20 leading criminal law lawyers in France in 2026
Impact Lawyers' editorial selection brings together twenty professionals with particularly significant experience in criminal law in France. Lawyers are listed alphabetically by surname: the table order does not establish internal positions or identify one professional as superior to another.
| Lawyer | Firm | Main profile |
|---|---|---|
| Antoine Vey | Vey & Associés | Criminal and white-collar defence |
| Antonin Lévy | Paul Hastings | Corporate criminal law and compliance |
| Christian Saint-Palais | Le Borgne Saint-Palais Associés | Criminal and white-collar defence |
| Christophe Ingrain | Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier | Criminal litigation and procedure |
| Clarisse Serre | Serre Avocats | Criminal litigation and procedure |
| Claudia Chemarin | Chemarin & Limbour | Corporate criminal law and compliance |
| Denis Chemla | A&O Shearman | White-collar investigations and litigation |
| Emmanuel Daoud | Vigo Avocats | Corporate criminal law and compliance |
| Emmanuel Marsigny | Skadden | White-collar investigations and litigation |
| Éric Dezeuze | Bredin Prat | Corporate criminal law and compliance |
| François Saint-Pierre | FSP Avocats | Fraud, corruption and complex criminal matters |
| Frank Berton | Cabinet Frank Berton | Fraud, corruption and complex criminal matters |
| Jacqueline Laffont | Haïk & Associés | Criminal and white-collar defence |
| Jean-Marc Fedida | Fedida Associés | Fraud, corruption and complex criminal matters |
| Julia Minkowski | Minkowski & Partners | Fraud, corruption and complex criminal matters |
| Kami Haeri | White & Case | Criminal litigation and procedure |
| Kiril Bougartchev | Bougartchev Moyne Associés | Criminal and white-collar defence |
| Marie-Alix Canu-Bernard | Canu-Bernard & Associés | White-collar investigations and litigation |
| Patrick Maisonneuve | Cabinet Maisonneuve | White-collar investigations and litigation |
| Pierre-Olivier Sur | FTMS Avocats | Criminal litigation and procedure |
How the ranking was prepared
This selection was built from scratch through Impact Lawyers’ own editorial review of professional and public information available through 2026. It does not reproduce or adapt the order of third-party directories, awards or rankings. Profiles were identified and cross-checked using current professional biographies, official law-firm information, publicly verifiable matters and transactions, publications, institutional and academic activity and international experience.
For this practice area, particular attention was paid to criminal defence, white-collar crime, investigations, corruption, fraud, corporate criminal liability and criminal procedure.
The editorial assessment combines five dimensions:
- Depth, continuity and genuine specialisation in the practice: 30%.
- Complexity and relevance of publicly verifiable matters, transactions or responsibilities: 25%.
- Technical command and ability to handle complex matters within the specialty: 20%.
- Professional leadership, independent judgement and ability to lead significant mandates: 15%.
- International profile and doctrinal, academic or institutional contribution: 10%.
Impact Lawyers' own editorial approach
Inclusion does not depend on firm size, media visibility or presence in other rankings. The selection is intended to reflect different practice models, combining major firms, specialist boutiques and professionals with a particularly distinctive individual track record. The apparent number of wins, transactions or clients is not used as an automatic measure because public information is uneven and many matters remain confidential.
How to interpret the selection
This ranking is an editorial snapshot of the market based on public information available in 2026. It does not measure fees, guarantee outcomes or claim that any included professional is the right choice for every matter. The choice of counsel should take into account the precise specialty, potential conflicts of interest, jurisdiction, availability, language, budget and relationship of trust.
Professional careers and firm structures can change. Future editions should therefore verify partner moves, new firms, changes of role and potential incompatibilities before publication.
