Benno Schwarz

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT BENNO SCHWARZ

I am a partner in the Munich office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and co-chair of the firm’s Anti-Corruption & FCPA Practice Group. My focus is on white collar defense and compliance investigations in a wide array of criminal regulatory matters. For more than 30 years, I have handled sensitive cases and investigations concerning all kinds of compliance issues, especially in an international context. Having advised international companies in the early 1990ies to stay out of trouble when investing into the emerging markets of the former Soviet Union, I have continued to assist my clients in the prevention and avoidance of corruption, fraud and money laundering and in navigating economic sanctions in the corporate sector.My advisory work comprises the planning and implementation of internal corporate as well as independent investigations both nationally and internationally; the structuring, implementation and assessment of compliance management systems; and the representation of companies and their executive bodies before domestic and foreign authorities during associated criminal and administrative proceedings. I am also supporting my clients to navigate the complexities of sanctions and counter-sanctions compliance, especially with respect to Russia-related sanctions and export control restrictions, leveraging my insights from my decades-long experience in advising corporate clients on transactional, compliance and trade law related matters involving Russia.As to my background, I studied law at the Universities of Bonn, Munich and Regensburg, where I also obtained my Dr. jur. degree in 1992. I have practiced as an admitted German lawyer (Rechtsanwalt) since 1993.I am fascinated by foreign policy topics that help keeping our part of the world and making the world as a whole a peaceful place. For more than 15 years I am chasing the steering committee of the DGAP Forum Munich of the German Council on Foreign Relations.In my free-time I enjoy the Bavarian mountains and fresh-water swimming in one of the wonderful Bavarian lakes and quality time with my family.