Antoine Juaristi

Antoine Juaristi focuses on banking and finance litigation and is an authority in regulatory finance disputes. He is one of a handful of lawyers whose skills in financial disciplinary proceedings is highly regarded and, as such, was consulted by the Sanctions Commission of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) on the potential reform of its disciplinary proceedings.

Antoine Juaristi also advises banks, asset management companies and other investment services providers, in disciplinary and other regulatory proceedings instigated by the French Financial Market Authority ("AMF") and the French Banking Authority ("ACPR"). He represents both the legal entities and their representatives in proceedings and during hearings before the AMF's and the ACPR's Enforcement Committee.

Antoine has broad experience in criminal proceedings, generally in cases brought by the Public Prosecutor and for which an investigating magistrate in the financial sector has been appointed.

Antoine has also developed an interest in the pre-litigation analysis of contracts, intervening in several disputes relating to important national and international contracts and where actions before courts are necessary.

Today, Antoine is a recognised authority on issues relating to professional civil liability, and in particular of financial institutions on which he gives presentations and conferences on a regular basis. He has extensive experience in dispute resolution concerning asset management, banking, brokerage, capital markets and derivatives. In addition to his knowledge and experience in the wholesale market, he also has experience in disputes in the private banking sector.

Antoine has given lectures at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commmerciales (HEC) in white collar crime and at various French universities.

Antoine regularly publishes articles in both French and English on banking and finance litigation subjects.  He also regularly intervenes in seminars as main speaker, notably at the annual conference on banking and financial case law organized by Revue Banque & Droit.

Antoine's experience includes:

• Defending a major French bank in investigation launched by US Department of Justice and other foreign authorities regarding possible cartel conduct in several sovereign bond markets*
• Defending an insurance broker in a disciplinary proceedings before the ACPR*
• Successfully defending a Russian entity in a dispute relating to a seizure initiated by former shareholders of the Yukos petroleum group, further to the enforcement of an arbitration award against the Russian Federation for dozens billions of dollars*
• Defending a major international bank, in its capacity as portfolio management company, as well as an international bank, in its capacity as custodian, in a judicial action brought by a French insurance company who alleges that the investments made by the portfolio management company have not been made in compliance with the terms and conditions set out in the prospectus*
• Defending an investment bank before the Enforcement Committee of the AMF in disciplinary proceedings regarding various bond issues*

*Prior to joining Herbert Smith Freehills

Accolades

• "The practice also has good international capabilities and strong expertise in the banking sector through Antoine Juaristi, who provides a ‘very high standard of services in complex cases regarding swaps’." Legal 500 EMEA 2014
• "Antoine Juaristi has expertise in regulatory, banking and finance litigation, and acts for clients such as Natixis Asset Management, Barclays and Sanofi." Legal 500 EMEA 2013
• "Antoine Juaristi focuses on financial disputes, representing large banking institutions". Legal 500 Europe, Middle East & Africa 2011
• "Antoine Juaristi quickly grasps and explains legal issues in simple terms." Legal 500 EMEA 2009

Background

Antoine is a member of the Paris Bar and Madrid bars.