Karolos Seeger is a partner in the firm’s White Collar & Regulatory Defense Group and International Dispute Resolution Group, based in the London office. He is also a member of the firm’s Management Committee. His practice focuses on white collar crime and internal investigations, in particular regarding compliance with corrupt practices legislation, conducting compliance assessments and creating and implementing appropriate compliance programmes and procedures. Mr. Seeger also advises clients on a wide range of specific sanctions issues and has experience in complex litigation and international arbitration matters.
Mr. Seeger has deep experience in the field of internal investigations, compliance advice and white collar crime, as well as in a variety of English High Court and international arbitration matters in a wide range of sectors. He has previously served as an officer on the International Bar Association’s Business Crime Committee, and is ranked as a leading individual for Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime by The Legal 500 UK (2024) and listed in its Hall of Fame. He is described as “a wonderful lawyer with an incredible ability to articulate complex issues clearly and succinctly.” In previous editions of the guide, clients note that he is “genuinely international, multi-lingual, extremely clever and engaging – exceptional under pressure – very very good at managing complex matters.” He is also said to be “a superb lawyer in all respects, instilling confidence in everything he does” and he receives praise for his “excellent subject matter expertise” and his “deep experience dealing with a multitude of agencies across the world.” He is said to be “experienced, hands-on” with “tremendous judgement.” He has also been described as “outstanding” and noted for his “sound personal judgement along with high-calibre legal advice.” Clients note that he is “exceptional. He has a brain like a computer and can put complex issues across simply and clearly. He inspires confidence, always. He is calm and collected, extremely bright and very personable.” Chambers UK (2024) ranks him as a top-tier lawyer for Financial Crime: Corporates, where he is said to be “absolutely at the top of his game” and “a first-rate lawyer.” In previous editions of the guide, he has received further praise for his ability to combine “a wealth of experience and knowledge with a highly pragmatic approach” and for his “deep knowledge and expertise, impressive intelligence and very good judgement.” Sources have also said that he is “an extraordinarily good leader of investigations into companies,” “a consummate professional with truly global experience” and “professional, knowledgeable and proficient,” with one client noting that he “would be my first point of call if we were involved in any heavyweight litigation.” Others have said that he is “extremely knowledgeable on bribery and corruption investigations and has substantial experience engaging with regulators around the world on behalf of his clients.” He offers “experience that is tough to match, having led some of the largest and most complex bribery investigations in Europe and the UK.” He also wins praise for “a brain which has seemingly limitless capacity,” as well as his “intelligent, thoughtful and practical advice, and pleasant demeanour.” He is further described as “an incredibly reliable and informative expert, who has a very calm manner and presents extremely effectively in high-risk, high-stakes matters.”
Mr. Seeger has represented corporate and individual clients in international criminal and regulatory investigations in a variety of areas, from allegations of market abuse to allegations of global-wide corruption. This includes representing clients before several investigating and prosecuting agencies and regulators, including the Serious Fraud Office (“SFO”) and the UK Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), as well as equivalent foreign agencies (including in the United States, Germany, Greece and Brazil). Most recently, he represented Rolls-Royce in an internal investigation and coordinated resolutions with UK, U.S. and Brazil investigating authorities relating to bribery and corruption involving intermediaries in a number of overseas markets; a European national in connection with a mutual legal assistance request by the SFO to a European authority in connection with an investigation into allegations of corrupt payments via business consultants; a leading global energy group in connection with an SFO investigation into payments made in Africa, including as to quantification and potential exposure under UK accounting legislation; as well as a former CFO of a FTSE 100 company in connection with a fraud investigation by the SFO.
Mr. Seeger has also advised clients on Bribery Act, sanctions and UK money laundering issues arising in connection with M&A transactions, as well as reviewed and devised compliance manuals, programmes and policies to comply with related requirements.
Mr. Seeger’s wide-ranging dispute resolution experience also includes arbitrations under the LCIA, UNCITRAL and the City Disputes Panel Rules, a jurisdictional challenge in the High Court to a derivative shareholder action and proceedings relating to an alleged monopoly contravention. Additional cases on which he has advised include the co-ordination of a defence strategy for a major online gambling provider across various European jurisdictions for alleged breaches of local licensing legislation, including a complaint to the European Commission.
