Nicolas Tollet is a Counsel within Hughes Hubbard’s Anti-Corruption and Internal Investigations practice group. He previously served as Vice President Group Compliance for Technip, a French multinational company, and was based between Paris and Rio de Janeiro.
Nicolas has significant experience working on compliance-related matters in a variety of contexts. He began his career working with another international law firm, where he initially focused on corporate matters. Since 2008, he has focused primarily on compliance, and has worked on some of the largest resolutions by the US DOJ and the SEC in both the pre- and post-settlement context (including inter alia the Alcatel and TSKJ cases). While at Technip, Nicolas spent time working both at headquarters and in the company’s operations, providing him with insight into the internal functioning of multinational corporations and the implementation of compliance programs into such corporations.
His experience includes navigating monitorships, conducting internal and external investigations, establishing robust compliance programs, conducting third party due diligence, and developing and performing training for diverse employee populations. He has an in-depth knowledge of the FCPA, UKBA, Brazil Clean Company Act and French anti-corruption laws. He worked actively with members of the French Parliament on drafting France’s revised law on anti-corruption “Sapin 2,” which was passed into law in December 2016.
Prior to 2008, Nicolas focused his practice on mergers and acquisitions, LBOs, restructuring and financing, which provides him with the ability to comprehend how compliance functions within such contexts.
Nicolas is actively involved in the international compliance community. He founded The European Compliance Network, regularly publishes articles on compliance and speaks at international conferences. In November 2016, he was the only French lawyer selected by the OECD to participate in the public consultation on liability of legal persons along with professionals from around the world. Besides, Nicolas gives a course on anti-corruption compliance at the University of California at Berkeley.
Recognitions
2017 Selected as the only French lawyer among the top Investigations Specialists worldwide by GIR Inside In-House
2016 Compliance Department Award by the Leaders’ league (Trophées du Droit)
2015 Alumni Excellence in Service Award from the University of California Berkeley
Court Admission
U.S. Supreme Court (2009)
Professional Activities
Founder of The European Compliance Network, a network of thousands of compliance professionals
Regularly publishes articles on compliance
Speaks at international conferences, including lectures on anti-corruption at the University of California Berkeley
Founder and President Emeritus of the Berkeley Club of France
Received the 2015 Alumni Excellence in Service Award from the University of California Berkeley
Member of Transparency International and Cercle France-Ameriques
Highlighted Publications
“Cartographie Des Risques: Retour d’expérience brésilien pour réussir l’exercice,” article publié dans le dossier “Loi Sapin 2, FCPA, UKBA, CCA: Comment ne pas se perdre dans le dédale de la conformité?”, Cahiers de Droit de l’Entreprise n° 2, March-April 2017 / "Risk Mapping: Feedback from Brazilian Experience for Successful Exercise ” Article published as part of the Article Series “Loi Sapin 2, FCPA, UKBA, CCA: How Not to Get Lost in the Compliance Maze”, Cahiers de Droit de l’Entreprise n° 2, March-April 2017 (article co-authored with Salim J. Saud Neto)
"New French anti-corruption law: Shall we be scared of France now?" The FCPA Blog, September 30, 2016
"France: Will a new anti-corruption law end U.S. mega-sanctions against French companies?" The FCPA Blog, December 3, 2015
"La « loi Sapin II », la fin des méga-sanctions américaines contre les sociétés françaises?" Revue Lamy de Droit des Affaires I Numéro 110, December 1, 2015
"A coordinated fight against corruption could help save the European Union," The FCPA Blog, November 16, 2015
"Évaluer et se protéger des risques de corruption en cas d’acquisition d’une entreprise industrielle," Revue Lamy de Droit des Affaires I Numéro 103, April 1, 2015
"Assessing and Protecting Yourself from the Corruption Risks When Acquiring an Industrial Business," International In-house Counsel Journal, Vol. 7, No. 28, Summer 2014, 1, June 27, 2014
"L'alternance pour Paris: quand l'éthique en politique porte enfin un nom," Le Huffington Post, March 13, 2014
"The Societas Europea: Europeanization via Americanization of Corporate Law. Corporate Governance: Only One Model?" Berkeley Electronic Press, June 2005
Highlighted Anti-Corruption Lectures
“2017 Compliance Breakfast Series: Anti-Corruption Perspective,” Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, Paris Office, July 12, 2017
“M&A, Compliance and Corruption,” Advanced Academic Seminar on Compliance, University of California BerkeleyLaw and Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, Paris, June 20, 2017
“2017 Compliance Breakfast Series: M&A Lawyers’ Perspective,” Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, Paris Office, June 14, 2017
“2017 Compliance Breakfast Series: Social Lawyers’ Perspective,” Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, Paris Office, May 18, 2017
“2017 Compliance Breakfast Series: Banking Lawyers’ Perspective,” Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, Paris Office, April 26, 2017
"How to Perform an Internal Investigation and How to Handle an Investigation by Anti-Corruption Authorities," Association of French In-House Counsel (AFJE), InterContinental Paris Le Grand Hotel, Paris, April 25, 2017
"Public-Private Dialogue on the Prevention of Corruption in France," Business Associations and the Fight Against Corruption in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region Program, OECD Conference Center, Paris, March 29, 2017
“Sapin 2: Strategies to Improve Anti-Corruption Compliance Programs & Arguments to Obtain Resources from Management,” Agora des Directeurs Juridiques, Plaza Athénée Palace, Paris, March 23, 2017
“Compliance as a Tool to Enhance Operations and Strategy,” From the Spirit of the Laws Breakfast, Cercle Montesquieu, Paris, February 1, 2017
“ How to Apprehend Anti-Corruption Compliance in an M&A Transaction,” Professional Talks, BerkeleyLaw, Berkeley, June 28, 2016
“Merger Integration Management Forum,” 8th Edition, Thought Leader Global, Amsterdam, March 17, 2016
“Preventing Risks and Antic-Corruption Strategy,” 4th Edition, Marcus Evans, Paris, November 26, 2015
“Corporate Fraud and Corruption Forum,” 11th Edition, Thought Leader Global, Amsterdam, May 12, 2015
“Anti-Corruption France,” 5th Edition, C5, Paris, May 13, 2014
“Advanced European Forum on Anti-Corruption,” 7th Edition, C5, Frankfurt, January 29, 2014
Interviews
“Un Show a l'Americaine.“ Midi Libre, October 20, 2016
"Crise à la Cour Suprême," Midi Libre, February 25, 2016
