TRACE and Willkie Farr Announce Anti-Bribery Seminar in Paris

PARIS, Feb. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- TRACE and Willkie Farr & Gallagher will host an anti-bribery seminar to discuss the impact of current anti-bribery enforcement trends on French companies operating internationally. The seminar will take place on February 23, 2011 at the offices of Willkie Farr & Gallagher. Please visit www.traceinternational.org for additional details and to register for the event or contact [email protected]

French companies are increasingly coming under investigation for violations of international bribery laws. Technip's $338 million settlement with US enforcement authorities for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the reported expansion of the investigation into Alstom's business practices by Swiss, UK and US authorities reflects the global reach of these laws.  

With the continued roll out of the OECD's Phase Three review of countries' compliance with the their obligations under the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, the trend in increased enforcement, especially in OECD countries, is likely to continue.  Companies with global operations are increasingly aware of the need to ensure compliance with international bribery laws in order to avoid costly and time-consuming investigations.

This jointly sponsored breakfast seminar will feature expert speakers from TRACE and Willkie Farr who will discuss how companies can implement a cost-effective and robust anti-bribery compliance program. Dominique Mondoloni, a partner in Willkie Farr's litigation group, will review ongoing international bribery investigations in France while Carolyn Lindsey, Director of Member Services with TRACE, will share information on how companies can successfully mitigate risk in this area based on TRACE's near constant benchmarking.

About TRACE

TRACE is a non-profit membership association that pools resources to provide practical and cost-effective anti-bribery compliance solutions for multinational companies and their commercial intermediaries (sales agents and representatives, consultants, distributors, suppliers, etc.). TRACE provides several core services and products, including: due diligence reports on commercial intermediaries; model compliance policies; an online Resource Center with foreign local law summaries, including guidelines on gifts and hospitality; in-person and online anti-bribery training; and research on corporate best practices.

SOURCE TRACE