Mr. Seeger has published numerous articles and frequently presents and lectures on corporate crime enforcement. He is also a current member of the Editorial Board of Global Investigations Review. Recent publications include “A Game-Changer for UK Corporate Crime Enforcement? Major Expansion of Corporate Criminal Liability Proposed,” NYU Compliance & Enforcement (June, 2023); “UK Introduces New ‘Failure to Prevent Fraud’ Corporate Offence,” NYU Compliance & Enforcement (May, 2023); “OFSI Publishes Updated Enforcement and Penalty Guidance,” NYU Compliance & Enforcement (June, 2022); “SEC Brings its First Corporate Anti-Corruption Action of 2022,” NYU Compliance & Enforcement (April, 2022); “Bank Melli opinion: The EU Blocking Regulation grows teeth,” Financial Institutions Sanctions Compliance (May, 2021); “UK Supreme Court Rules That SFO Cannot Require Foreign Companies To Produce Documents Held Overseas,” FCPA Professor (February, 2021); “Debevoise & Plimpton Discusses UK’s Autonomous Sanctions Regime,” CLS Blue Sky Blog (January, 2021); “The SFO Publishes Its Internal Guidance on Deferred Prosecution Agreements,” Compliance & Enforcement (October, 2020); “UK and EU Anti-Money Laundering Enforcement,” CLS Blue Sky Blog (September, 2020); “Brazil Announces New Anti-Corruption Cooperation Framework; MPF’s 5th Chamber Opposes It,” Compliance & Enforcement (August, 2020); “The EPPO and the EU’s covid-19 rescue package – Italian anti-mafia report outlines future challenges,” Global Investigations Review (August, 2020); “UK Introduces Magnitsky-Style Human Rights Sanctions Regime,” Compliance & Enforcement (July, 2020); “The EPPO and International Co-Operation –– New Kid on the Block,” Compliance & Enforcement (December, 2019); “U.K. and U.S. Sign Landmark Cross-Border Data Sharing Agreement,” Compliance & Enforcement (November, 2019); “UK Law Commission Recommends Reforms to Money Laundering Suspicious Activity Reports,” Compliance and Enforcement (July, 2019); “Overseas production orders: a new regime for gathering evidence,” Practical Law (May, 2019); “Debevoise & Plimpton Discusses UK Financial Conduct Authority’s Proposal for Heads of Legal,” CLS Blue Sky Blog (February, 2019); “UK Financial Conduct Authority Puts Heads of Legal Outside the Senior Managers Regime,” Compliance & Enforcement (February, 2019); “Beyond The Headline Fines: Preparing For Post-GDPR ICO Scrutiny and Enforcement,” Global Data Review (October, 2018); “UK vs US: an Analysis of Key DPA Terms and their Impact on Corporate Parties,” ICLG: Business Crime 2019, published by Global Legal Group (September, 2018); “UK Law Commission Proposes Reforms to Suspicious Activity Reports for Money Laundering,” Compliance & Enforcement (August, 2018); “English High Court Considers Status of Internal Investigation Interview Notes,” Compliance & Enforcement (April, 2018); “First French DPAs for Corruption Offences,” Compliance & Enforcement (March, 2018); and “The Use of Foreign Compelled Testimony in Cross-Border Investigations – The Impact of the Second Circuit’s Allen Decision,” The International Comparative Legal Guide to Business Crime, 2018 (8th edition).
Mr. Seeger’s recent speaking engagements include “Unexplained Wealth Orders and Account Freezing Orders” (June, 2020); “Compliance and In-house Counsel in the Firing Line,” 5th Annual GIR Live London 2019 (April, 2019); “Double Jeopardy,” IBA Anti-Corruption Conference (June, 2018); “Broken Windows and New Frontiers: the Increasingly Long Arm of Anti-Corruption Law,” 21st Annual IBA Transnational Crime Conference (May, 2018); and “Grow a Backbone: The Distinction Between the American and British Approaches to Cross Border Investigations,” GIR Live London (April, 2018).
