We understand the critical business and reputational risks our clients and executives face day-to-day in their transactions and business dealings. Our team is trusted to advise clients on some of their most sensitive issues including money laundering, bribery, corruption, fraud and false accounting, sanctions, cross-border internal and external investigations and prosecutions, privacy data breaches, human rights and modern slavery law.
JWS is recognised as providing the best practical and commercial legal solutions to help achieve your business objectives. It is at the heart of our team’s approach. Our lawyers are experienced in all aspects of white-collar criminal law defence including:
- conducting internal and responding to external, investigations
- money laundering and terrorism finance compliance
- customer due diligence and reporting obligations
- human rights and modern slavery law compliance
- money laundering and counter-terrorism financing advice
- proceeds of crime applications
- Australian and international sanctions regimes
- defending Australian companies and individuals in Australian and cross-border criminal investigations and prosecutions involving bribery and corruption
- understanding corporate and financial regulation and acting for regulators
- internal governance and compliance advice and training programs.
Work highlights
Australian Energy and Resources Companies
Investigations into the conduct of third-party intermediaries concerning tax and mining licence matters in various African jurisdictions.
Investment Company
Reviewing allegations of corruption involving a mining entity in South-East Asia on behalf of an investment client considering commercial opportunities in the energy and resources sector.
Sinclair Knight Merz (Jacobs Group)
Successfully acted for a former director and officer, in defending a substantial conspiracy to bribe foreign public officials’ criminal prosecution, arising out of alleged conduct concerning aid-funded infrastructure projects in the Philippines and Vietnam.
International Bar Association Pro bono work for the Afghanistan Independent Bar Association
Drafted the Anti-Corruption Guidelines for the Afghanistan legal profession, devised a training workshop attended by the Afghanistan Minster of Justice and Bar Association leadership and reviewed the Bar Association’s internal disciplinary procedures.
Various International Clients - ABAC and Sanctions
Internal advice on ABAC and sanctions policies and procedures, training programs and internal investigations on potentially illegal conduct in assignments in the Asia-Pacific region, Africa and the Middle East.
Australian Clients - AML
Ongoing advice on anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing obligations on finance companies (as reporting entities) in connection with due diligence inquiries and reporting obligations.
