Antonin Lévy

Practice Areas

Antonin Lévy is a partner in the Investigations and White Collar Defense practice at Paul Hastings and is based in the firm’s Paris office. He is one of the best-known and most highly regarded litigators in France, concentrating on complex criminal litigation and compliance work. His practice focuses on white collar crime litigation, corporate compliance, and internal investigations, with a particular emphasis on corruption, corporate criminal law, and business and human rights. Antonin’s extensive experience includes managing investigations conducted by multilateral development banks and handling high-profile ESG litigation.

Prior to joining Paul Hastings, Antonin co-founded the leading litigation and investigations boutique, Antonin Lévy & Associés, where he built a reputation for his expertise in complex legal matters. His career also includes serving as a partner at Metzner Associés. Notably, Antonin also established and led the Investigation, White Collar Crime, and Fraud practice at a prominent American law firm in Paris.

With almost 20 years as a member of the Paris Bar, Antonin has consistently provided exceptional legal representation to organizations and individuals before both French and international courts. His work in high-profile cases involving fraud, corruption, human rights, and corporate criminal law has earned him a formidable reputation. Chambers & Partners Europe (2023) recognizes him as “a strong player in this market,” highlighting his role as counsel in some of the most significant cases in these areas. In 2023, Antonin helped an oil and gas company secure a €155 million (US$170 million) settlement with France’s National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) over suspected corruption in Africa, and assisted a Luxembourg-based manufacturing company in resolving a PNF investigation into bribery in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Algeria, Nigeria, and Libya. Having been involved in multiple joint resolutions in France, the U.S., and Germany, Antonin also has extensive experience dealing with investigations led by the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the European Investment Bank.

For trial litigation, Antonin is a vigorous litigator, having secured positive verdicts for his clients in high-stakes cases, such as the crash of the Concorde and other significant industrial accidents.

Career

2024-present: Partner at Paul Hastings

2019-2024: Partner at Antonin Lévy & Associés

2014-2018: Head of the Investigation, White Collar and Fraud practice at Hogan Lovells in Paris

2009-2014: Partner at Metzner Associés

2005-2009: Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier

Publications

"La cour d’appel de Paris condamne Alcatel-Lucent pour corruption d’agents publics étrangers," Revue Internationale de la Compliance et de l’Ethique des Affaires, 2020

"Table ronde sur la loi sur le devoir de vigilance des sociétés mères et entreprises donneuses d’ordre: premières mises en demeure et actions en justice," Cahier de droit de l’Entreprise, 2020

"Section on France," The Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Review, 2020

"L’émergence de la conformité en France," Expert Guides, 2018

"Dossier spécial: Regard pratique autour du dispositif de lutte contre le blanchiment," Cahiers de Droit de l’entreprise, 2017

"Les récents mais perfectibles développements de la comparution sur reconnaissance préalable de culpabilité en matière économique et financière," Droit Pénal, Étude n°21, October 2016

"Le délit de non-déclaration de franchissement de seuil: une infraction désuète," Droit Pénal, Etude n°22, November 2015