Mr. Seeger is a Solicitor-Advocate (Higher Rights of Audience). He received his M.A. (First Class) in Jurisprudence (Law with Law Studies in Europe) from the University of Oxford in 1996 and his Diplome d’Etudes Complémentaires du 2eme cycle en Droit Européen (Grande Distinction) from the Institut d’Etudes Européennes, Université Libre de Bruxelles in 1997. He is admitted to practise in England & Wales (2000), and he is an accredited Mediator with ADR Chambers. He is fluent in German and Greek and speaks French.
Karolos Seeger常驻德普伦敦办公室，他是“白领犯罪及合规辩护团队”和“国际争议解决团队”的合伙人，同时也是德普管理委员会的成员。Seeger律师的执业领域主要为白领犯罪和内部调查，尤其是遵守反腐败法规，开展合规评估，以及建立并执行适当的合规项目和程序。Seeger律师还就各种特定的制裁问题为客户提供建议，在处理复杂的诉讼和国际仲裁业务方面很有经验。
Seeger律师对于内部调查、合规意见、白领犯罪及广泛领域的各类英国高等法院和国际仲裁案均具有丰富的经验，曾任职国际律师协会商业犯罪委员会的官员。《英国法律500强》（2023年）将Seeger律师评为监管调查和公司犯罪领域的领军人物，并将其列入“名人堂”名单。Seeger律师被描述为“真正的国际化、多语种、非常聪明和有吸引力—在压力下表现出色—非常非常善于处理复杂的事情” 。客户在该指南前几版中指出他“在各方面均是一名出色的律师，他所做的每一件事都给人以信心，并称赞Seeger律师具备“出色的专业知识”，以及“和世界各地大量机构打交道的丰富经验，他亲力亲为、拥有极佳的判断力。” Seeger律师还被描述为“出类拔萃”，尤其“具备准确的个人判断力，提供高水准的法律建议。”客户表示他“尤为出色，拥有堪比电脑的大脑，能够将复杂的问题解释得简单明了。他总是给人以信心。他沉着镇定、非常聪明、很有风度。”《钱伯斯英国》（2023年）将Seeger律师列为“金融犯罪：公司”领域的第一梯队律师，称他将“丰富的经验和知识与高度务实的方法相结合”。 他因“深厚的知识和专业知识、令人印象深刻的智慧和非常好的判断力”而受到进一步的赞扬。有消息来源在该指南的前几版中称Seeger律师为“公司调查领域的杰出领导者”、“一位具有真正全球经验的完美专业人士” 和“专业娴熟、知识渊博、训练有素”。有客户特别提到“他是我们处理重要诉讼事宜时首先打电话联系的人。” 另有消息来源表示他“对于贿赂和腐败调查极其在行，代表客户与世界各地的监管机构建立密切关系，经验极为丰富。” 他拥有“旁人难及的丰富经验，曾主持处理了欧洲和英国最大、最复杂的一些反贿赂调查”。Seeger律师还被称赞为“似乎拥有无穷的智慧”，“提供机智、周到和实用的建议，为人和蔼可亲”，是“一位非常可靠且知识丰富的专家，在处理高风险问题时沉着冷静、应对有力。”
Seeger律师曾代表公司和个人客户应对各个领域的国际刑事和监管调查，涵盖市场滥用指控及全球范围内的腐败指控，其中包括代表客户应对一些调查和起诉机构和部门，包括反重大欺诈调查署（“SFO”）和英国金融行为监管局（“FCA”），以及（包括在美国、德国、希腊和巴西的）国外同等机构。最近，他代表劳斯莱斯（Rolls-Royce）处理与多个海外市场涉及中间人的贿赂与腐败行为有关的内部调查并和英国、美国和巴西的调查机构协调达成和解；代表一位欧洲公民应对SFO关于经由商业顾问支付腐败的指控调查而向一欧洲当局提起的司法互助；代表一家领先的全球能源集团应对SFO针对向非洲付款的调查，包括在英国会计法规下的量化和潜在风险；代表一家富时100指数公司前首席财务官应对SFO的欺诈调查。
