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Overview
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Experience
Introduction
Alexis has over 20 years' experience in criminal business law, white-collar defence, compliance and corporate litigation, advising corporations, funds and high-profile executives.
A seasoned practitioner, Alexis Werl advises French and international corporations, investment funds, high-profile executives and public figures across a range of sectors including banking, finance, energy, infrastructure and emerging technologies.
His practice encompasses the full spectrum of criminal business law and compliance matters, including cross-border investigations, white collar defense, anti-corruption and anti-bribery compliance, and risk management. He also represents clients in complex corporate finance litigation, including shareholder disputes, executive dismissals, and post-acquisition claims.
Alexis is a member of both the Paris and New York Bars, a former Secretary of the Paris Bar Conference, and a former member of the Paris Bar Council (2021-2023). He also serves as a member of the National Bars Council where he has chaired the Texts Committee since 2024.
Legal 500 2025: Litigation/White Collar Crime, 4: has recognized that "Alexis Werl is brilliant and exceptionally intelligent. He seeks new angles when approaching cases and is highly rigorous. Great analysis skills and relevant advice". He is also ranked as Distinguished in "Best Lawyers" for his experience in criminal defense from 2020 to 2025.
- Leading French nuclear reactor company | 2018 -ongoing | Our France-based white collar crime team has served as a leading France-based nuclear reactor company's primary counsel on white-collar matters, advising on overseas investigations, notably in Brazil.
- A Century-Old Financial Group | Ongoing | In the high-profile “Apollonia” matter, considered one of the largest real estate investment scams in French history and even described by the Public Prosecutor as “the largest fraud ever” in France, spanning a large number of banks, financial institutions, attorneys, notaries, developers, and brokers. The team secured dismissal of all criminal charges against CIF in H1 2022, which was confirmed by the Chamber of Instruction in H1 2023. Following those outcomes, the team successfully represented CIF at trial in Marseille for more than two months (March to June 2025), with CIF now positioned as the major plaintiff, obtaining in a landmark decision rendered on January 15, 2026, a total of €175 million in damages from real estate brokers and notaries, guaranteed by a mutual professional fund.
- A French Leading Engineering Company in the Energy Sector | Conducting a very comprehensive internal investigation on alleged facts of harassment and workplace stress, at the request of the management.
- A French Businessman and Investor | Ongoing | Representing the client based in Switzerland on the Coencas matter, in which our client was prosecuted for embezzlement and money laundering, inter alia. Matter is pending before the Cour de cassation, which will decide whether or not French investigations violated the Schengen Convention’s double jeopardy prohibition.
- A Data Solutions Division of a Global Insurance Group | Ongoing | Advising, in connection with a criminal investigation involving one of its employees, with a focus on safeguarding the rights of an unrelated high‑profile third party.
- A high-profile individual | Ongoing | Advising in connection with a highly sensitive white-collar investigation concerning alleged illicit political campaign and party financing. The matter is being handled by our France-based white-collar crime team and remains ongoing. The client’s activities and political role have been subject to intense media scrutiny in recent months.
- A French Corporate and Investment Banking Division of One of The Largest US Banks | Assisting on the risks related to a series of projected donations to charitable organizations, as well as on the guarantees to be obtained to secure the legality of the operations.
- A Spain-Based Holding Company | Ongoing | Advising formerly held by a real estate businessman. In 2020, the then–investigating judge froze the company’s assets—including over €45 million in shares, dividends, and bank accounts—and placed the company under formal investigation. In 2022, we secured an order from the Paris Court of Appeals unfreezing the €45 million in shares and, in 2022 and 2023, successfully defeated the opposing party’s challenges to that unfreezing. The investigation remains ongoing.
- A World Leader in Private Wealth Management, based in New York, London and internationally, in a criminal investigation conducted by French enforcement authorities against the former manager of its French operations. This pending matter shows our ability to help international clients navigate into French complex financial crime matters and efficiently liaise with local enforcement authorities.
- French nuclear company | Conducted an internal investigation in France, Germany and Brazil, at the request of the executive management of a major French company in the nuclear sector, regarding potential wrongdoing committed in connection with nuclear power plant contracts. This large-scale investigation was carried out by a dedicated team of French, Germany and Brazilian lawyers.
- Leading French luxury hotel group | Advised on administrative investigations at the intersection of employment and criminal law. Our France-based white-collar team represented a top-tier luxury hotel group in investigations concerning alleged violations of French working-time regulations for employees. We secured a very lenient sanction, demonstrating effective cross-team collaboration and our strength in employment-related criminal matters.
- Cosmetics company | Assisted the French and Russian affiliates of a world leader in the cosmetics sector, in the mapping of their corruption risks.
- Leading French engineering company | Assisted a French leading engineering company in the energy sector in their risk mapping, as well as the preparation of implementation of their anti-bribes policies in accordance with Sapin II Law: code of conduct, gifts and entertainment policy, conflict of interest prevention policy, internal whistleblowing system.
- International shipping company | Assisted an international shipping company in developing and implementing an Anti-Bribery & Corruption program in accordance with the requirements of the Sapin II law: risk mapping, code of conduct, management and staff training.
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