Félix de Belloy’s practice focuses on litigation, primarily white-collar matters and commercial litigation. He and his team represent a wide range of high-profile individuals and handle matters involving cross-border corruption issues.
Félix is ranked as a leading practitioner in Criminal defense as well as in white-collar and commercial litigation (Legal 500 Paris, Best Lawyers France, Décideurs). In Chambers, Félix de Belloy is praised by one source for his ability to “get formidable results.” (Europe/France guide, White-collar Crime, 2022). In The Legal 500, Félix is described as, “a recognized star, with high-level technique that is matched by his strong presence in courts.” (EMEA guide, Dispute Resolution: White-collar Crime, 2022).
Félix was elected Premier Secretary of the Conférence du Stage in 2004. The Conférence du Stage is a prestigious association of French lawyers founded in 1810, which brings together twelve young lawyers elected by their peers (following a three-round oratory contest), working as a special task force on sensitive criminal cases.
Prior to joining Hughes Hubbard, Félix was an associate and partner at Beaussier & Associés (which later merged with White & Case, Beaussier being appointed head of its White-Collar Crime Department). In 2009, he was one of the three founding partners of Boken Avocats (former “Beauquier, Belloy & Gauvain”), a French litigation boutique firm specializing in white collar-crime defense and commercial litigation.
Félix is a graduate of University Paris V Paris-Descartes and University Paris II Panthéon – Assas.
Highlighted Publications
"Contrôles AFA: Le droit de dire non?" ("AFA Controls: The Right To Say No?"), Dalloz Avocats (May 2020) (article co-authored with Marie-Agnès Nicolas) [In French]
Highlighted Lectures
Speaker, “The Impact of Sanctions on the Rights of Individual and Legal Entities,” Conference Cycle on Sanctions, EFB École de Formation du Barreau, Paris, May 25, 2022
Speaker, "AFA Controls: The Right To Say No?" webinar, May 13, 2020
Teaching Experience
“Strategies in Complex Litigation” Course at Ecole des Avocats de Paris (Bar School)
Highlighted Matters
Cross Border/Financial Matters
Defense of the former President and shareholder of the Landsbanki, charged with allegations of fraud after the bankruptcy of the Icelandic banking system in 2008
Advised a major French bank during judicial investigations in Jersey (UK) for money-laundering
Advised a major US company during judicial investigations in Paris for corruption/FCPA violations in West Africa
Assisted a major French bank’s Treasurer in the Libor case, in investigations spanning the US, UK and France
Advised two bank managers facing prosecution in the US (DoJ) and in France (PNF) for alleged bribery in Libya
Advised several members of a family in an action against a French bank, facing a claim of more than € 300 million and criminal allegations in France and the US
Financial/Political Matters
Advised the former Prime Minister Edouard Balladur in the “Karachi” case
Advised Gabonese President Bongo’s heirs and assigns in the “ill-gotten gains” judicial proceedings brought by the French authorities
Represented a Saudi businessman who allegedly bribed a French political figure
Unintentional offences and criminal labor
Defense of the Director of an industrial plant charged with involuntary homicide following asbestos-related deaths resulting in dismissal of the case
Defense of an industrial group prosecuted for unintentional injuries and reckless endangerment following a number of workplace accidents
Implementation of delegations of authority at a company in the financial sector
Pro Bono
Represented a French citizen detained at Guantanamo Bay (acquittal obtained after 3 years of detention in Guantanamo and 2 years of detention in France)
Represented Sikh students, in a claim for religious discrimination against the French State which banned them from wearing Sikh turbans at school
Class action against the French State for ethnic profiling which resulted a successful outcome after litigation spanning five years and a Court decision recognizing, for the first time in France, racial discrimination during “stop and search” police operations