Seeger律师还就并购交易相关的《反贿赂法》、制裁和英国洗钱问题向客户提供意见，并审核设计合规手册、项目和政策以符合相关要求。
Seeger律师具有丰富的争议解决经验，其中包括采用伦敦国际仲裁院规则、联合国国际贸易法委员会规则和城市纠纷规则下的各种仲裁，以及在高院对一指控违反垄断的股东衍生诉讼程序提起管辖权异议。他提供法律建议的其他案件包括在针对违反当地许可法规的指控中为一大型网络赌博提供商协调在欧洲不同司法辖区的辩护策略，其中包括向欧盟委员会提起的指控。
Seeger律师就公司犯罪执法发表了多篇文章并经常进行展示和演讲。他目前还担任《全球调查评论》杂志的编委会委员。Seeger律师近期发表的文章包括：“OFSI 发布更新的执法和处罚指南”，纽约大学合规与执法（2022 年 6 月）” ；“SEC 提出 2022 年首个企业反腐败行动” ，纽约大学合规与执法（2022 年 4 月）；“关于伊朗国家银行一案的观点：欧盟封锁法规的作用不断增大”，《金融机构制裁合规》（2021年5月）；“英国最高法院裁定SFO （严重欺诈调查署）不得要求外国公司出示在海外持有的文件” ，《FCPA Professor》（2021 年 2 月）; “德普阐述英国的自治制裁制度” ，CLS 蓝天博客（2021 年 1 月）；“SFO发布关于暂缓起诉协议的内部指南”，《合规与执法》（2020年10月）；“英国和欧盟反洗钱执法”，CLS蓝天博客（2020年9月）；巴西宣布新的反腐败合作框架；联邦检察署第五庭反对”，《合规与执法》（2020年8月）；“欧洲检察官办公室（EPPO）和欧盟的新冠肺炎救援计划–意大利反黑手党报告概述未来的挑战”，《全球调查评论》（2020年8月）；“英国引入马格尼茨基式的人权制裁制度”，《合规与执法》（2020年7月）；“欧洲检察官办公室（EPPO）与国际合作–初来乍到”，《合规与执法》（2019年12月）；“英美签署标志性跨境数据共享协议”，《合规与执法》（2019年11月）；“合规与执法：英国法律委员会建议对洗钱可疑活动报告进行改革”，《合规与执法》（2019年7月）；“海外获取指令（Overseas production orders）：收集证据的新体制”，《Practical Law》(2019年5月)；“德普解析英国金融服务监管局对法律主管的提议”，哥伦比亚大学法学院Bluesky博客（2019年2月）；“英国金融服务监管局将法律主管置于高级管理层体制之外”，《合规与执法》（2019年2月）； “在上了头版的罚款案例之外：准备应对GDPR实行后来自英国信息专员办公室（ICO）的审查与执法”，《全球数据评论》（2018年10月）；“英美对比：对暂缓起诉协议关键条款的分析以及其对公司一方的影响”，《国际比较法律指南：商业犯罪2019》（全球法律集团出版，2018年9月）；“英国法律委员会提议对洗钱可疑活动报告进行改革”，《合规与执法》（2018年8月）；“英国高等法院考虑内部调查面谈记录的重要性”，《合规与执法》（2018年4月）；“法国首次就腐败罪达成暂缓起诉协议”，《合规与执法》（2018年3月）；以及“在跨境调查中使用外国强制证人证言——第二巡回上诉法院Allen一案裁决所带来的影响”，《国际经济犯罪比较法律指南，2018年（第8版）》。
Seeger律师近期发表的演讲包括: “无法解释的财富指令和帐户冻结指令”（2020年6月）；“备受抨击的合规与内部法律顾问”，2019年第5届伦敦年度GIR Live（2019年4月）；“双重危机”，国际律师协会反腐败大会（2018年6月）；“破窗事件和新领域：反腐败法日益广泛的管辖范围”，第21届年度国际律师协会跨国犯罪大会（2018年5月）；以及“增长志气：跨境调查处理方式的英美对比”，伦敦GIR Live大会（2018年4月）。
Seeger律师是一名“律师-辩护人”（Solicitor-Advocate）（具有较高级法院出庭发言权）。他于1996年取得牛津大学法理学（法律及欧洲法律研究）文学硕士学位（荣誉一等），并于1997年获得从布鲁塞尔自由大学欧洲研究所取得欧洲法律第二学位（优等）。他于2000年获得英国及威尔士律师执业资格，而且是ADR Chambers的认证调解员。他的德语、希腊语流利，且会说法语。