises institutional and individual clients in criminal and commercial cases related to financial litigation or for cases referred to the “Autorité des Marchés Financiers” (AMF).
A graduate from ESSEC Business School (1997), Julien Visconti has been a proprietary derivatives trader in Paris and London for high-profile investment banks (Ixis, Goldman Sachs).Along with other Goldman Sachs alumni, he set up a «hedge fund» in 2002 (Boussard & Gavaudan Asset Management).
He then completed his education with a double Law Master (Business Law and Criminal Law) before joining a prominent business criminal law firm (Metzner Associés) and ultimately setting up his own law firm, which specializes in white-collar crimes, stock market frauds and securities litigation.
He was involved in prominent cases such as Vivendi, Dassault, Balkany or Oberthur, in which he obtained, before the Constitutional Court along with EADS’ lawyers, the end of the double prosecution of market abuse cases. He also successfully assisted an institutional investor initially prosecuted for market manipulation in relation to “high-frequency trading”.
Julien Visconti also carries out, on behalf of various institutional investors and hedge funds, financial activist campaigns or litigations related to public offers (Club Méditerranée, Eurodisney, Canal +, Colas, SFR/Altice, CFAO, Radiall, Zodiac, Scor, Véolia/Suez).
He was distinguished « next generation great lawyer » by Legal 500 for stock market litigation.
Dorothée Hever, associate
Dorothée Hever’s main area of practice is white-collar crime.
She graduated from the Universities of Paris-Nanterre and Paris II Panthéon-Assas. Before joining Visconti & Grundler, Dorothée worked for six years in the White Collar departments of the international law firms Paul Hastings and Herbert Smith Freehills.
In 2020, she initiated and led a Working Group which published a Report on Due process for individuals targeted by internal investigations.
She is fluent in English and Hungarian.
Quentin Bertrand – associate
Quentin Bertrand advises the firm’s clients on commercial or financial disputes, and as regards to white collar crime matters.
Before joining the team, Quentin practiced at the firm Viguié Schmidt & Associés, specialized in company and securities law – both transactional and litigation matters -.
Quentin is a graduate of University Paris II Panthéon-Assas (professional master’s degree in business law and research master’s degree in banking and finance law), and holds a certificate in corporate finance (ICCF, HEC Paris & First Finance). He was also a teaching assistant at University Paris II Panthéon-Assas, in criminal law and criminal proceedings.
Juliette Savie, associate
Juliette Savie is a lawyer at the Paris Bar.
She specializes in general criminal law and business criminal law and also intervenes in press law.
She joined Visconti & Grundler as an associate after several experiences in law firms specialized in criminal law and business litigation, as well as in the Ministry of Justice and the public prosecutor's office at the Bobigny judicial court.
She is a Graduate of the Master of Economic Law of the Sciences Po Paris Law School.
She speaks English fluently.
Compétence
Criminal defense / White-collar crime
Financial and Stock Market Litigation
White-collar crime
- Money laundering
- International corruption, domestic corruption, influence peddling, favoritism offences
- Fraud
- Embezzlement,
- Corporate abuse
- Tax fraud
Corporate Criminal Law
- Work-related injuries, Concealed work
- Obstruction offense
- Misleading advertising
- Compliance Programs
Securities fraud litigation
- Insider trading
- Market manipulation
- Accounting frauds
- False information
- IPO frauds
Extradition, European Arrest Warrant, Interpol
International and internal investigations, Compliance
Financial litigation
- Liability of financial companies
- Litigation between counterparts
- Complex products (exotic options, hybrids…)
- Shareholder activism and minority shareholders actions
- Takeovers and shareholders litigation
AMF and regulatory litigation
- Market abuse
- High-frequency trading
- Churning, front-running
- Various financial misconducts
